The Hazards of “Therapy Speak”
By Jasmin Portaz, M.A., LPC, ATR
April 15, 2026
How these terms are overused, misunderstood, and misused and the dangers they can cause.
The prevalence, acceptance, and availability of mental health treatment and understanding are undeniably positive occurrences. Among other positive outcomes, it has led to countless people seeking support, lives saved and improved, and generational patterns being broken. The term “my therapist said…” is commonplace; no longer taboo or something many people feel ashamed of. All kinds of people are seeking help, and for that, the world is a better place. However, with this mainstreaming, there has been an insurgence of weaponizing, misdiagnosing, misusing, and misunderstanding therapy terms and diagnoses. This can cause great harm to many people and may have the opposite effect of the intended language. Clinical language is a great way of understanding mental health, but in the wrong context, it can also be the cause of great distress.
HOW PSYCHOLOGY LANGUAGE IS BEING MISUSED
As psychology has become more mainstream, it has brought with it the language of “therapy speak.” This refers to therapeutic terms or language used to identify and better understand mental health. Unfortunately, this language is often misused, taken out of context, or used to cause harm. These terms or diagnoses often carry a stigma that can lead to judgment, harassment, and discrimination. Some of the more frequently used/misused diagnoses include “narcissistic,” “bipolar,” and “OCD.” Take Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) as an example. Statistically speaking, there are 0.5% to 5% of people within the United States who would meet the criteria in the DSM-5 to be diagnosed with NPD. While it is not uncommon for people to exhibit what we may consider narcissistic behavior, labeling them with NPD can be harmful in understanding them, working with them, or empathizing with them. Many people may even exhibit some of the criteria required for diagnosis, such as “[h]as a sense of entitlement (i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations).” However, there are multiple criteria that must be present throughout their life in multiple contexts before a true diagnosis can be given.
Calling someone a “narcissist” is often, unfortunately, intended as a joke or an insult, but
from a therapeutic perspective, it has real, deep meaning and to make light of can be damaging to the individual and disrespectful to the realities of those who may be authentically, honestly, and bravely confronting the actual realities of NPD. The truth is, it is not appropriate or beneficial for anyone but the person treating a client to diagnose them. Period.
“Therapy speak” brings with it the normalization and overuse of terms meant to protect one’s mental health and bring with it an understanding of certain behaviors, feelings, or struggles. But, once again, the overuse and misuse of these terminologies has led to the diminishment of the importance and seriousness of them, a misunderstanding of the terms and how to respond to them, and a weaponization of them. These misused terms include “triggered,” “gaslighting,” “codependent,” “boundaries,” “trauma dumping,” “trauma bonding,” and “imposter syndrome.” While these terms are now commonplace,
they actually carry deep, specific, and clinical definitions. Take “triggered,” for example, it is not uncommon to hear someone say they were “triggered” when someone did something to upset them or offend them. In actuality, a trigger is a physical and/or mental response to something that “triggers” you by reminding your body of a past trauma. In this moment, you may feel as if you are actually reliving the trauma, causing you to have a serious mental or physical response. This term, along with the others listed above, should not be used lightly, as it diminishes the importance and understanding of the needs of someone who is truly being triggered.
HOW TO USE THE RIGHT LANGUAGE
Many of these terms are not simply useful but can actually be extremely empowering. For example, the term “boundary” is often thrown around to let someone know they have upset us or done something that makes us uncomfortable. However, if a boundary was never explicitly set, how can we expect people not to cross it? Sure, it would be nice if people understood that speaking to us in a disrespectful tone or using certain language is not acceptable, but until we set that boundary, technically, they haven’t crossed it. Now, when we do learn the proper use of the term and begin to set clear, reasonable, and real boundaries, we can feel exceptionally empowered, safer, and more self-assured. We also begin to teach people how to treat us, which can have positive implications on our relationships and self-esteem.
Sometimes “therapy speak” is simply not appropriate. As stated previously, diagnosing someone who is not your client, especially if you do not have the training, education, and license to do so, is never suitable. However, with a better understanding of what you are trying to say by using a specifical clinical term, you can learn to use language that gets your point across and can still feel empowering, without causing the intended target harm. In the case of the “narcissist,” you can let them know that you’re feeling unheard or that your needs are just as important as theirs. In the case of the term “triggered,” you can let someone know that their language, behavior, or treatment of you makes you feel angry, unsafe, or disrespected. In fact, using the correct and appropriate language will most likely lead to more favorable outcomes due to the listener’s better understanding of where you are actually coming from. Finding the right words ensures that the need for these terms and diagnoses is respected, better understood, and used for good, not harm.
HOW THERAPY CAN HELP
So many of these terms have made their way into mainstream and social media, making it difficult to decipher what the correct terms are and when to use them. Our therapists are trained in the real understanding of this. They are qualified to diagnose and help us better understand the realities of diagnoses while also helping us craft language to better express ourselves. Our therapists can and should push back on our overuse or incorrect use of therapy terms, giving us better language and understanding of what we are really trying to say or address, in a safe, supportive space. Additionally, our therapists can help us unpack the need for some of these terms, understand the importance of using the right terms, and send us out into the world as conduits of the “right” kind of therapy speak, the speak that aims to heal.
Warmly,
HELPFUL LINKS
Emerge Psychology Group
American Psychological Association - Seven of the Most Frequently Misused Psychological Terms
Cleveland Clinic - When ‘Therapy Speak’ Does More Harm Than Good
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - Call or text 988
Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, always seek professional help immediately. Please call 911 or the suicide prevention lifeline at 988 or go to your nearest emergency room for immediate care.
DISCLAIMER
The content of these webpages and blogs and information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition. Seek professional help immediately if you are experiencing a mental health crisis or any other medical condition.