'You're triggering me': How to understand your therapy-speak teen With claims of gaslighting, triggering and disrespecting boundaries, some parents are struggling to understand their teenagers' so-called therapy speak. When Carla Hoskins asks her 15 and 18-year-old sons to revise or do chores at their Hertfordshire home, she says she is sometimes met with: You're triggering me! Over in the US, Shannon Salvatoriello says her 14 and 17-year-old sons use similar words, which she says leaves her feeling very confused. Mental health experts in the UK and US tell the BBC why young people are using terms often heard during therapy sessions in everyday conversation - and give parents tips on how to better understand their teenagers. Mum-of-six Carla says she is sometimes accused of gaslighting by her eldest teen sons - particularly when she asks about friends or school work.