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Abbreviations and Glossary:     

ABPP: American Board of Professional Psychology Certified 

ACS: Approved Clinical Supervisor

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: Academy of Dance Therapists Registered

 

AED: Academy for Eating Disorders 

 

AFAA: Aerobics and Fitness Personal Trainer Certification & Group Exercise Certification www.afaa.com

 

ANAD: Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (Association)

 

APRN-BC: Advanced Practice Nurse, Board Certified

 

ATR: Art Therapist Registered

 

ATR-BC: Art Therapist Registered -- Board Certified

 

BCBA: Board Certified Behavior Analyst

 

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: Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor

 

CADAC: Certified Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor

 

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: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

 

CCBT: Certified Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist

 

CCH: Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

 

CCN: Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist

 

CCSD: Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics

 

CCSW: Certified Clinical Social Worker 

 

CD: Certified Dietitian

 

CD-N: Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist

 

CDE: Certified Diabetes Educator

 

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

 

CEAP: Certified Employee Assistance Professional

 

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: Certified Eating Disorder Therapist

 

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 Health Education Specialist

 

CHHC: Certified Holistic Health Counselor

 

CHHP: Certified Holistic Health Practitioner

 

CHT: Certified Hypnotherapist

 

CHTP  Certified Healing Touch Practitioner

 

CMFT: Certified Marriage and Family Therapist

 

CNC: Certified Nutrition Consultant

 

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: Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

 

CSW: Certified Social Worker 

 

CTRT: Certified Trauma Resolution Therapist

 

DAPA  Diplomate of the American Psychotherapy Association

 

DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy

 

DTR: Dance/Therapist Registered   It signifies to the public and professional communities that an individual is prepared to practice dance/movement therapy in a clinical, educational, or rehabilitative setting.
 

DCSW: Doctorate in Clinical Social Work

 

D.O.: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine,  Psychiatrist

 

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 American Association of Family Practice

 

FABMPP: Fellow American Board of Medical Psychotherapists & Psychodiagnosticians 

 

FADA: Fellow of the American Dietetic Association

 

FAED: Fellow, Academy for Eating Disorders

 

FIPA: Fellow of the International Psychoanalytic Association

 

FSAM: Fellow Society for Adolescent Medicine

 

GCFP: Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner 

 

GCP: Good Clinical Practice or Member of the Guild Complementary Practitioners

 

HSPP: Health Service Provider in Psychology

 

IAEDP: The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals

 

IAYT: International Association of Yoga Therapists

 

ICADC: Internationally Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor

 

JD: Doctor of Jurisprudence (an attorney)

 

LAC: Licensed Addiction Counselor

 

L.Ac.: Licensed Acupuncturist

 

LADC:  Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor

 

LCAT: Licensed Creative Arts Therapist

 

LCDC: Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor

 

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: Licensed Dietician

 

LDN: Licensed Dietician/Nutritionist

 

Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW ): Master’s in Social Work, Intermediate

 

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: Licensed Master Social Worker-Advanced Clinical Practitioner


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: Licensed Professional Counselor Intern

 

Licensed Social Work Associate (LSWA): Bachelor’s in Social Work, Basic 

 

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: Master of Science in Education

 

MSW: Masters in Social Work 

 

MT-BC: Music Therapist, Board Certified

 

NASM-CPT: National Academy of Sports Medicine - Certified Personal Trainer 

 

NBCCH: National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists

 

NCC: Nationally Board Certified Counselor

 

NEDA: National Eating Disorders Association

 

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: Nationally Certified Psychoanalyst

 

P.A.: Physician's Assistant or Psychological Assistant  (This person is under a supervisor's license)

 

PAT: Professional Art Therapist or a Provisional Addictions Therapist

 

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

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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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