Words carry weight in therapy. They pass between therapist and client, building bridges or walls, opening doors or closing them. Every phrase we choose, every form we create, and every note we write shapes the therapeutic experience – particularly for disabled people and those who communicate in diverse ways.

The language of therapy has historically reflected medical models that view difference as deficit. These patterns linger in our intake forms, our progress notes, and sometimes even in our well-intentioned therapeutic metaphors. But what happens when we reimagine therapeutic language as a tool for liberation rather than categorization? When we create space for all forms of human expression and experience?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a tremendous shift in mental healthcare delivery, transforming virtual therapy from an occasional alternative to a vital lifeline. But for many disabled people, the widespread adoption of remote therapy represented more than just a pandemic response—it validated a long-advocated need for flexible, accessible mental healthcare options. This shift invites us to examine how virtual therapy can either perpetuate existing barriers or create transformative possibilities for accessibility in mental healthcare.