Neurodiversity and Therapy

Flashcards covering vocabulary terms related to neurodiversity, mental health treatment approaches, types of therapy, and medications.

Neurodiversity

Umbrella term for neurological differences.

Neurodivergent

A person with a developmental, cognitive, or psychopathology disability/disorder/identity.

Neurotypical

Describes a non-neurodivergent person.

Allistic

Describes a non-autistic person (not interchangeable with neurotypical!).

Neurodiverse

People with unique minds and brains (both neurotypical and neurodivergent).

Voluntary Treatment

Voluntarily seeking treatment to obtain relief from symptoms.

Involuntary Treatment

Being required by the courts or other systems to seek treatment.

Psychotherapist

A person trained and licensed to help people with a wide range of psychological concerns.

Psychological Approach

Providing help to individuals or families through psychological therapy.

Biomedical Approach

Based on the use of medications to treat psychological disorders, including brain intervention techniques.

Sociocultural Approach

Focuses on changing the social environment, including group, couples, and family therapy, as well as community outreach programs.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Talk therapy based on the belief that the unconscious and childhood conflicts impact behavior.

Behavior Therapy

Principles of learning applied to change undesirable behaviors.

Cognitive Therapy

Awareness of cognitive process helps patients eliminate thought patterns that lead to distress.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Work to change cognitive distortions and self-defeating behaviors.

Humanistic Therapy

Increase self-awareness and acceptance through focus on conscious thoughts.

Psychoanalysis

Therapeutic orientation developed by Sigmund Freud that employs free association, dream analysis, and transference to uncover repressed feelings.

Behavioral Therapy

Uses principles of classical and operant conditioning to change behavior.

Systematic Desensitization

A type of behavior therapy that combines imagining or experiencing the feared object or situation with relaxation exercises.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Helps clients examine how their thoughts affect their behavior; aims to change cognitive distortions and self-defeating behaviors.

Humanistic Therapy

Goal is to help people become more self-aware and accepting of themselves; focus on conscious thoughts and the patient’s present and future.

Group Therapy

A psychotherapy in which clients receive psychotherapy together with others, led by a professionally trained therapist.

Couples and Family Therapy

Group therapy conducted with people in close relationships.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

A medical procedure designed to improve mental health by passing electrical currents through the brain, deliberately triggering a brief seizure.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

A medical procedure designed to improve mental health that uses a pulsing magnetic coil to electrically stimulate the brain.

Psychosurgery

Surgery that removes or destroys brain tissue in order to improve mental health.

Antipsychotics

Treat positive psychotic symptoms by blocking the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Atypical Antipsychotics

Treat the negative symptoms of schizophrenia by targeting both dopamine and serotonin receptors.

Anti-depressants

Alter levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine.

Anti-anxiety agents

Depress central nervous system activity.

Mood Stabilizers

Treat episodes of mania as well as depression.

Stimulants

Improve ability to focus on a task and maintain attention.