Mental Health Glossary

Absenteeism refers to frequent or prolonged absence from work, often beyond what is considered normal or acceptable. While occasional absences due to illness or emergencies are expected, consistent absenteeism can signal underlying challenges such as stress, burnout, or unmet mental health needs. High levels of absenteeism can affect workplace productivity, team morale, and overall organizational performance.

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Access to care means a person can get timely, affordable, and appropriate mental health support when they need it. In workplace mental health, access depends on more than whether a benefit exists. It also depends on provider availability, insurance coverage, cost, language, geography, cultural fit, appointment wait times, and how easy it is to know where to start.

Poor access can create or worsen barriers to mental healthcare. An employee may have a benefit but still struggle to find an available provider, identify the right level of care, book an appointment, or continue care after a first session. These gaps can delay treatment and make mental health needs harder to address over time.

For employers, improving access to care means designing benefits that help people move from need to support with less friction. That can include fast appointment availability, in-network care, clear navigation, culturally responsive providers, and support across therapy, coaching, medication management, crisis care, and high-acuity needs.

Strong access also needs to be measurable. Organizations should be able to see whether employees are finding care, staying engaged, and improving, not just whether a resource is available. When access is paired with measurement-based mental health, employers can better understand whether their mental health strategy is reducing gaps and supporting better outcomes.

A chronic condition marked by compulsive use of substances despite harmful consequences. Addiction can affect physical health, relationships, work, and emotional wellbeing, and often requires structured treatment and long-term support.

A common mental health condition characterized by persistent feelings of worry, nervousness, or fear. While occasional anxiety is a normal response to stress, ongoing or intense symptoms may interfere with daily life.

A group of mental health conditions where anxiety is frequent, excessive, or disproportionate to the situation. Examples include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias.

An appointment is a scheduled time to meet with a provider, while a session is the therapeutic interaction that takes place during that appointment. Both terms are used to describe how individuals engage with care.

Barriers to mental healthcare are the obstacles—structural, social, financial, and cultural—that prevent people from getting needed mental health support. These can include things like mental health stigma, provider bias, mis- or under-diagnosis, lack of insurance or financial resources, geographic limitations, and social determinants of health such as education, income, and community context. For marginalized groups, these barriers are often compounded by intersecting identities (e.g. race, gender, orientation) and historical inequalities, making access to care harder and outcomes worse.

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Behavioral health solutions are services, programs, and technology that support mental health, substance use, and related behavioral conditions. These solutions may include therapy, medication management, coaching, crisis support, digital tools, and care navigation.

For employers and health plans, the strongest behavioral health solutions do more than offer a directory, hotline, or limited number of sessions. They help people understand what kind of care they need, find an available provider, move between levels of care, and stay connected as their needs change. That matters because mental health needs can range from everyday stress and employee burnout to high-acuity care, substance use concerns, and complex clinical needs.

A modern behavioral health solution should also make care easier to access and easier to measure. Fast appointment availability, personalized care plans, provider matching, culturally responsive care, and measurement-based mental health help organizations move beyond activity metrics and understand whether people are actually improving.

Spring Health is a global mental health company built on one AI-native platform, bringing members, providers, and organizations into one connected experience. That platform approach helps organizations deliver support across therapy, coaching, medication management, specialty care, crisis support, and navigation, while giving leaders visibility into engagement, clinical outcomes, and financial impact.

A mental health condition defined by extreme mood swings, including episodes of mania (elevated mood and energy) and depression (low mood and energy). Treatment typically combines therapy, medication, and lifestyle support.

At Spring Health, Care Navigators are licensed clinicians who help members navigate their care journey. They provide personalized recommendations, support scheduling, and check in regularly to ensure ongoing guidance.

A term used to describe mental or physical health conditions that are long-lasting or persistent. Chronic conditions often require continuous or long-term management rather than short-term treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based form of therapy that helps people identify patterns in their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It is commonly used to support people with mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, substance use concerns, and other challenges.

CBT is based on the idea that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. In a CBT session, a therapist may help someone notice unhelpful thought patterns, understand how those patterns affect their daily life, and practice new ways of responding. The work is often practical and skills-based, which can include setting goals, tracking patterns, practicing coping strategies, or trying new behaviors between sessions.

CBT can be delivered on its own or as part of a broader mental health solution. The right care plan depends on each person’s needs, preferences, symptoms, and goals, which is why access to high-quality providers and measurement-based mental health matters. When care is personalized and progress is measured over time, CBT can be one part of helping people get support that fits and adjust care when their needs change.

Support provided within or by local communities, which may include peer support groups, nonprofit organizations, faith-based services, or community health centers. Community care often supplements professional treatment.

The presence of two or more health conditions occurring at the same time in an individual. In mental health, comorbidity can describe when a mental health disorder co-occurs with a physical health condition, such as someone experiencing anxiety while having diabetes. In some cases, individuals may also experience multiple mental health conditions simultaneously, such as anxiety alongside trauma-related symptoms or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Developing healthy coping skills and receiving appropriate treatment can help people manage these overlapping challenges more effectively.

A form of therapy focused on improving communication and resolving conflicts between partners. Couples therapy can help strengthen relationships, address recurring issues, and support overall relational well-being.

In the context of employee benefits, “covered lives” refers to employees and their eligible dependents who have access to a mental health or healthcare benefit. For example, it could be an employee’s son or daughter would be considered “covered lives” if the benefit covers an employee’s dependents.

Critical incident response is structured mental health support provided after a disruptive, distressing, or traumatic workplace event. These events may include accidents, natural disasters, violence, employee death, organizational crisis, or other incidents that affect employees’ sense of safety and emotional wellbeing.

The goal of critical incident response is to help employees and leaders stabilize after a difficult event, understand common stress reactions, and connect with appropriate support. Effective response may include immediate consultation for leaders, group support, individual check-ins, crisis resources, referrals to care, and follow-up support for people who may need more help over time.

Critical incident response is not only about the first hours after an event. Employees may process trauma, grief, anxiety, or stress differently, and some needs may surface later. A strong response should make it easy for people to access care, move into therapy or other support when needed, and feel that the organization is responding with clarity and compassion.

For employers, critical incident response works best when it is connected to a broader workplace mental health strategy. When crisis support, care navigation, provider access, and ongoing mental health resources are connected, organizations can support employees through the immediate moment and help them keep moving forward.

A mood disorder that causes persistent sadness, hopelessness, or loss of interest in activities. Depression can impact daily functioning and may require therapy, medication, or other forms of treatment.

A state of overall emotional balance and resilience. It includes the ability to manage stress, build positive relationships, and maintain a sense of purpose and satisfaction.

An EAP is an employer-sponsored benefit that provides employees and, in many cases, eligible family or household members with confidential support for personal, work-related, mental health, legal, financial, family, or substance use concerns. EAP stands for employee assistance program, and these services are often offered at no cost to employees as part of an organization’s broader benefits strategy.

Traditional EAPs typically focus on short-term counseling, work-life resources, crisis support, and referrals to mental health care. They can be a helpful front door to support, especially when employees need help navigating a stressful moment or finding an initial resource.

The challenge is that many traditional EAPs were built for a narrower role than today’s workforce mental health needs require. Employees may need more than a hotline, a limited number of sessions, or a referral list, including therapy, coaching, medication management, specialty care, crisis support, or help moving between levels of care.

A stronger mental health strategy should help employees access the right care, stay connected to support, and show whether care is improving outcomes for people and the organization.

Employee burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged workplace stress. It can show up as fatigue, cynicism or detachment, reduced motivation, difficulty concentrating, and a lower sense of effectiveness at work.Burnout is not simply an individual resilience problem. It is often connected to workplace conditions such as unmanageable workloads, limited control, unclear expectations, poor manager support, lack of recognition, or a culture that makes it hard for employees to recover. Left unaddressed, burnout can affect employee engagement, presenteeism, productivity, retention, and overall workplace mental health.

For employees, burnout can overlap with stress, anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and other mental health concerns. Support may include rest, boundary-setting, manager support, therapy, coaching, or help navigating a broader care plan when symptoms become harder to manage.

For employers, preventing and responding to burnout requires more than encouraging self-care. A stronger approach combines healthier work practices, manager training, clear access to mental health support, and measurement-based mental health so organizations can understand whether employees are getting the right care and whether support is improving outcomes over time.

Employee engagement describes the emotional commitment and level of involvement employees have toward their work and organization. Highly engaged employees are motivated, connected to their company’s goals, and more likely to go above and beyond in their roles. Engagement can be influenced by factors such as workplace culture, leadership, recognition, and opportunities for growth.

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An enhanced EAP is a workplace mental health benefit that improves on a traditional employee assistance program by offering faster access to care, broader support options, stronger provider matching, better reporting, and more measurable business impact.

‍Unlike traditional EAPs, which were often designed around short-term support, referrals, and crisis response, enhanced EAPs aim to help more employees find care sooner and give employers clearer visibility into whether the benefit is working.

But the enhanced EAP frame can still be limiting. Improving an EAP does not always mean building a complete mental health strategy. A stronger model connects access, personalized care, measurement-based care, provider quality, and outcomes reporting in one experience, so organizations can understand not just whether employees use the benefit, but whether they get better. That shift matters because workforce mental health affects absenteeism, engagement, productivity, healthcare costs, and retention.

For employers evaluating enhanced EAPs, the goal should be bigger than replacing a legacy benefit. The goal is a connected, outcomes-focused and data-driven mental health strategy that gives employees care that fits their needs and gives organizations proof that their investment is making an impact.

Grief counseling is a form of therapy that helps people process loss and find support as they move through grief. It is often used after the death of a loved one, but grief can also follow other major losses, such as a relationship ending, a serious diagnosis, infertility, caregiving changes, job loss, or a traumatic event.

Grief can affect people emotionally, physically, socially, and cognitively. Someone may feel sadness, anger, guilt, numbness, anxiety, trouble concentrating, changes in sleep, or difficulty returning to daily routines. Grief counseling gives people space to understand those reactions, talk through what they are experiencing, and develop coping strategies that fit their life and needs.In the workplace, grief can affect focus, energy, presenteeism, attendance, and connection with coworkers. Supportive employers can help by offering compassionate leave policies, manager guidance, flexible return-to-work options, and clear access to care when employees need more support.

Grief counseling may be one part of a broader mental health solution, especially when grief overlaps with depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use concerns, or other mental health needs. The right support should meet each person where they are, respect that grief does not follow a fixed timeline, and help people stay connected to care as their needs change.

A term used to describe mental health needs that are severe or complex, requiring specialized or intensive treatment. Examples include suicidal ideation, psychosis, or substance use disorder.

Supporting individuals with high-acuity mental health needs often requires ongoing assessment and personalized treatment planning. Approaches such as measurement-based care help clinicians track progress and adjust care when needed, while a continuum of care ensures individuals can access the appropriate level of support as their needs change over time.

Healthcare or mental health services provided by professionals who are part of an insurance plan’s approved network. Using in-network providers usually reduces out-of-pocket costs.

Time away from an employer that's taken to address mental health needs. A leave of absence can be short-term or long-term and may be covered under workplace policies or medical accommodations.

Measurement-based mental health is an approach to care that uses clinically validated assessments and ongoing progress tracking to understand how someone is doing over time. Instead of relying only on what happens in a single conversation or appointment, providers use structured information to see whether symptoms are improving, staying the same, or getting worse.

In practice, measurement-based care can include regular check-ins, symptom assessments, goal tracking, and feedback from the person receiving care. These insights help providers adjust the care plan, change the level of support, or recommend a different type of care when needed. The goal is to make mental health care more responsive, personalized, and effective.

For members, measurement-based mental health can make progress easier to see and discuss. For providers, it gives more context for clinical decisions. For employers and health plans, it helps show whether a mental health solution is supporting real outcomes, not just activity metrics such as appointments booked or sessions used.

This is especially important in workplace mental health, where organizations need to understand whether people can access care, stay engaged, and improve over time. When paired with strong access to care, high-quality providers, and clear reporting, measurement-based mental health helps turn a benefit into an outcomes-focused strategy.

Medication management is the process of evaluating, prescribing, monitoring, and adjusting psychiatric medications as part of a person’s mental health care. It is typically provided by a licensed prescriber, such as a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, or other qualified medical professional.

Medication management can help people understand whether medication may be appropriate for symptoms related to conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma-related conditions, substance use concerns, or other mental health needs. During appointments, a prescriber may review symptoms, medical history, current medications, side effects, dosage, and progress over time.

For many people, medication works best as one part of a broader care plan. That may include therapy, coaching, lifestyle support, crisis support, or specialty care, depending on the person’s needs and goals. Collaboration between prescribers, therapists, and other care team members can help make care more coordinated and easier to adjust when needs change.

In workplace mental health, access to medication management matters because some employees need more than short-term counseling or referrals. A strong mental health solution should help people find the right level of care, connect with qualified providers, and use measurement-based mental health to understand whether care is helping over time.

Mental health coaching is a goal-oriented, non-clinical approach to building skills and habits that support mental wellness. Mental health coaches help individuals with personal growth, stress management, and resilience.

Coaching is evidenced-based and leads to improvements that help a person’s personal and professional wellbeing.

It’s focused on taking action, and helps employees create the forward movement they need to make personal changes that are practical and sustainable. The coach helps employees define and clarify their goals, create an achievable action plan, and keep them accountable.

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The principle of ensuring fair access to mental health services for all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography. Mental health equity emphasizes removing barriers and addressing systemic disparities.

A mental health platform is a connected system that helps people access, navigate, and receive mental health care through one experience. It may include assessments, therapy, coaching, medication management, self-guided resources, care navigation, crisis support, and reporting tools for organizations.

The strongest mental health platforms help people understand what kind of support they need, match them to appropriate care, and make it easier to move between levels of support as their needs change. This matters because mental health needs are not one-size-fits-all, and people may need different kinds of care at different moments.

For employers and health plans, a mental health platform should also make care easier to measure. Strong platforms help organizations understand access, engagement, utilization, clinical outcomes, and financial impact, not just whether a benefit is available. When paired with measurement-based mental health, a platform can help leaders see whether people are getting better and where support may need to improve.

Spring Health is a global mental health company built on one AI-native platform. That connected approach brings members, providers, and organizations into one system, helping people get personalized care while giving organizations clearer visibility into outcomes, quality, and return on investment.

A measure of the financial return on investment for providing mental health benefits. Mental health ROI can include reduced healthcare costs, improved productivity, and lower turnover.

Programs, services, or tools designed to improve mental wellbeing. Mental health solutions can range from individual therapy to organizational programs that support employees.

Negative beliefs, stereotypes, or judgments about people living with mental health conditions. Mental health stigma can prevent individuals from seeking help or talking openly about their struggles.

The rate at which employees or members use mental health benefits. Utilization is often measured by tracking participation in services such as therapy or coaching.

The practice of paying attention to the present moment with openness and without judgment. Mindfulness techniques can reduce stress and improve emotional regulation.

Neurodivergent describes a person whose brain processes, learns, communicates, or experiences the world in ways that differ from what is considered neurotypical. Neurodivergence can include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, and other differences in attention, learning, sensory processing, communication, or executive functioning.

Being neurodivergent is not the same as having a mental health condition, though neurodivergent people may also experience mental health needs such as anxiety, depression, burnout, or stress. Support should be individualized because each person’s strengths, challenges, preferences, and care needs can look different.In the workplace, neurodivergent employees may benefit from clearer communication, flexible work practices, sensory-aware environments, assistive tools, manager support, and inclusive benefits. Employers can help by reducing stigma, making accommodations easier to request, and ensuring employees have clear access to care when they need mental health support.

A strong mental health solution should recognize that neurodivergent people may need care that is personalized, affirming, and responsive to how they experience work and daily life. That can include therapy, coaching, family support, medication management when appropriate, and care navigation that helps people find providers who understand neurodivergence.

Neurodiversity is the idea that differences in how people think, learn, communicate, focus, process sensory information, and experience the world are natural forms of human variation. It includes neurotypical and neurodivergent people, and it emphasizes that brain differences should not be viewed only through a deficit lens.

Neurodiversity can include differences associated with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, and other forms of cognitive, sensory, learning, or communication variation. Some people may identify strongly with these differences, while others may focus more on the support, accommodations, or care they need.

In the workplace, supporting neurodiversity means building environments where different ways of thinking and working can succeed. That may include clearer communication, flexible work practices, inclusive manager training, sensory-aware spaces, assistive tools, and easier access to accommodations.

Neurodiversity is not the same as mental health, but the two can overlap. A strong workplace mental health strategy should make it easier for neurodivergent employees and their families to access personalized, affirming support, including therapy, coaching, family support, medication management when appropriate, and care navigation.

A service provided at no direct cost to the individual, typically covered by an employer or insurance plan. In mental health, this may include therapy or coaching sessions provided through a workplace benefit. Number of sessions covered may differ based on the employer or insurance plan.

Precision mental healthcare is an approach that uses data, clinically validated assessments, and care matching to help people get the right level of mental health support for their needs. Instead of treating mental health care as one-size-fits-all, precision-based models consider a person’s symptoms, preferences, goals, risk level, and care history when recommending treatment, providers, or resources.

This approach can help people start with care that is more likely to fit, whether that means therapy, coaching, medication management, self-guided support, specialty care, or a higher level of care. It also supports a more responsive care plan, because needs can change over time and care should be able to change with them.Precision mental healthcare works best when it is paired with measurement-based mental health. Ongoing assessment and progress tracking help providers understand whether care is working, adjust support when needed, and help people stay connected to the right care.For employers and health plans, precision-based mental health can strengthen access, engagement, and outcomes by helping people move beyond generic referrals or provider directories.

A stronger model connects assessment, provider matching, care navigation, and outcomes measurement so organizations can better understand whether their mental health solution is helping people improve.

Presenteeism occurs when employees are physically present at work but unable to perform at their full capacity due to illness, stress, or other health concerns. Unlike absenteeism, where employees miss work entirely, presenteeism often goes unnoticed yet can have a larger impact on productivity and workplace performance. It is closely linked to mental health, as untreated stress, burnout, or anxiety can significantly reduce focus and effectiveness on the job.

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A therapist, psychiatrist, clinician, or coach who delivers mental health care. Providers may include therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, coaches, or other licensed professionals.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms include flashbacks, avoidance, and heightened anxiety.

The ability to recover quickly from stress, challenges, or adversity. Resilience can be strengthened through coping strategies, social support, and healthy routines.

The practice of intentionally engaging in activities that promote well-being, such as exercise, rest, or hobbies. Self-care helps maintain balance and reduce stress.

Non-medical factors that influence health outcomes, such as income, education, housing, and access to nutritious food. Social determinants of health (SDOH) significantly impact mental health and wellbeing.

Advanced or focused treatment for specific or complex conditions. In mental health, specialty care may include treatment for eating disorders, trauma, or substance use disorders.

A condition where alcohol or drug use leads to significant impairment or distress. SUD can range from mild to severe and often requires structured treatment.

Substance use disorders can affect many aspects of a person's life, including their physical health, mental wellbeing, relationships, and work performance.

Many employers offer support through programs such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), although organizations are increasingly exploring more comprehensive approaches to workplace substance use support that provide earlier intervention and access to specialized care.

Therapy delivered remotely through video or phone. Teletherapy expands access to care by removing geographic and scheduling barriers.

Therapy focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health conditions, while coaching is non-clinical and centers on personal growth, habits, and skill-building. Both can support wellbeing but serve different purposes.

A legacy version of the Employee Assistance Program that typically provides short-term counseling sessions and referrals. Traditional EAPs are often limited in scope and utilization.

Trauma is an emotional, physical, or psychological response to an event or experience that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope. It can result from a single event, such as an accident, assault, loss, natural disaster, or workplace crisis, or from repeated or prolonged experiences such as abuse, discrimination, caregiving stress, violence, or chronic instability.

Trauma can affect how someone feels, thinks, works, relates to others, and experiences safety. Some people may notice anxiety, numbness, irritability, sleep changes, trouble concentrating, avoidance, guilt, or a sense of being constantly on alert. Others may not recognize the impact right away, because responses to trauma can look different from person to person.

Trauma is not a sign of weakness, and support should meet each person where they are. Care may include therapy, trauma-informed care, crisis support, medication management when appropriate, or help navigating the right level of care. For some people, trauma may also be connected to PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use concerns, grief, or other mental health needs.In the workplace, trauma can affect attendance, focus, trust, communication, and overall emotional wellbeing.

Employers can support employees by offering clear access to care, manager training, critical incident response, flexible support when appropriate, and mental health benefits that help people connect with care as their needs change.

The ability to manage work responsibilities alongside personal life in a healthy and sustainable way. Good work-life balance supports mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.

Feelings of worry, nervousness, or stress triggered by job-related situations. Workplace anxiety can affect productivity, concentration, and job satisfaction.

An anxiety disorder that specifically impacts an individual’s ability to function at work. It may involve excessive worry about performance, relationships, or work conditions.

The overall state of mental health among employees within an organization. Workplace mental health includes the impact of culture, workload, policies, and support systems.