Encouragement Plus Coaching
"Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."
Chinese Proverb
GUIDE TO ACRONYMS
In the Helping Professions
By Don H. Morris
Life Coach
Acronym Index
Introduction
Professional Degrees
Licenses
Certifications
Related Designations
Certification Boards
Professional Associations
Governmental Agencies
Corporate Titles
Peer Support Groups
Diagnostic Systems
Theories of Psychotherapy
Assessment Instruments
Forms of Businesses
Introduction
Are you confused by those strings of letters that appear on the business cards and telephone listings of helping professionals? Here is a helpful list of some of the most common abbreviations and acronyms. The designations are broken down into several categories for your convenience. If you do not see the acronym you are looking for in one category, check out the others. This is not an exhaustive list, so the acronym you are looking for may not be here.
Many professionals will list both a license and a national certification. For example, a professional counselor may place both LPC (for Licensed Professional Counselor) and NCC (for Nationally Certified Counselor) after his/her name and degree.
Some helping professions, such as art therapy, are not licensed separately in many states. In such cases, practitioners will be licensed in a related professional field, and certified by a national association in their chosen profession. In the example above, a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) may be licensed as a psychologist (Licensed Psychologist), clinical social worker (LCSW), or professional counselor (LPC).
Other professionals may have dual credentials, such as being licensed both as a professional counselor (LPC) and a marriage and family therapist (LMFT). A clinical social worker (LCSW) may also be certified as an employee assistance professional (CEAP). This makes for extra designations on their business cards, letterheads, and phone listings.
All of the helping professions have associations composed of persons who belong to that profession or who share an interest in the advancement of that particular field. Not all practitioners belong to the professional associations of their fields. Those who do demonstrate a commitment to the standards of their profession.
Each helping profession has its own set of educational requirements. Some professions, such as psychiatry and clinical psychology, require their practitioners to earn doctorates (such as an MD, PhD, or PsyD). Others, including professional counseling and social work, require only a master's degree (such as an MA, MS, or MSW). In the fields that allow a master's degree for licensure, some practitioners earn a doctorate in order to obtain advanced training and to teach in graduate programs in their fields.
Some graduate training programs in the helping professions are offered by seminaries and religiously-oriented colleges and universities. Degrees from these institutions may reflect the religious content of the training (such as DMin, MDiv, or MAR). Others offer the more familiar degrees as well (such as MA or MS).
Professional Degrees
Almost all of the helping professions require training beyond a bachelor's degree. Most master's degrees consist of from 36 to 60 semester hours. The Specialist in Education degree requires additional training, usually 72 semester hours. Doctorates typically require 90 to 100 semester hours.
To make it all more confusing, please be aware that some institutions of higher learning reverse the order of the initials. For example, Master of Arts may be abbreviated A.M. instead of the usual M.A.
| Acronym | Degree |
| DC | Doctor of Chiropractic |
| DD | Doctor of Dentistry |
| DDS | Doctor of Dental Surgery |
| DMin | Doctor of Ministry |
| DO | Doctor of Osteopathy |
| DSN | Doctor of Science in Nursing |
| DSW | Doctor of Social Work |
| EdD | Doctor of Education |
| JD | Doctor of Jurisprudence |
| MD | Medical Doctor |
| OD/DO | Doctor of Optometry |
| PharmD | Doctor of Pharmacy |
| PhD | Doctor of Philosophy |
| PsyD | Doctor of Psychology |
| EdS | Specialist in Education |
| MA | Master of Arts |
| MAR | Master of Arts in Religion |
| MC | Master of Counseling |
| MDiv | Master of Divinity |
| MEd | Master of Education |
| MHSc | Master of Health Science |
| MN | Master of Nursing |
| MNNP | Master of Nursing, Nurse Practitioner |
| MPH | Master of Public Health |
| MRC | Master of Rehabilitation Counseling |
| MRE | Master of Religious Education |
| MS | Master of Science |
| MSN | Master of Science in Nursing |
| MSS | Master of Social Services |
| MSW | Master of Social Work |
| MTh | Master of Theology |
Licenses
Issued by states to allow professionals in the specified field to practice in that jurisdiction. Each state sets its own requirements for education and training for each profession it recognizes, although this is usually similar to national certification standards (see next section). Typically, each state's Department of Health has a division of health-related boards to oversee the licensure process. Some states register or certify cetain professions rather than issuing licenses. In such caes, the appropriate acronym will be in the next section, Certifications
| Acronym | Credential |
| * | Licensed Physician |
| * | Licensed Psychiatrist |
| * | Licensed Psychologist |
| LAMFT | Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist |
| LAPC | Licensed Associate Professional Counselor |
| LCDC | Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor |
| LCPC | Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor |
| LCMHC | Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor |
| LCPT | Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapist |
| LCSW | Licensed Clinical Social Worker |
| LD | Licensed Dietitian |
| LMFT | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist |
| LMHC | Licensed Mental Health Counselor |
| LOT | Licensed Occupational Therapist |
| LPT | Licensed Pastoral Therapist |
| LPT | Licensed Physical Therapist |
| LPCC | Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor |
| LPC | Licensed Professional Counselor |
| LPN | Licensed Practical Nurse |
| LSW | Licensed Social Worker |
| RN | Registered Nurse |
| RNP | Registered Nurse Practitioner |
Certifications
Issued by boards created by professional associations to certify that a professional has met the educational and training requirements to practice in the specified field.
NOTE: Some states register or certify certain professions rather than issuing licenses. In such cases, the certification or registration is from the state rather than from a professional association or other credentialing body.
| Acronym | Credential |
| ADTR | Academy of Dance Therapists, Registered |
| AT-BC | Art Therapist, Board Certified |
| AT-R | Art Therapist, Registered |
| AVA | Accredited Valuation Analyst |
| CA | Chartered Accountant |
| CADAC | Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor |
| CAP | Certified Addictions Professional |
| C-ASWCM | Certified Advanced Social Work Case Manager |
| CCH | Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist |
| CCMHC | Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor |
| CDVC | Certified Domestic Violence Counselor |
| CEAP | Certified Employee Assistance Professional |
| CFA | Certified Financial Analyst |
| CFE | Certified Financial Examiner |
| CFP | Certified Financial Planner |
| CFE | Certified Fraud Examiner |
| CHT | Certified Hypnotherapist |
| CIA | Certified Internal Auditor |
| CMBC | Certified Master Business Coach |
| COMS | Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist |
| CPA | Certified Public Accountant |
| CPC | Certified Pastoral Counselor |
| CPC | Certified Professional Counselor |
| CPT | Certified Poetry Therapist |
| CRC | Certified Rehabilitation Counselor |
| CRT | Certified Rehabilitation Teacher |
| DAPA | Diplomate of the American Psychotherapy Association |
| DTR | Dance Therapist, Registered |
| MAC | Master Addictions Counselor |
| MCC | Master Certified Coach |
| MFCC | Marriage, Family, and Child Counselor |
| MT-BC | Music Therapist, Board Certified |
| NCAC | Nationally Certified Addiction Counselor |
| NCC | Nationally Certified Counselor |
| NCCC | Nationally Certified Career Counselor |
| NCGC | Nationally Certified Gerontological Counselor |
| NCSC | Nationally Certified School Counselor |
| PA-C | Physician's Assistant, Certified |
| PCC | Professional Certified Coach |
| RCC | Registered Corporate Coach |
| RD | Registered Dietitian |
| RPT | Registered Poetry Therapist |
| RN | Registered Nurse |
| RPh | Registered Pharmacist |
Related Designations
| Acronym | Designation |
| BCD | Board Certified Diplomate (in a specialty) |
| CDF | Career Development Facilitator | CDP | Chemical Dependency Professional |
| CDS | Chemical Dependency Specialist |
| CEDS | Clinical Eating Disorders Specialist |
| CS | Clinical Specialist (nursing) |
| MHPP | Mental Health Paraprofessional |
| MHS | Mental Health Specialist |
| MHSP | Mental Health Service Provider |
| PA | Physician's Assistant |
| QCDC | Qualified Chemical Dependency Counselor |
| QCSW | Qualified Clinical Social Worker |
| QMHP | Qualified Mental Health Professional |
| QMRP | Qualified Mental Retardation Professional |
Certification Boards
These are bodies that are formed by professional associations in order to establish standards for education and training for members of the profession. Boards create exams that ensure prospective professionals can demonstrate a knowledge of critical elements of the profession. Boards usually also set standards for continuing professional education, and monitor members in compliance.
| Acronym | Board |
| ADT | Academy of Dance Therapists |
| ABE | American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work |
| ABPTS | American Board for Physical Therapy Specialists |
| ANCC | American Nurses Credentialing Center (and other boards for various specialities) |
| ACPE | Association for Clinical Pastoral Education |
| AER | Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired |
| CCE | Center for Credentialing and Education |
| CRCC | Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification |
| CBMT | Certification Board for Music Therapists |
| FBPT | Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy |
| NBCCH | National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists |
| NBAE | National Board Of Addiction Examiners |
| NBCC | National Board for Certified Counselors |
| NBCOT | National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy |
Professional Associations
Most national associations have regional and state affiliates or chapters as well. This list is limited to the United States unless designated as "international". Many other countries have similar associations of their own.
| Acronym | Professional Association |
| AANP | American Academy of Nurse Practitioners |
| AAPC | American Association of Pastoral Counselors |
| AATA | American Art Therapy Association |
| AAACM | American Association of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine |
| AACM | American Association of Chinese Medicine |
| AAMFT | American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy |
| AAPH | American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists |
| ACA | American Chiropractic Association |
| ACA | American Counseling Association |
| ADTA | American Dance Therapy Association |
| ADA | American Dietitic Association |
| AMA | American Medical Association |
| AMHCA | American Mental Health Counseling Association |
| AMMA | American Medical Massage Association |
| AMTA | American Massage Therapy Association |
| AMTA | American Music Therapy Association |
| ANA | American Nurses Association |
| AOA | American Optometric Association |
| AOA | American Osteopathic Association |
| APA | American Psychoanalytic Association |
| APA | American Psychiatric Association |
| APA | American Psychological Association |
| APA | American Psychotherapy Association |
| APTA | American Physical Therapy Association |
| APHA | American Public Health Association |
| AOTA | American Occupational Therapy Association |
| ASCA | American School Counselors Association |
| ABMP | Associated Bodyworkers and Massage Professionals |
| CSWF | Clinical Social Work Federation |
| EAPA | Employee Assistance Professionals Association |
| IAC | International Association of Coaches |
| ICF | International Coach Federation |
| NAADAC | National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors |
| NAFC | National Association of Forensic Counselors |
| NAPT | National Association for Poetry Therapy |
| NASP | National Association of School Psychologists |
| NASW | National Association of Social Workers |
| NECA | National Employment Counselors Association |
| OAA | Opticians Association of America |
| WABC | Worldwide Association of Business Coaches |
Governmental Agencies
Here are a few of the acronyms of U.S. and U.N. agencies related to the helping professions.
| Acronym | Agency |
| CDC | Centers for Disease Control |
| CMHC | Community Mental Health Center (many centers across the nation) |
| CMHS | Center for Mental Health Services (HHs) |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration |
| FEMA | Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| HHS | Department of Health and Human Services |
| NIH | National Institute of Health |
| NIMH | National Institute of Mental Health |
| WHO | United Nations World Health Organization |
| VA | Department of Veterans Affairs |
Corporate Titles
Here are a few of the acronymsfor the most common senior executives in corporations.
| Acronym | Agency |
| CAO | Chief Administrative Officer |
| CCO | Chief Communications Officer |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer |
| CFO | Chief Financial Officer |
| CIO | Chief Information Officer |
| C(O | Chief Operating Officer |
| CTO | Chief Technical Officer |
| CD | Creative Director |
| HRD | Human Resources Director |
Peer Support Groups
Self-help groups are composed of individuals who share a common experience who meet together for support and recovery. Although these groups are not organized or conducted by professionals, their acronyms are frequently encountered in publications and discussions of mental health issues, and are included here.
| Acronym | Support Group |
| AA | Alcoholics Anonymous |
| ACOA | Adult Children of Alcoholics |
| Al-Anon | Family Support Group for Alcoholics Anonymous |
| Al-Ateen | Child Support Group for Alcoholics Anonymous |
| CA | Cocaine Anonymous |
| CODA | Co-Dependents Anonymous |
| Debtors Anon | Debtors Anonymous |
| FAA | Food Addicts Anonymous |
| GA | Gamblers Anonymous |
| MA | Marijuana Anonymous |
| NA | Narcotics Anonymous |
| OA | Overeaters Anonymous |
| SLAA | Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous |
Diagnostic Systems
There are two major systematic classifications of diseases and conditions in use in the United States. Both systems are regularly updated as scientific knowledge increases and opinions of professionals change about the nature of disease. Below are the more common acronyms still in use today.
| Acronym | System |
| DSM-III | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition. (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1981.) |
| DSM-III-R | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised. (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1987.) |
| DSM-IV | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1994.) |
| DSM-IV-TR | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.) |
| ICDA | International Classification of Diseases, Adapted for the United States. |
| ICD-9 | International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision. (World Health Organization, 1977.) |
| ICD-9-CM | International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. (World Health Organization, 1979.) |
| ICD-10 | International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. (World Health Organization, 1989.) |
| ICD-10-CM | International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification. (World Health Organization.) |
Theories of Psychotherapy
There are more than five hundred theories of counseling and psychotherapy. Many of these are not referred to by acronyms, such as psychoanalysis, gestalt therapy, and client-centered therapy. Here is a partial list of some of the theories that do use an abbreviation. Some of these theories or methods are not accepted by all mental health professionals.
| Acronym | Theory |
| ABA | Applied Behavior Analysis |
| BM | Behavioral Medicine |
| BT | Behavioral Therapy |
| CI | Crisis Intervention |
| CT | Cognitive Therapy |
| CBT | Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy |
| EMDR | Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing |
| NLP | Neuro-Linguistic Programming |
| PET | Parent Effectiveness Training |
| PCP | Personal Construct Psychology |
| PCT | Personal Construct Theory |
| REBT | Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy |
| RET | Rational-Emotive Therapy |
| RT | Rational Therapy |
| STEP | Systematic Training for Effective Parenting |
| TA | Transactional Analysis |
| TM | Transcendental Meditation |
Assessment Instruments
This is a list of some of the more popular tests and measures used by helping professionals. There are many hundreds of measures that have been published, so this list contains only a fraction of those available.
| Acronym | Instrument |
| BDI | Beck Depression Inventory |
| BVMGT | Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test |
| CAT | Children's Apperception Test |
| CPI | California Psychological inventory |
| CTP | California Test of Personality |
| JPI | Jackson Personality Inventory |
| MBTI | Myers-Briggs Type Indicator |
| MMPI | Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory |
| MMPI-2 | Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition |
| 16PF | Sixteen Personality Factor Scale |
| STAI | State-Trait Anger Inventory |
| STAI | State-Trait Anxiety Inventory |
| SB-LM | Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Forms L and M |
| SB-IV | Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition |
| SB-V | Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Fifth Edition |
| TAT | Thematic Apperception Test |
| WAIS | Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale |
| WAIS-R | Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Revised |
| WAIS-3 | Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition |
| WISC | Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children |
| WISC-R | Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Revised |
| WISC-3 | Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third Edition |
| WPPSI | Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence |
| WPPSI-R | Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Revised |
| WPPSI-3 | Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Third Edition |
Forms of Businesses
A professional practice that has established a partnership or corporation for tax and other legal purposes will have one of the following acronyms as part of the name of the company. A Professional Association (PA) is a group practice comprised of a number of professionals in the same field who have formed separate corporations or partnerships as well.
| Acronym | Business |
| * | Sole Proprietorship |
| * | General Partnership |
| LLC | Limited Liability Company |
| LLP | Limited Liability Partnership |
| PA | Professional Association |
| PC | Professional Corporation |
| PLLC | Professional Limited Liability Company |
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