Appendix 7
Glossary of Terms
There are many different and specialist 'terms' of reference within psychotherapy. Many people may have heard of "transference" and "counter-transference"; we often use the word "intervention"; but some words are less common like "introjection". These terms are just from within psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy. Gestalt psychotherapy uses the concept of an "empty chair"; Body Psychotherapists speak of "grounding"; etc. There are many other similar terms and concepts. We therefore considered that there should be a Glossary of Terms, as an Appendix. It has been arranged alphabetically. Words in inverted commas (e.g: 'patient') mean that there is another entry for that word.
- Anxiety: A psychological and physiological state, characterised by somatic, emotional, cognitive and behavioural components. Anxiety is also a normal reaction to stress: prompting a person to deal with a difficult situation. When it becomes excessive or chronic, it can be classified as an ‘anxiety disorder’.
- Anxiety Disorder: A blanket term covering a number of different forms of emotional states characterised by abnormal fear or anxiety. There are four main aspects of experience: mental apprehension, physical tension, physical symptoms and dissociative states. Anxiety disorders can be categorised into (i) Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), (ii) ‘Phobias’, (iii) ‘Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders’, (iv) ‘Post Traumatic Stress Disorders’, (v) childhood anxiety disorders (including separation anxiety) and (vi) Panic disorders. The range of emotions can range from nervousness, through to types of agitated thinking, a range of different symptoms, and (in extreme cases) to bouts of terror.
- Biopolar Disorder (Bipolar Depression): formerly known as manic depression, a ‘mood disorder’ or ‘mental illness’ (in extreme forms) characterised by alternating periods of ‘mania’ and ‘depression’: these periods can be extended (several weeks or months) and sometimes rapid cycling (several hours or days). The extent of the disorder can range from a mild disorder (cyclothymia) to a full ‘mental illness’ or ‘psychosis’.
- Capability (or expertise) is the extent to which a competent individual can adapt their skills and apply their knowledge and experience to a variety of changing circumstances (or even generating new knowledge), often engaging in life-long learning, and continuing to improve their professional performance. The combination of training, skill and extended experiential learning results in capability (or expertise), and so defines 'competence'.
- Client - a recipient of psychotherapy, as it is usually practiced within humanistic and other psychotherapies. Some other psychotherapy modalities (e.g. psychoanalysis, psychodynamic psychotherapy and clinical psychology) tend to use the word 'patient' for the recipient of psychotherapy.
- Clinical Psychology - the practice of treating people with a variety of psychological problems, as practiced by a Clinical Psychologist. Some psychologists practice psychotherapy. The European Federation of Psychologists Associations (EFPA) has training standards for psychologists practicing psychotherapy available here.
- Competence - there exist several different models and definitions of 'competence' and 'competency' and there are also slightly different meanings in different languages. Competence usually relates to the individual's potential or capacity to perform = the ability to do something to a required standard or their'fitness to practice'; and 'competency' usually means the actual performance, or that the capacity to perform has been demonstrated. Competence usually consists of three interrelated ingredients: a knowledge component, a behavioural component and a value component (including beliefs and attitudes) - needed for effective performance of a particular task or activity. (see Jaak van Lakerfeld's report).
- Competencies (the plural of competency) are the habitual use of a mixture of knowledge, skills and experience in a variety of areas (domains) of regular professional practice. These involve a mixture of habits of mind, critical thinking and analysis, professional judgment in assessing situations and situations and ascertaining appropriate responses, and evaluating and modifying descisions through consultation, supervision and reflective practice. These can be correlated with performance and enhanced through training and development.
- Competency is the capacity to integrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes properly reflected in the quality of professional practice that benefits others; which can be evaluated by professional standards; and can be developed and enhanced through professional training, supervision (structured reflection) and continuing professional development and on-going education
- Craft is a set of developed practical 'skills', probably with a background (natural) 'ability' or 'aptitude'.
- Depression: Either a ‘mental disease’ (in extreme, chronic forms), and a ‘mental disorder’ or ‘depressive disorder’ (often in milder, acute forms), or a ‘mood (affective) disorder’, a state of low mood and aversion to normal activity: epitomised by feelings of melancholy, apathy, pointlessness, self-denigration, lack of energy, etc. and often accompanied by disturbances of appetite, functionality, sexual activity, sleeplessness and work ability, etc.: often accompanied by ‘anxiety’. Depression is both an ‘emotion’ or an emotional state at one extreme and can extend in a spectrum to a severe ‘psychosis’ at the other extreme. There are many (often multiple) causes of depression: these can range from (i) reactions to a physical illness; (ii) a side-effect of various conditions (including vitamin deficiency); (iii) a hormonal imbalance (as in Post-Natal Depression); (iv) a learned state from a depressive parent; (v) a normal reaction to an abnormal situation (e.g. death of a parent/child, etc.); (vi) a symptom of abnormal circumstances (as in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder); (vii) an accumulation of stressful life situations; etc.
- Depressive Disorder: a ‘depression’ that is sometimes differentiated into (a) major depression, (b) unipolar depression or (c) clinical depression), and nearly always as a result of more than one episode. There are several standard sub-categories: (i) Atypical depression; (ii) Melancholic depression; (iii) Psychotic depression; (iv) Catatonic depression; (v) Post-partum (Post-Natal) depression; (vi) Seasonal affective disorder (SAD); (vii) Dysthemia; (viii) Other depressive disorders (not otherwise specified), which can include (ix) Recurrent brief depression, and (x) Minor depression.
- Dual Relationships: where the active or primary working relationship co-exists with a supervisory, therapeutic, academic, personal or familial relationship, which might cause (at times) complications, a conflict of interest or a positive or negative bias.
- Endogenous & Exogenous Depression: where the sources of the depression can be identified as being either internal (endogenous), as in post-natal depression, menopausal depression, or where the source is bio-chemical (hormonal), inherited (genetic), or arising from an illness, etc., as opposed to external (exogenous) or ‘reactive’ depression, as in bereavement, loss, as a result of trauma, or build-up of stress, etc.
- Functional Competency (or Professional Competency) is the generally understood competency of a professional that therefore identifies and defines what that particular professional should be able to do (in the proper performance of their professional function) in a competent and professional manner.
- Mainstream - a distinct branch of psychotherapy, usually with several different 'modalities' within it. The usually accepted mainstreams of psychotherapy are: 'Psychoanalytic' / 'psychodynamic'; 'Cognitive Behavioural'; 'Systemic'; and 'Humanistic'; other mainstreams include: 'Transpersonal' psychotherapies; 'Body-Oriented' psychotherapies; 'Hypno-psychotherapies'; etc.
- Mental Disorder: ‘Mental illness’ can be seen as disease; this differs from a ‘mental disorder’ in the matter of cause: the causes of disease include some known (or suspected) bio-physical malfunction: the causes of a disorder are apparently psycho-social, and lack known physiological factors. However, this would mean that, ‘Reactive (Exogenous) Depression’ is a disorder and ‘Endogenous Depression’ is a disease: so, this differentiation is also qute confusing.
- Mental Health: On the one hand, ‘A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity’ (Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary) or ‘the psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment’ (worldnetweb.princeton.edu): on the other hand, a euphemism for an absence of mental illness.
- Mental Illness: ‘any disease of the mind; the psychological state of someone who has emotional or behavioral problems serious enough to require psychiatric intervention’ (worldnetweb.princeton.edu):
- Modality / Modalities - a type of psychotherapy. There are many types, or models, of psychotherapy, often grouped within several different 'mainstreams' of psychotherapy. For example: some of the better known modalities within the 'mainstream' of Psychoanalysis (Freudian psychotherapy); Analytical psychotherapy (Jung); and Kleinian / Adlerian / Lacanian psychotherapy. Some of the better known modalities within the 'mainstream' of Humanistic Psychotherapy are Gestalt psychotherapy; Transactional Analysis; and Client-centred (Rogerian) psychotherapy.
- Mood (Affective) Disorder: a persistent emotional (often depressive) state: often differentiated into (a) major depressive disorders and (b) bipolar disorders. Mood disorders can include: substance-induced mood disorders, alcohol-induced mood disorders; chemical-induced mood disorders (often induced by benzodiazepines (Valium, Librium, etc.) or other drugs and medications);
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorders: A type of ‘anxiety disorder’ characterised by repetitive obsessions (distressing, persistent and intrusive thoughts or images) and compulsions (urges to perform specific acts or ritualised behaviours).
- Patient - a recipient of psychotherapy, as it is usually practiced particularly within 'psychiatry' and 'clinical psychology'. Other psychotherapy 'modalities' tend to use the word 'client'.
- Phobias: A form of ‘Anxiety Disorder’ where the fear or anxiety is triggered by a specific stimulus or situation. Sufferers typically anticipate terrifying consequences from encountering the object of his or her fear. Sufferers are often overwhelmed by their (irrational) fear.
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: This is an ‘anxiety disorder’ resulting from an extreme situation, such as combat, natural disaster, rape, hostage situations, serious abuse, or traumatic events (like a car accident, or especially if extended as being trapped in a crashed car). It can also result from long-term (chronic) exposure to a severe stressor or stressors. Common symptoms include hyper-vigilance, flashbacks, avoidant behaviours, anxiety, anger and depression.
- Professional Competency (or Functional Competency) is the generally understood competency of a professional that therefore identifies and defines what that particular professional should be able to do (in the proper performance of their professional function) in a competent and professional manner.
- Psychiatry / Psychiatrist - the medical practice of treating people with mental health problems or illnesses; practiced by a Psychiatrist, a medical doctor with specialist training in 'psychopathology' and 'psychopharmaceuticals'.
- Psychoanalysis or Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy – a particular type of psychotherapy based (originally) on the work and theories of Sigmund Freud, and then subsequently others such as Melanie Klein, Jacques Lacan, Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, Otto Rank, etc.
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy – has similarities to psychoanalysis, but tends to be briefer and less intense. It relies more on the inter-personal relationship, and tends to be somewhat more eclectic, rather than relying on a single approach.
- Psychopathology - the study of mental illnesses.
- Psychopharmaceuticals - the medicines used in 'psychiatry' and the treatment of mental illnesses.
- Psychosis: A generic term for ‘mental illness’.
- Reactive (Exogenous) Depression: ‘Depression’ that has (obvious) external sources.
- Skill: a skill can be acquired by training, but it does not necessarily include the knowledge or attitudes to apply that skill appropriately, nor does it have the external standards to evaluate its sufficiency.
- Therapeutic Executor: A person who deals with the closure of a professional’s therapy practice in the event of their incapacitating illness or death: often a colleague.