I wasn't getting this so went back through the thread to figure out how the terms became such an issue since I do not see it as inherently problematic. It is really just personal preference and about how you hear the words and your own associations with those words and with what you think the professional relationship is or means.

I have stated my view and contextualized it while also saying that connotations differ. It wouldn't surprise me at all if there was research on both sides, but I still come back to why it seems to be so heated or matter so much. Honestly, not meant dismissively, just having trouble understanding.

Therapists are in the field of mental health. Mental health is part of health care. Health care usually deals with patients. This is not pastoral or career counseling. There is nothing wrong with the idea that some people think of themselves as patients regardless of what they are called. Some people, lots of people, perhaps the majority, do in fact have a diagnosis of some sort, whether or not it has been made. Again diagnosis implies medical implies health care implies patient. Patients are not subservient. They are the bosses in charge of seeking out beneficial treatment. If they are not satisfied, they move on to another provider who meets their needs. None of that activity is controlled by what they call themselves. Words are just words. They do not equal action. If you think they do involve action it is largely a projection because only certain kinds of uses of words actually perform any action (like pronouncing someone married or hate speech). Words are subject to history and fads. They are constructs not the reality. And words are most often misinterpreted because that is the nature of language. In fact it is a miracle that humans can communicate as much as they do. I for one do not expect understanding to happen. There are too many factors and variables for such a thing to occur. All by way of saying tolerance and openness seems more workable than digging in.