March 1st, 2022

Let’s say you just started counseling or you’re looking for a counselor, but you notice something. You notice that some people have different letters after their name and you wonder what those stand for.

The letters after your therapist’s name indicate their level of education, licenses, and other certifications. Here is a list of some common licenses and certifications that you can identify when looking for a therapist.

➡️LPC = Licensed Professional Counselor
LPC-S = Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor
LPC-A= Licensed Professional Counselor Associate
Intern, Practicum Student= Graduate school student accruing hours for graduation
LMFT = Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
LCSW = Licensed Clinical Social Worker
LCAT = Licensed Creative Arts Therapist
LMHC = Licensed Mental Health Counselor
LPCC = Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
Psy.D/Ph.D = Doctoral level clinicians
DCC = Distance Credentialed Counselor
CADC = Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor
LCADC = Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor
CCMHC = Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Certified EMDR therapist = Certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
CSAT = Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist
NCC = National Certified Counselor
NCSC = National Certified School Counselor