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:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z (Underlined letters are hyperlinks to below)
AADP: American Association of Drugless Practitioners
ABPP: American Board of Professional Psychology Certified
ABMPP American Board of Medical Psychotherapists and Psychodiagnosticians
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.
ADC II: Is a Texas Credential signifying that a person is board certified at the masters degree level. Alcohol Drug Counselor, Level II
ADTR:
Advanced Practice Nurse, Board Certified
APSW: Advanced Practice Social Worker -- Adult Protective Social Workers
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.
BCETS: Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress
BCW: Bachelor of Community Welfare
CAAC: Certified Advanced Addiction Counselor
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
CASAC: Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor
CBT:
CCBT:
Canadian Certified Counsellor
Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
CCHT: Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
CCN:
Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics
CCSW: Certified Clinical Social Worker
CD:
CD-N:
Certified Disability Management Specialist
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.
CDPT: Chemical Dependency Professional Trainee
CDVC: Certified Domestic Violence Counselor
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:
CEO: Chief Executive Officer
CET: Certified Experiential Therapist. It is a certification granted be the American Society of Experiential Therapists.
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
CPCC: Certified Professional Co-Active Coach
CPT: Certified Personal Trainer
CRAT: Certified Rational Addictions Therapist
CRC: Certified Disability Manager
CS: Clinical Specialist or Clinical Supervisor
CSAT: Certified Sex Addiction Therapist
CSCS:
Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics
CSW: Certified Social Worker
CTRT: Certified Trauma Resolution Therapist
CWC: Certified Wellness Coach
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
EFT: Emotional Freedom Therapist
Emetophobia: Emetophobia is an intense, irrational fear or anxiety pertaining to vomiting. This specific phobia can also include subcategories of what causes the anxiety, including a fear of vomiting in public, a fear of seeing vomit, a fear of watching the action of vomiting or fear of being nauseated. It is considered to be one of the most common phobias in the world. (Wikipedia)
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
FNP: Family Nurse Practitioner
Gastroparesis: Gastroparesis causes anorexia in the physical sense, but is due to a malfunctioning of the stomach muscle. The stomach does not contract because the vegas nerve no longer works to signal the stomach to function. Food does not digest, leaving one nauseated and unable to gather any nutrient value from it. This can cause one to often spontaneously and without warning vomit undigested food hours after eating. This disease is most common in people with diabetes.
GCFP
GCP:
stands for Health Fitness Specialist. Its an abbreviation deemed from the American College of Sports Medicine for those who have completed the requirements (education/testing) for this level of distinction
IAEDP: The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals
IAYT: International Association of Yoga Therapists
ICADC:
JCAHO: The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) sets standards for healthcare organizations and issues accreditation to organizations that meet those standards. JCAHO conducts periodic on-site surveys to verify that "an accredited organization substantially complies with Joint Commission standards and continuously makes efforts to improve the care and services it provides."
JD:
L.Ac.: Licensed Acupuncturist
LADC: Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor
LAMFT: Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
LAPC: Licensed Associate Professional Counselor
LCAS: Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist
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.
LCSW-C: Licensed Certified Social Worker - Clinical: 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:
LGBT: (or GLBT) refers collectively to lesbian, gay, bisexual
LGSW: Licensed Graduate Social Worker
LICSW: Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker These are masters-level clinical social workers with advanced experience who have met state requirements for licensure.
LISAC: Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor
LISW: Licensed Independent Social Worker
LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
LMFTA: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate
LMHC: Licensed Mental Health Counselor
LMHP: Licensed Mental Health Practitioner
LMNT: Licensed Medical Nutrition Therapist
LMSW: Licensed Master Social Worker
LMSW-ACP
LN: Licensed Nutritionist
LLP: (1) Limited Liability Partnership (2) Limited License Psychologist 3) Licensed Psychological Practitioner
LP: Licensed Psychologist
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.
LPCC: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
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)
MACP: MA in Counseling Psychology or MA in Community Psychology
MAPC: Master of Arts in Professional Counseling
MAIOP: Master of Applied Industrial/Organizational Psychology
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.
MGPGP: Master in Group Process/Psychotherapy (individual/group psychodynamic psychotherapy)
MHR:
MOE or MOAE: Master in Occupational and Adult Education
MPC: Master of Pastoral Counseling
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:
MSLPC: Master of Science, Licensed Professional Counselor
MSN: Master of Science in Nursing
Master of Science in Public Health
Master of Science in Social Work
MSTOM: Master of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine
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)
Partial hospitalization is a type of program used to treat mental illness and substance abuse. In partial hospitalization, the patient continues to reside at home, but commutes to a treatment center up to seven days a week. Since partial hospitalization focuses on the overall treatment of the individual, rather than purely on his or her safety, the program is not used for people who are acutely suicidal.
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.
PLC or 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).
PLPC: Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselors are experienced therapists who have a Masters Degree in Counseling. They are working under the supervision of a Licensed Professional Counselor to complete licensure requirements. They offer a reduced fee scale according to need and income.
PMH: Psych-Mental Health
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 (Certified)
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://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com
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.
Search for Treatment Take Instant Poll Abbreviations/Glossary Return to Home Page Membership