Antonyms for the word "therapeutic optimism" are pessimism, hopelessness, and despair. Pessimism is the opposite of therapeutic optimism, which is characterized by negative thinking, lack of confidence, and a belief that things will not get better. Hopelessness is a feeling of having no hope, which is different from therapeutic optimism, which provides hope and positive thinking. Despair refers to a deep feeling of hopelessness and loss of faith, which is opposite to therapeutic optimism, which empowers and encourages individuals. In summary, antonyms for the word "therapeutic optimism" are negative thinking, lack of hope, and despair.