[JustBen]

Folks just starting out in therapy (or on this board) probably scratch their heads trying to figure out what all the acronyms stand for, so I thought I'd get this thread going as a guide. Please add to the list...I'm just going to plop down a few and let you all run with it.

dx - diagnosis
tx - treatment/therapy
CBT - Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
REBT - Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy
PDoc - Psychiatric Doctor (aka Psychiatrist)
T - Therapist
Meds - Medications

[kimmydawn]

DBT - Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DID - Dissociative Identity Disorder
DD - Dissociative Disorder
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PD - Personality Disorder
BP - Bipolar
BPD - Borderline Personality Disorder
GAD - Generalized Anxiety Disorder
SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder
ED - Eating Disorder
SI - Self Injury

[JustBen]

MCO - Managed Care Organization
HMO - Health Maintenance Organization, a type of MCO
DSM - The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (the "bible of diagnosis")

[jennie]

Hx - history
Rx - prescribed medication
MD - Doctor of Medicine
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy (check to see if PhD degree is in the field of psychology)
PsyD - Doctor of Psychology

[JustBen]

EdD - Doctor of Education (some psychologists and counselors have this as opposed to a PhD or PsyD)
MA - Master of Arts
MS - Master of Science
MSW - Master of Social Work

[Rapunzel]

Ben, do you know the difference between an MA and MS degree? Is it consistent from one program to another?

I do know (at least where I went to school) that the difference between a BA and BS is that the BA requires a certain amount of credit in languages (I think it was 12 credits). Is that consistent with other schools too?

More acronyms:

LPC - Licenced Professional Counselor
LCSW - Licened Clinical Social Worker
LMFT - Licenced Marriage and Family Therapist
MHCC - Mental Health Certified Counselor (I'm not positive about the order here, and I think it varies from state to state - most states include this under LPC, although the mental health counseling programs require 60 hours while counseling can be just 48).

BSW - Bachelor of Social Work
DSW - Doctor of Social Work (mostly teachers/professors)
SSW - Social Service Worker (usually bachelor's level)

[allthegirls6]

OMG, i never knew half of these!

Im an MA Soc Sci Hons.................................. Master of Arts in Social Science with Honours! I never get a chance to blow my trumpet! Hope you dont mi nd!

[(JD)]

Generally an MA reflected a wide based learning (sometimes more electives) whereas an MS detailed a more intense course of study.

Certification vs Licensure
Professionals are certified after meeting specific education and/or examination requirements. It may be a step toward licensure (i.e., National Board Certified Counselor is required by many states for licensure as a counselor) or specialization for someone who is licensed (i.e., Certified Sex Therapist). Generally, certification is made by a national board of peers. Certification does not in itself qualify someone to practice therapy in most states unless they are under supervision working toward licensure.

Generally, a professional must be licensed to legally provide counseling or therapy. Professional licenses are state regulated, meaning each state can establish their own laws for what is required for each license. National groups, however, lobby to keep laws somewhat uniform. Education, exams, supervision and experience are common components in applying for licensure.

I might also add there are degrees within the Seminary: BRE, MRE, MDiv (Bachelors, Masters in Religious Education, Masters in Divinity, Often the universities use the BA MA references and main courses stay the same, then they allow the elective courses to be in the field such as religion, humanity, counseling etc. Sometimes coursework will be additional to a regular degree. (Think like the Psychiatrist is an MD with specialty in psychiatry.)

Please note there is a difference between an LSW and an LCSW.

In many states there are protected terms that NO ONE who is not licensed can use. This prevents someone from setting up an office and calling themselves a title that they have had no review about.

Also, sometimes these acronyms we use here have other meanings IRL.. I'm thinking specifically of ED and SI.... don't assume someone KNOWS what you are talking about.

While I'm at it, I've notice I'm not the only one using WC for worker compensation (a USA program of health insurance + when a worker is injured on the job.) But it also means wheelchair.

IRL. (In Real Life, not on internet)

And SSDI is a government (US) Social Security Disability Insurance, benefits because of your inability to work, dependant upon how much you had worked and how much tax you paid into the progrm.

Here they use LCSW and CSW to differenciate between Certified therapists and Licensed therapists

LCSW = Licensed Clinical Social Worker
CSW = Clinical Social Worker

and here is what I found on my State Board of certified and licensed clinical social worker website that explains the difference between the two types of therapy professionals here.

Definitions
(1) Persons represent themselves to be Licensed Clinical Social Workers within the meaning of this Act if they state or imply they are Licensed Clinical Social Workers, or use the letters LCSW as part of their professional identification in conjunction with their name.
(2) The term "Licensed Clinical Social Worker" includes acts or behaviors within the purview of the practice of Clinical Social Work as defined in Chapter 675, Oregon Laws, 1979.
(3) The term "Clinical Social Work Associate" means a person who holds a master's degree from a college or university accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Board, whose Plan of practice and supervision has been approved by the Board, and who is working toward licensure in accordance with ORS 675.510 to 675.600 and Rules adopted by the Board and includes any person who has completed a Plan of practice and supervision, but who has not yet completed the licensing requirements of OAR 877-020-0008.

Requirements for Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate
Upon application and payment of the required fee, the Board shall issue a Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate to any applicant who furnishes evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant:
(1) Holds a master's degree in social work from a college or university accredited by a credentialing body recognized by the Board.
(2) Has developed a Plan of Supervision approved by the Board for completion of the practice and supervision requirements. The two-year requirement begins at the time the Plan is approved by the Board.
(3) The Board may refuse to renew the Certificate of any Clinical Social Work Associate who fails to file the required forms in a timely manner.

Licensing Requirements
All persons applying for licensing as a clinical social worker shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant:
(1) Has satisfactorily completed the requirements of Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate and paid the required fees, and has performed to the satisfaction of the Board in the examination prescribed by the Board. The examination shall include a national clinical exam section and an Oregon state section, each part to be scored separately. The applicant must pass both parts to be licensed. The subjects upon which an applicant may be examined shall relate to the following core competencies, the understanding of which is essential to effective practice:
(a) The contents of ORS 675.510 to 675.600 and OAR chapter 877, which are the Oregon statutes and administrative rules governing the practice standards and responsibilities of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
(b) Oregon Revised Statutes relating to mental health practice that may be relevant to clinical social work practice.
(c) Human Development and Behavior.
(d) Issues of Diversity.
(e) Diagnosis and Assessment.
(f) Psychotherapy and Clinical Practice.
(g) Communication.
(h) The Therapeutic Relationship.
(i) Professional Values and Ethics.
(j) Clinical Supervision, Consultation, and Staff Development.
(k) Practice Evaluation and the Utilization of Research.
(l) Service Delivery.
(m) Clinical Practice and management in the Organizational Setting.
(2) The applicant must be fit to practice clinical social work. A lack of an applicant's fitness to practice may be established by references to acts or conduct that would cause a reasonable person to have substantial doubts about the individual's honesty, fairness, and respect for the rights of others and for the laws of the state and nation. The conduct or acts in question must be rationally connected to the applicant's fitness to practice.

[Hopefull]

I know quite a few of these because I am studying addiction counseling. However, I am curious about an acronym on my LCSW's business card. CMFT I assumed that it is a family therapist acronym because the organization that she is a "Clinical Member" of is probably family therapy or marraige therapy organization. I think I have heard of it in one of my classes--I'm just not sure. I suppose I could look it up.
CADC Certified Addiction and other drug counselor or something like that.

found this on -

Untitled Document
This list will help clarify the meanings of the credential abbreviations following the names of each ... CMFT Certified Marriage and Family Therapist (cert) ...

http://www.adaa.org/Public/Credentia...reviations.htm

CREDENTIAL ABBREVIATIONS
This list will help clarify the meanings of the credential abbreviations following the names of each practitioner. The parenthetical abbreviations (acad, lic, and cert) which appear after some definitions refer to the category in which the term falls: academic, licensing, and certification, respectively.

AAMFT American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (cert)

AAPH American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists (cert)

ABECSW American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (cert)

ABFamP American Board of Family Psychology (cert)

ABMP American Board of Medical Psychotherapy (cert)

ABPH American Board of Psychological Hypnosis

ACP Advanced Clinical Practitioner (lic)

ACSW Academy of Clinical Social Workers (cert)

ANA American Nursing Association (cert)

BCCS Board Certified in Clinical Social Work (cert)

BCDSW Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (cert)

BSN Bachelor of Science in Nursing (acad)

CADC Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor

CCCP Board Certified in Child and Adolescent Psychology (cert)

CCMHC Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (cert)

CCSW Certified Clinical Social Worker (lic)

CFNP Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (cert)

CISW Certified Independent Social Worker (cert)

CMFT Certified Marriage and Family Therapist (cert)

CP Certified Psychologist (lic); Clinical Psychologist (lic)

CSW Certified Social Worker (lic); Clinical Social Worker (lic)

D/AABM Diplomate, American Academy of Behavioral Medicine (cert)

D/ABPN Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

DBM Diplomate, International Academy of Behavioral Medicine, Counseling and Psychology (cert)

DPM Diplomate, Neuropsychiatry

DSW Doctor of Social Work (acad)

EdD Doctor of Education (acad)

EdS Bachelor of Science in Education

LCP Licensed Clinical Psychologist (lic); Licensed CounselingProfessional (lic)

LCSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker (lic)

LGSW Licensed Graduate Social Worker (lic)

LICSW Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (lic)

LMFC Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor (lic)

LMFCC Licensed Marriage, Family and Child Counselor (lic)

LMFT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (lic)

LMHC Licensed Mental Health Counselor (lic)

LMHS Licensed Mental Health Services (lic)

LP Licensed Psychologist (lic)

LPA Licensed Psychological Associate (lic)

LPC Licensed Professional Counselor (lic)

LPE Licensed Psychological Examiner (lic)

LSP Licensed School Psychologist (lic)

LSW Licensed Social Worker (lic)

MA Master of Arts (acad)

MC Master of Counseling (acad)

MD Doctor of Medicine (acad)

MEd Master of Education (acad)

MFC Marriage and Family Counselor (lic)

MFCC Marriage, Family and Child Counselor (lic)

MFCT Marriage, Family and Child Therapist (lic)

MS Master of Science (acad)

MSc Master of Science (acad)

MSN Master of Science in Nursing (acad)

MSS Master of Social Science (acad)

MSSW Master of Science in Social Work (acad)

MSW Master of Social Work (acad)

NAMHC National Academy of Mental Health Counselors (cert)

NBCC National Board of Certified Counselors (cert)

NCC National Certified Counselor (cert)

NRHSPP National Register of Health Services Providers in Psychology (cert)

PA Psychological Associate (lic)

PhD Doctor of Philosophy (acad)

PsyD Doctor of Psychology (acad)

RHCP Registered Health Care Provider (cert)

RISW Registered Independent Social Worker (lic)

RN Registered Nurse

RNCS Clinical Specialist in Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (cert)

ScD Doctor of Science (lic)

SW Social Worker (lic)


around here CMFT=
C = Certified (level of creditsand certificate)
M = Marriage (works with couples and marriage type issues)
F = Family (works with adults and children and family issues)
T = Therapist

C can also = the words "Children" or "Christian" as in the therapist specialty is in working woth children or working with religion based clients.

[(JD)]

hehehe there's another one...in Missouri: PIT (psychologist in training) guess it was their way to keep us humble?

LOL they don't have that here but some therapist would probably want to label me that. LOL

[JustBen]

Differences between Arts and Science degrees (BA/BS, MA/MS) are not consistent across schools. I've always treated them exactly the same and that's never steered me wrong so far.

As Sky pointed out, licensing laws vary from state to state. I would take issue with this statement, however: "Generally, a professional must be licensed to legally provide counseling or therapy."

In many states, licensing is nothing more than title protection. So while a person cannot use the term "licensed psychologist" or "licensed professional counselor" without a license, they are free to hang out a shingle and see clients. Buyer beware!

DTR - Dysfunctional Thought Record (a cognitive therapy thang)
PCP - Personal Construct Psychotherapy
SOT - Solution-oriented Therapy
BSOT - Brief Solution-oriented Therapy
EVT - Empirically Validated Treatment

[(JD)]

I said that how about.... to accept insurance reimbursements, a professional probably needs to be licensed?

Insurances here pay a certified therapist not just one that is licensed. They also will pay interns - those at suppervision level and not quite yet certified or licensed.

How about this "In your personal opinion" or "In your state" - then your statement.

That way the statement doesn't conflict with other state standards and so on.

Don't you just love it. The professionals want us to have therapy but yet they cannot agree on what is what from state to state and country to country and continent to continent.

one of these days the world just may have the same standards all around.... maybe.

[(JD)]

How about no one worry about it

Hey Ben, here's one you didn't list MCO - MANGLED care organization

[maryquitecontrary]

Just for the record....

SI means Suicidal Ideations, not self injury. We in the field use "SH" instead, which means Self Harm.

I am a PsyD in Oregon, and just wanted to clarify.

[(JD)]

Yeah, that's what I alluded to...</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Also, sometimes these acronyms we use here have other meanings IRL.. I'm thinking specifically of ED and SI.... don't assume someone KNOWS what you are talking about.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

welcome to PC (((jamie)))

[JustBen]

Welcome to PsychCentral, Jamie.

Sorry Sky, I should have read your post more carefully. I think we can all agree that licensing is a mess and that people need to check the regulations in their state or country.

[Rhapsody]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>

I am a PsyD in Oregon

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Hmm - a PsyD from Oregon.... so what are YOU here? - do you come to read and to learn, if YES, is it for personal reasons or for your practice.... just a little FYI for ME.


LoVe,
Rhapsody -


P.S.

I just had to look this one up for myself today: Phd, ABPP, which is a psychologist who is a member of the American Board of Professional Psychology..

MA - Master of Arts
MSocSci - Master of Social Science
MEd - Master of Education
MSci - Master of Science

The M stands for 'Masters' (so the person has a Masters degree)

The 'Education', Science, Arts, Social Science bit stands for the faculty that the person was enrolled in.

Some Universities classify Psychology in the school of art (which typically is distinct from a school of fine art - ie music, painting etc)
Other Universities classify Psychology as a science
Other Universities classify Psychology as a social science

So if the person has a Masters degree in psychology they could come out with any of the above depending on where their University has put their psychology department.

Aside from this... There can be variation between universities...

Universities with a strong (competitive) department typically require more (because of the competitive nature of the department.
Universities with a weak department (one that struggles to attract students) typically require less (because they need students to keep the department running).

IMO it is a myth that the requirements on science students are more stringent than the requirements for social science / arts / education students across the board.

It depends on the strength of the department
Which is typically reflected in reputation
For the reason that stronger departments can (thus do) require more from their students

Education...

Councelling degrees are sometimes classified as being part of the school of education.

I took a human development paper or two from over there...

[(JD)]

NP Ben (np = no problem ) Perhaps the care aspect falls under the NOS term?

[JustBen]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
special_k said:
It depends on the strength of the department
Which is typically reflected in reputation
For the reason that stronger departments can (thus do) require more from their students

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I realize now we're getting off-topic, but I have to disagree with you there. The reputation of a department (and of the entire school for that matter) has much more to do with research than teaching, in my opinion. I have friends that have attended Harvard and Yale, for example, and they tell me that it's almost impossible to score less than a B in any class and that the workload is no more challenging than what they experienced at state schools. (This seems to be less true for engineering and hard sciences.)

APA - American Psychiatric Association
APA - American Psychological Association
ACA - American Counseling Association
AAMFT - American Assocation for Marriage and Family Therapists