therapeutisch

Therapeutisch is an adjective used in Dutch and German to describe things related to therapy or treatment intended to improve health, relieve symptoms, or support rehabilitation. It can refer to medical, psychological, physical, or occupational therapies, as well as to environments, approaches, or interventions designed to promote healing or well-being. In clinical contexts, therapeutic interventions aim to alleviate illness, manage symptoms, restore function, or improve quality of life, rather than guarantee a cure.

Etymology: The term derives from Greek therapeuein "to attend to" or therapeutes "attendant," via Latin therapūticus/therapeuticus and later through European languages such as Dutch and German. The basic noun is therapy (therapie, Therapie); therapeutic denotes its applied or auxiliary character.

Usage: Common phrases include therapeutische behandeling (therapeutic treatment), therapeutische oefening (therapeutic exercise), therapeutische relatie (therapeutic relationship), and therapeutisch milieu (therapeutic environment). It is often contrasted with curatief, which implies a curative, disease-eradicating aim, whereas therapeutisch covers processes that improve health or comfort even if a cure is not possible.

Notes: The term is used across medicine, psychology, physical rehabilitation, and complementary therapies, and it can carry neutral or positive connotations depending on context. A related noun is therapist (therapeut), and therapy (therapie/Therapie).