# therapy

/ˈθɛɹəpi/ (US) · /θˈɛɹəpi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/therapy
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. medical or mental treatment

noun · CEFR B1

treatment to help someone feel better or get stronger after an illness, injury, or mental health struggle.

For teachers: the remediation of a health problem, often following a clinical diagnosis; it encompasses both physiological and psychological interventions.

- After his car accident, he had to go to physical therapy twice a week.
- The patient responded well to cognitive behavioral therapy, showing significant improvement in managing her anxiety symptoms over six months.

Usage: Often used uncountably when referring to the process in general, but countable when referring to a specific type.

Teaching tip: In modern conversation, 'therapy' without a modifier usually implies psychotherapy (counseling).

### 2. healing quality

noun · CEFR B2

a feeling or activity that makes you feel calm, happy, or relaxed.

For teachers: the curative or restorative power or quality of an activity or environment.

- For many people, gardening is a form of therapy after a stressful day at work.
- The quiet solitude of the mountains provided a much-needed therapy for the exhausted researchers.

Teaching tip: Often used metaphorically for hobbies like gardening or cooking.

## Examples

- She goes to therapy once a week to talk about her stress.
- After the car accident, he needed several months of physical therapy to regain full use of his left leg.
- While cognitive behavioral therapy is widely praised for its immediate practical applications, some patients prefer more traditional approaches that explore the deep-seated origins of their emotional patterns.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.