psychotherapy

American  

[sahy-koh-ther-uh-pee] / ˌsaɪ koʊˈθɛr ə pi /

noun

plural

psychotherapies

1. the treatment of psychological disorders or maladjustments by a professional technique, as psychoanalysis, group therapy, or behavioral therapy.

---

psychotherapy British  

/ ˌsaɪkəʊˌθɛrəˈpjuːtɪks, ˌsaɪkəʊˈθɛrəpɪ /

noun

1. the treatment of nervous disorders by psychological methods

---

psychotherapy Cultural  

1. The use of the techniques of psychology or psychiatry or both to treat mental and emotional disorders. The term includes psychoanalysis, as well as other forms of psychological therapy.

---

Other Word Forms

• psychotherapeutic adjective
• psychotherapeutically adverb
• psychotherapist noun

Etymology

Origin of psychotherapy

First recorded in 1890–95; psycho- + therapy

Compare meaning

How does psychotherapy compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• psychoanalysis vs. psychotherapy

Explanation

Psychotherapy is a mental health treatment that usually involves talking with a trained professional. Someone who's feeling anxious or depressed might try psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is often described as "talk therapy." Talking to a counselor or therapist about difficult feelings or thoughts can help people understand their emotions better and develop healthy coping strategies. This kind of therapy is also helpful for dealing with challenging situations like the death of a loved one, a traumatic experience, or a family conflict. Psychotherapy, coined in 1892, comes from the Greek roots psykhē, "mind or soul," and therapeia, "healing."

Example Sentences

"We call on future work to create ethical, educational and legal standards for LLM counselors -- standards that are reflective of the quality and rigor of care required for human-facilitated psychotherapy."

From Science Daily • Mar. 2, 2026

But, he adds, there is a "spectrum" of schools, with some incorporating psychotherapy for students and training for parents, or disciplining staff who carry out corporal punishment.

From BBC • Dec. 11, 2025

Yet I’ve seen it in my own psychotherapy practice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

Byerley, who had neither health insurance nor money for psychotherapy, said she was intrigued hearing a former MTV star talk up Lexapro on a podcast in 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 19, 2025

Saying this, I felt I had raced to the top of a big turning point in my life, a new me after just two weeks of psychotherapy.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan