What Do Those Abbreviations Mean After a Psychotherapist's Name?

Psychotherapy is conducted by a professional with specialized training. This includes therapy provided by a psychiatrist, psychologist, trained counselor, or social worker. But how can we make sense of the alphabet soup after their names?

Abbreviated therapist titles can represent a few different things. Among them are their level of education and whether they hold a professional license or certification.

Abbreviated Therapist Titles Related to Education

Some of the letters after a therapist's name signify their degree. These degrees can be broadly categorized based on whether they are a doctorate or master's.

Doctoral Degrees

Although it's common to associate the term "doctor" with a medical doctor, this title can refer to anyone with a doctoral degree. Here are doctorate-level abbreviations for mental health professionals who provide psychotherapy.

M.D. (Medical Doctor)

Psychiatrists are M.D.s because they possess a medical degree. This enables them to prescribe medications for mental health conditions, as well as administer psychotherapy.

Training for an M.D. begins by earning a bachelor's degree that includes coursework in subjects such as biology, physics, math, chemistry, and social sciences. After passing the Medical Competency Aptitude Test (MCAT), students enroll in medical school.

Medical school involves completing two years of classroom coursework followed by two more years of clinical rotations in different medical facilities. After medical school, students pursuing psychiatry must complete a four-year residency in their specialty area. M.D.s are also required to pass tests to earn a medical license and obtain medical board certification.

Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology)

This type of psychology degree focuses more on the practice of psychology than scientific research and teaching. The Psy.D. degree option emerged in the 1970s as an alternative to the Ph.D. and focuses on training psychologists as mental health practitioners.

A Psy.D. typically takes around 4 to 6 years to complete and concentrates more on professional practice rather than research. Coursework is focused on topics such as diagnosis, assessment, and clinical interventions.

D.Min. (Doctor of Ministry)

The Doctor of Ministry is a degree that may be held by a minister. The D.Min. degree is a professional degree that allows religious ministers to offer pastoral counseling.

The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) indicates that many students earn a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree prior to earning their D.Min., which requires that they complete a minimum of three years of full-time ministry work. A Doctor of Ministry degree usually takes 3 to 6 years to complete.

Master's Degrees

Whereas medical doctors must undergo 3 to 4 years of education plus years of internship and residency beyond a bachelor's degree, master's programs are generally closer to two years in length.

Some master's degrees within the psychology field include:

• M.S.W: Stands for Master of Social Work. This is a degree that social workers generally possess. After completing a bachelor's degree, it typically takes 2 to 3 years of graduate study to earn an M.S.W.
• M.Ed.: Stands for Master of Education. Many counselors have this degree. It may be given in any field of education. This degree usually takes around 2 to 3 years of graduate study to complete.
• M.S.Ed.: Stands for Master of Science in Education. Like an M.Ed., this degree usually takes 2 to 3 years to earn.
• M.S. or M.A.: Stands for Master of Science and Master of Arts, respectively. These are the traditional degrees given by colleges of arts and sciences in the United States. Generally, a master's degree is not sufficient to be licensed as a psychologist, although some states do allow it.
• Ed.S.: Stands for Educational Specialist. This degree is an intermediate between a master's and a doctorate. Some school psychologists and counselors have this degree. After earning a master's degree, students may opt to earn an Ed.S. as a way to advance their degree and skills. This degree often takes about two years to complete.
• M.Div.: Stands for Masters in Divinity. Ministers who are pastoral counselors may have this degree. This degree (or its equivalent) is required for those interested in earning a D.Min. degree.

Abbreviations for Psychology Licenses

Licenses are issued by individual states and give psychology professionals the ability to practice within that state. Verifying a professional's license ensures that they've met the minimum requirements as set by the state's regulatory agency, which often includes having a certain level of education and experience in that field.

Licensed counselors in the U.S. use different titles depending on their area of expertise. These include:

• L.P.C. (Licensed Professional Counselor)
• L.M.H.C. (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) 
• L.C.P.C. (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor)
• L.P.C.C. (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor of Mental Health) 
• L.C.M.H.C. (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor)
• L.M.H.P. (Licensed Mental Health Practitioner)
• M.F.C.C. (Marriage, Family, and Child Counselor)
• L.C.S.W. (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)

Therapist Titles Representing Certifications

Certifications are similar to licenses, but with a more limited scope of practice. Instead of being issued by a state's regulatory agency, they are issued by an accrediting agency. Accrediting agencies are tasked with establishing and confirming the level of competency needed to earn that credential.

To obtain a certification, psychology professionals must pass a competency exam. They must also meet the minimum requirements to take that exam, which generally include having a certain level of education and experience.

Some certifications seen in the psychology field include:

• CADC: Stands for Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. This person usually has at least a high school diploma or bachelor's degree, with additional training in alcohol and substance abuse. A person obtaining their CADC must train under a licensed professional. A CADC certification is not available in every state.
• CAC or NCAC: Stands for Certified Addiction Counselor and National Certified Addiction Counselor, respectively. Similar to a CADC, a CAC is certification at the intermediate level and requires clinical supervision. The CAC is for those who plan to work alongside clinically trained staff to provide services to individuals with substance use conditions. The NCAC designation is certification at the national level. NCAC credentials can be obtained at Level I and Level II.
• NCAAC: Stands for National Certified Adolescent Addictions Counselor. This credential is awarded to individuals who meet competency requirements for treating adolescent substance use disorders and/or addiction.
• NCNTT: Stands for National Certification in Nicotine and Tobacco Treatment. This certification indicates that a professional has specialized knowledge in nicotine and tobacco addiction and recovery.

Physicians like psychiatrists can become board-certified in their chosen specialty. Options include:

• ABPP: This board certification is a credential available through the American Board of Professional Psychology. Any psychologist who passes their exam may use these initials. Not all psychologists obtain this certification, however.
• FACP: Fellow of the American College of Physicians.