psychotherapy

American  

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

noun

psychotherapies plural

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

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psychotherapy British  

/ ˌsaɪkəʊˌθɛrəˈpjuːtɪks, ˌsaɪkəʊˈθɛrəpɪ /

noun

1. the treatment of nervous disorders by psychological methods

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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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• psychotherapist
  noun
• psychotherapeutic
  adjective
• psychotherapeutically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• psychotherapies
  plural

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

See Examples For:

psychotherapy psychotherapies

"Therefore, psychotherapy sometimes has to work relationally. For example, new experiences in the relationship between therapist and patient can gradually help to change entrenched relational patterns."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 1, 2026

In reality, as Slater notes, the demographics of who accesses psychotherapy show that the issue is often a matter of access, not will.

From Salon ● May 18, 2026

In Indiana, for instance, a top state for autism-therapy spending, Medicaid paid about $75 for an hourlong psychotherapy session that year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026

Since Gilberg opened his practice in 1965, psychiatry and psychotherapy have gone from highly stigmatized secrets to something people acknowledge in award show acceptance speeches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2026

“I got my MS in psychotherapy there. Way back.”

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

"I have done various psychotherapies to try to remember, to try and have a glimpse of something, and it's black, I have no idea," she said of the interaction.

From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026

Most studies do not break down the results of various psychotherapies by type of patient — by gender, for example, or comorbidities, or age of onset of illness.

From New York Times ● May 16, 2023

To complicate matters, numerous studies over the past few decades have reached what seems a counterintuitive conclusion: that all psychotherapies have roughly equal effects.

From The Guardian ● Jan. 10, 2020

Professional associations are resistant to allowing people without formal qualifications to help out with psychotherapies, and various regulations could get in the way.

From Nature ● Oct. 9, 2016

Just as there are countless psychotherapies, so there are myriad meditations, and each meditator--each meditation session--is unique.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 8, 2015