article

YPulse Explains: Gen Z’s Therapy Speak Slang

YPulse explains how therapy speak, Gen Z’s slang, and how they’re using it to better understand themselves and the people around them…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team
KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Therapy speak went mainstream thanks to young people—and now it’s Gen Z’s slang
  • “Overstimulated” and “gaslighting” are Gen Z’s top buzzwords
  • Neurodivergent language is the next wave of therapy speak
What is said in therapy, stays in therapy. Or at least, it used to be that way. Mental health topics that were originally ‘too taboo’ to discuss in public, Millennials helped normalize in a way no generation had done before. Through blogs and self-help content, they brought concepts like trauma, toxic relationships, and self-care into mainstream conversations. And as a result, clinical language escaped therapists’ offices. Young people started to use what they’ve dubbed “therapy speak” phrases casually, talking about “setting boundaries” with friends or identifying “love bombing” in relationships. Of course, social media only accelerated the trend. As creators,...

Stay on the Pulse

Latest Stories
Related Articles
Article

Gen Z’s “gay Halloween” costumes, brain stacks, and new favorite hairstylists (ahem, Ulta Beauty) are all going viral…

Article

While Gen Z shares getting news from social media, their favorite platforms differ depending on the region…

Article

Pinterest’s degrees of separation, Mullet “Reviews” Chinese buffets, and Gen Z’s six-month check-ins are all going viral…

YPulse Weekly Newsletter

Get our editors’ weekly picks on the Gen Z and Alpha stories you need to know.

Your newsletter subscriptions are subject to YPulse’s Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

Enter your colleagues' emails (max 10) to invite them to sign up for a YPulse account. We'll send them a message and let them know you invited them.

plus-circle Created with Sketch Beta.

Are these emails correct? If so, click Submit Invitation(s)?