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Psychology vocabulary · Therapy and Counselling

Client

Meaning in psychology, with examples

/ˈklaɪənt/nounCore term

In psychology, client means: A person who receives psychological therapy, counselling or another professional service; in therapy this word is often used instead of patient.

In Turkish: danışan

How it is used

Common among psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists, especially outside hospitals, because it stresses a collaborative relationship. Psychiatrists and hospital teams usually say patient. Typical phrases: see a client, work with clients, client-centred.

Example sentences

  1. I see six clients on Mondays, so I keep my notes short.

  2. The client agreed to keep a thought record between sessions.

Common collocations

  • see a client
  • work with clients
  • client-centred therapy
  • client consent
  • psychotherapyTreatment of psychological problems through a structured, confidential relationship with a trained professional, mainly using conversation rather than medication.
  • sessionOne meeting between a therapist and a client, often lasting about 50 minutes, or one period of testing in a research study.
  • confidentialityThe professional duty to keep what a client or research participant shares private, except in clearly defined situations such as a serious risk of harm.
  • therapeutic allianceThe collaborative bond between therapist and client, including trust, agreement on the goals of therapy and agreement on the tasks used to reach them.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Therapy and Counselling

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.