Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center
International Eating Disorder Referral Organization
Definitions/Glossary -- scan down this page
Just because a person is listed on our site does not mean they are currently licensed. Be sure to interview each provider and ask about their current license, training and amount of expertise in your specific area of need. If you need assistance with how to interview a professional, click here.
Abbreviations and Glossary:
ABPP: American Board of Professional Psychology Certified
ACS:
ACSM-HFI: American College of Sports Medicine Health Fitness Instructor
ACSW: Licensure varies by state. A clinical social worker may be a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers or listed in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Register of Clinical Workers
ADTR:
Advanced Practice Nurse, Board Certified
ATR: Art Therapist Registered
ATR-BC: Art Therapist Registered -- Board Certified
BCBA:
BCD: Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, clinical social workers with a masters degree, more than five years of experience in mental health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, who have passed an examination and met the other requirements for national certification by the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (ABE). Annual recertification is required.
CADC:
CADAC:
CAP: Certified Addiction Professional
CARF: Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, to advocate and promote quality rehabilitation services, the organization is now known simply as CARF.
CAS: Certified Addition Specialist
CBT:
CCBT:
Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
CCN:
Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics
CCSW: Certified Clinical Social Worker
CD:
CD-N:
CDN: A certified dietitian or certified dietitian-nutritionist integrates and applies principles derived from nutrition, biochemistry, physiology, food management, and behavioral and social sciences to achieve and maintain people's health.
CDVC: Certified Domestic Violence Counselor
CEO: Chief Executive Officer
CEDS: Certified Eating Disorder Specialist: A certification offered by the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals; designed to demonstrate knowledge in the treatment of eating disorders.
CEDT:
CFCS: Certified Family and Consumer Scientist www.oaimh.org
CFT: Certified Fitness Trainer
CGP: Certified Group Psychotherapist, offered by the American Group Psychotherapy Association or Certified Group Practitioner
CGT: Certified Gestalt Therapist
CHES:
Certified Holistic Health Counselor
CHHP: Certified Holistic Health Practitioner
CHT: Certified Hypnotherapist
CHTP Certified Healing Touch Practitioner
CMFT:
CNS: Certified Nutrition Specialist
Counselor: A generic term for someone who counsels
CPT: Certified Personal Trainer
CRAT: Certified Rational Addictions Therapist
CS: Clinical Specialist or Clinical Supervisor
CSCS:
CSW: Certified Social Worker
CTRT: Certified Trauma Resolution Therapist
DAPA Diplomate of the American Psychotherapy Association
DBT:
DCSW: Doctorate in Clinical Social Work
Dr.: Doctor could be an M.D, a Ph.D., a Psy.D., Ed.D., D.O., or a DCSW
Eclectic: Employing individual elements from a variety of treatment styles
Ed. D.: Doctorate of Education
Ed.S.: Educational Specialist
EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful therapeutic process that has people find relief from a wide range of emotional and personal problems especially trauma.
FAAFP: Fellow
FADA:
Fellow of the International Psychoanalytic Association
GCFP
GCP:
IAEDP: The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals
IAYT: International Association of Yoga Therapists
ICADC:
JD:
L.Ac.: Licensed Acupuncturist
LADC: Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor
LCAT: Licensed Creative Arts Therapist
LCDC:
LCPC: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker: A mental health professional with a Masters Degree (MSW) in social work and two years of supervised clinical experience.
Licensed Certified Social Worker - Clinical (LCSW-C): Master’s in Social Work, Clinical
LCSW-R: In New York State, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, (LCSW) is a person who has a Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited university and has passed the state's licensure exam. The "R" designation is only awarded after a licensed Clinical Social Worker has had a minimum of 6 years of postgraduate professional supervision, and has met strict credentialing guidelines. The "R" designation allows for third party insurance reimbursement. Prior to September 1, 2004 the license, Certified Social Worker (CSW) was issued by New York State, the Licensed Clinical Social Worker, (LCSW) license replaces it.
LD:
LDN:
LICSW: Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker These are masters-level clinical social workers with advanced experience who have met state requirements for licensure.
LISW: Licensed Independent Social Worker
LP: Licensed Psychologist
LLP: (1) Limited Liability Partnership (2) Limited License Psychologist 3) Licensed Psychological Practitioner
LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
LMSW: Licensed Master Social Worker
LMSW-ACP
LMHC: Licensed Mental Health Counselor
LN: Licensed Nutritionist
LPA: Licensed Psychological Associate
LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor: A type of counseling license generally held by a Masters level graduate or professional. The requirements for this type of licensure are less than that for a Psychologist or Psychiatrist licensure.
LPCI:
MA: Master of Arts--a university graduate degree requiring one or two years of additional study above the requirements for a bachelors degree (BA or BS)
Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT or LMFT): Designation given to persons with specialized training in Marriage and Family Counseling. Requires masters level training and strong emphasis on family systems and family therapy but not limited to family therapy alone.
MC: Masters in Counseling
M.D.: Medical Doctor
M.Div.: Masters level degree in Divinity. Individuals holding this degree have learned counseling approaches/techniques in the context of divinity school graduate training.
M.Ed.: Masters in Education
MFA: Master of Fine Arts degree , involving music, art, music & art history, etc.
MOE or MOAE: Master in Occupational and Adult Education
MPH: Master of Public Health
MPS: Master of Professional Studies is one of the degrees offered by Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York 11205. The MPS degree is offered in several departments: Arts and Cultural Management, Art Therapy & Creativity Development, Art Therapy--Special Education, and Design Management.
MS: Masters of Science - a university graduate degree requiring one or two years of additional study above the requirements for a bachelors degree (BA or BS)
MSEd:
MSW: Masters in Social Work
MT-BC: Music Therapist, Board Certified
NASM-CPT: National Academy of Sports Medicine - Certified Personal Trainer
NBCCH:
NCC:
Night Eating Syndrome: The condition is characterized by a lack of appetite for breakfast; the consumption of more than 50 percent of daily calories after the evening meal, and waking up, at least, once a night to consume high-carbohydrate snacks. To receive a diagnosis of NES, symptoms must have continued for a minimum of three months.
NLP: Neuro Linguistic Programming
NP: Nurse Practitioner
NPP: Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry
NCPsyA:
P.A.: Physician's Assistant or Psychological Assistant (This person is under a supervisor's license)
PAT:
Pastoral Counselor: Generally a clergy person, such as a minister, priest, rabbi, etc. who provides counseling. Some Pastoral Counselor have degrees such as M.Div. or MFT but is important to ask for credentials if this is an issue for you.
PBSP: Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor (see www.pbsp.com)
Ph.D.: Doctorate of Philosophy (Psychology) Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy): A doctoral degree requires extended graduate level university training. This training generally lasts 4-6 years after completing regular college bachelor degree programs. Clinical Psychologists often have this degree but this degree can be used by many difference field (i.e. Ph.D. in Education).
PICA: Pica is an eating disorder typically defined as the persistent eating of nonnutritive substances for a period of at least 1 month at an age in which this behavior is developmentally inappropriate.
PLLC: Legal structure utilized when therapists , in accordance with provisions of the Professional Limited Liability Company Law form a professional practice by registering with the State Education Department and the Department of State. This organization may be formed by members of certain different professions to offer multi-disciplinary services (cannot include professionals licensed in Medicine and Dentistry).
PMHNP: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Psy. D.: Doctorate of (Clinical) Psychology Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology): A doctoral level degree requires extended graduate level university training. Not all university programs offer Psy.D. degrees. The Psy.D. degree can indicate a more clinical focus than a Ph.D. but not necessarily.
Psychologist: A doctoral level degree in the science of Psychology. Psychologists that specialize in therapy are called Clinical Psychologists. Psychologists are the most extensively trained therapists. The term Psychologist is legally protected by state law - only persons who are licensed as psychologists can call themselves psychologists.
Psychopharmacology: The study of the actions, effects, and development of drug that influence the mind.
Psychiatrist: A Medical Doctor or Physician (MD) who has completed medical school and a multi-year residency in Psychiatry. They are experts in the use of medications to treat mental disorders. They focus on a medical model of treating mental illness rather than providing counseling or individual therapy.
Psychoanalyst: A therapist who practices analysis and focuses on early childhood experiences.
Psychodynamic: The interaction of various conscious and unconscious mental or emotional processes, especially as they influence personality, behavior, and attitudes
Psychotherapist: This is a generic term and does not apply to any specific credentials.
PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
QCSW: Qualified Clinical Social Worker
RBT: Rational Behavior Therapist
RC: Registered Counselor
RCC: Registered Clinical Counselor
RD: Registered Dietitian
REAT: Registered Expressive Arts Therapist
RYT: Registered Yoga Teacher
Self Psychology: Self psychological theory proposes that healthy self-development proceeds from adequate responsiveness of caregivers to the child's vital emotional needs, including alterego needs, idealizing needs, and mirroring needs
SEP: Somatic Experiencing Practitioner
TAS (Tobacco Addiction Specialist): A certification through The Association for Addiction Professionals www.naadac.org
Therapist: Also known as "Psychotherapist". This is a generic term and does not apply to any specific credentials.
If you haven't found what you are looking for, then try the Dictionary of Initials, Acronyms and Abbreviations Used by Counselors: http://www.counselingseattle.com/initials.htm or this http://www.medleague.com/webstore/med_league/professional_acronyms.htm or here http://www.stuaff.niu.edu/csdc/TITLCERT.pdf
You can also learn more about these abbreviations and terms by typing them into an online search engine such as www.google.com
To verify a treatment provider's license, contact their licensing board by clicking here.
Learn more about the process of finding a therapist or treatment provider, the types of therapy and the contact info for licensing boards by clicking here
To begin your search for help and referrals CLICK HERE
It is vital that you talk with your physician and a qualified mental health professional regarding eating disorder symptoms and treatment.
*While EDRIC includes articles and links to sites which provide additional information on eating disorders and related topics, the EDRIC does not endorse or recommend any site, product or service.
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