What the words mean

Talking with a trained professional to understand what you are going through and find ways to cope or change. Sessions are private and usually last about 50 minutes. Learn more

A practical therapy built on how thoughts, feelings and actions affect each other. You learn to spot unhelpful thinking patterns and try new behaviors. Well studied for anxiety and depression.

A skills-based therapy developed by Marsha Linehan for people who feel emotions very intensely. It teaches four sets of skills: mindfulness, getting through crises, managing emotions, and dealing with other people.

A therapy that helps you make room for difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them, and put your energy into what matters to you.

A collaborative style of conversation that helps people work through mixed feelings about making a change, such as cutting back on drinking.

Paying attention to the present moment, on purpose and without judging it. It can be practiced formally, like meditation, or in everyday moments.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: a structured therapy for trauma that uses eye movements or other back-and-forth stimulation while you recall a memory, so it becomes less distressing.

A therapy that sees the mind as made of different “parts”, like a critical part or a protective part, and helps you understand them with curiosity rather than fight them.

A therapy, often for couples, that helps partners understand the emotional needs underneath their arguments and build a more secure bond.

Gradually and safely facing what you fear, so that the fear shrinks over time. A main treatment for phobias, OCD (where it’s called ERP) and some anxiety.

An approach that takes into account how past trauma can affect a person, and puts safety, choice and trust first.

Ways of working with stress and trauma that pay attention to the body, such as breathing, movement and noticing physical sensations, not only thoughts.

A counselor with a master’s degree, supervised experience, and a state license to provide counseling. Sarah is an LPC in Texas.

A counselor who has finished the degree and is gaining supervised experience toward the full LPC license.

Licensed clinical social workers and licensed marriage and family therapists. Both are licensed to provide therapy; LMFTs focus on relationships and families.

Someone with a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in psychology who provides therapy and psychological testing, such as testing for ADHD or autism. Psychologists in Texas don’t prescribe medication.

A medical doctor who specializes in mental health. Psychiatrists diagnose conditions and prescribe medication; some also provide therapy.

A nurse with advanced training in mental health who can diagnose conditions and prescribe medication.

Your body’s response to a demand or threat. Some stress is normal and can even help; stress that goes on and on can wear you down. Learn more

Worry, nervousness or fear, often with physical signs like a racing heart or tense muscles. Everyone feels anxious sometimes; an anxiety disorder is when it is intense, lasts, and gets in the way of daily life. Learn more

A sudden wave of intense fear with strong physical symptoms, such as a pounding heart, shortness of breath or dizziness. It feels frightening but passes, usually within minutes. Learn more

More than feeling sad: a low mood or loss of interest that lasts at least two weeks and affects sleep, energy, appetite, concentration or how you see yourself. It is common and treatable. Learn more

A condition with big shifts in mood and energy, from periods of very high energy or irritability (mania or hypomania) to periods of depression. Learn more

Trauma is the effect of a very frightening or harmful event. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is when the effects last, with symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, avoiding reminders and feeling on guard. Learn more

Unwanted, repeated thoughts or urges (obsessions) and things a person feels driven to do to ease the distress (compulsions), such as checking or washing. Learn more

An intense, lasting fear of a specific thing or situation, such as flying, heights or needles, that leads people to avoid it.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: lasting patterns of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity that begin in childhood and can continue into adulthood. Learn more

A difference in how a person communicates, interacts and experiences the world, often with focused interests and sensory differences. Autism is a spectrum, and many autistic people describe it as part of who they are. Learn more

The natural response to loss, especially the death of someone you love. It can include sadness, anger, guilt, numbness and longing, and it doesn’t follow a set timeline.

Exhaustion of body, mind and mood that builds when stress goes on too long, often from work or caregiving. It can look like depression, so it’s worth talking to someone if it lasts.

Anything that helps you get through a hard moment without making things worse, like breathing, calling a friend or taking a walk.

Being able to notice, understand and manage your emotions, so they inform you without taking over.

The zone where you can feel your emotions and still think and act clearly. Above it you may feel flooded or panicky; below it, numb or shut down.

Bringing your attention back to the present moment and your surroundings, often through your senses.

Something, like a sound, place or kind of conversation, that sets off a strong reaction, often linked to a past experience.

Limits you set to protect your time, energy and well-being, such as saying no or deciding what you will and won’t do.

The emotional bond between people, first formed in childhood with caregivers. Attachment patterns can shape how we act in close relationships as adults.

A screening, like a short questionnaire, can show whether something is worth a closer look. A diagnosis comes from a full assessment by a qualified professional.

A moment when someone is overwhelmed and may be unsafe. In a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency.