Therapy Terms

Definitions for common therapy terms and acronyms, helping therapists and clients understand what all of these different acronyms mean.

ABA: Applied Behavior Analysis

A therapy that uses techniques to improve specific behaviors.


ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

A therapy that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies.


ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.


AFT: Attachment-Focused Therapy

A therapy that emphasizes building secure attachments.


ART: Accelerated Resolution Therapy

A therapy that aims to resolve traumatic memories quickly.


BA: Behavioral Activation

A therapy that aims to increase engagement in valued activities.


BPD: Borderline Personality Disorder

A mental health disorder characterized by unstable moods, behavior, and relationships.


CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A therapy that focuses on changing negative thought patterns.


CFT: Compassion-Focused Therapy

A therapy that aims to help people develop self-compassion.


CPT: Cognitive Processing Therapy

A therapy designed to help people recover from PTSD.


DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy

A therapy that combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness.


EFT: Emotionally Focused Therapy

A therapy focused on improving emotional bonds.


EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

A therapy for processing traumatic memories.


FAP: Functional Analytic Psychotherapy

A therapy that uses the client-therapist relationship to create meaningful change.


GAD: Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A disorder characterized by excessive, uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life.


GAT: Group Analytic Therapy

A therapy that uses group dynamics to explore and address psychological issues.


IFS: Internal Family Systems

A therapy that focuses on understanding and integrating different parts of the self.


IPP: Interpersonal Psychotherapy

A therapy that focuses on improving interpersonal relationships and social functioning.


IPT: Interpersonal Therapy

A therapy that focuses on improving interpersonal relationships.


MBCT: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

A therapy that combines cognitive therapy with mindfulness techniques.


MBRP: Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention

A therapy that combines mindfulness and CBT to prevent relapse in addiction.


MBSR: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

A program that uses mindfulness to reduce stress.


MDD: Major Depressive Disorder

A mood disorder causing persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest.


NARM: NeuroAffective Relational Model

A therapy that addresses developmental trauma.


NLP: Neuro-Linguistic Programming

A method of influencing brain behavior through the use of language and other communication.


OCD: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

A disorder characterized by uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts and behaviors.


PCIT: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy

A therapy that improves parent-child interactions.


PCT: Person-Centered Therapy

A therapy that emphasizes the client's capacity for self-direction.


PE: Prolonged Exposure

A therapy for PTSD that involves reliving the traumatic event.


PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

A disorder that develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event.


REBT: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

A therapy that focuses on changing irrational beliefs.


SFBT: Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

A short-term therapy that focuses on solutions rather than problems.


SFT: Solution-Focused Therapy

A therapy that emphasizes finding solutions in the present time.


TF-CBT: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A therapy specifically designed to help with the effects of trauma.


TFT: Thought Field Therapy

A therapy that uses tapping on meridian points to relieve psychological stress.


TMS: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

A non-invasive procedure used to treat depression.