Articles:

(mostly all) Counseling related Acronyms and Abbreviations

(Plus Acronyms related to client mental or physical problems)



C

ADVERTISEMENT

CAARS = Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales  

Used to measure ADHD in individuals aged 8 to 80.

 

C-ACYFSW = Certified Advanced Children, Youth, and Family Social Worker
A specialty certification of the National Association of Social Workers.

 

CACREP = Counsel on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
A professional accrediting organization. Formed as a corporate affiliate of ACA in 1981, CACREP's mission is to promote the professional competence of counseling and related practitioners through the development of preparation standards, the encouragement of excellence in program development, and the accreditation of professional preparation programs.

 

C-AHEAD = Counseling Association for Humanistic Education and Development
A division of the American Counseling Association.

 

CAMS = Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality
Developed to modify clinician behaviors in how they initially identify, entgage, assess, conceptualize, treatment plan, and manage suicidal outpatients....CAMS provides mental health counselors with a novel clinical approach that is tailored to a suicidal client's idiosyncratic needs thereby insuring the effective clinical assessment, treatment and tracking of high risk suicidal clients.

 

CAQH = Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare, is a non-profit alliance of health plans and related associations working together to streamline the business of healthcare. CAQH ProView is more than a credentialing database. Available at no cost to you, CAQH ProView eliminates duplicative paperwork with organizations that require your professional and practice information for claims administration, credentialing, directory services, and more.

 

CAS = Certified Addictions Specialist
CAS is a comprehensive credential which includes specialty areas of competencies, including alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, gambling addiction, and sexual addiction.
 

CASA = The King County Dependency Court Appointed Special Advocate Program
Trains volunteers to be advocates for abused and neglected children involved in dependency court cases.

 

CASWCM = Certified Advanced Social Work Case Manager
An old specialty certification acronym of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Now C-ASWCM. [Thanks to Susan B. Merrick, ACSW, Senior Staff Associate, Credentialing Center, National Association of Social Workers].

 

C-ASWCM = the Certified Advanced Social Work Case Manager
A masters level certification by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) that recognizes documented education and supervised experience in this area of social work specialization.

 

CBCAP = Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Program
(A service of the US Department of Health and Human Services) supports individual state efforts to create and operate statewide networks of community-based and family centered support programs which strengthen families and reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect.

 

CBMT = Certification Board for Music Therapists 
An independent, non-profit corporation accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. 

 

CBT = Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 
"CBT involves changing thought patterns and behaviors in order to improve emotional responses, and includes treatments like Exposure Therapy and Stress Inoculation Training." [Anita Neuer and Gary Williams, "Understanding and Treating PTSD: A Primer," The Advocate, December 2007, Vol.30, No.11, a AMHCA publication] "Cognitive-behavioral therapy does not exist as a distinct therapeutic technique. The term "cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)" is a very general term for a classification of therapies with similarities. There are several approaches to cognitive-behavioral therapy, including Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Rational Behavior Therapy, Rational Living Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, and Dialectic Behavior Therapy." [Thanks to the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists website.] 

 

CC = Certified Counselor
Applicant is a registered counselor in good standing or has a bachelor’s degree in a counseling-related field. [Washington State] Certified Counselors are authorized to do private practice counseling, but only within the limititations, restrictions and guidelines of RCW 18.19.200.

 

C-CATODSW = Certified Clinical Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Social Worker
A specialty certification of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) that recognizes documented education and supervised experience in the treatment of chemical dependency.

 

CCBT = Certified Cognitive Behavioral Therapist
A certification offered by the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists, a group that promotes cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy and those who practice it.

 

CCDC-I = Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor, Level One (of three levels)
A former Washington State certification by the Chemical Dependency Counselor Certification Board (CDCCB).

 

CCFC = Clinically Certified Forensic Counselor
Granted by The Certification Board for the Forensic Counselor and Criminal Justice Specialist.

 

CCH = Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
The National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists is an established certification board that has provided a respected credential to over three thousand of your colleagues.

 

CCJS = Certified Criminal Justice Specialist
A specialty certification of The National Association of Forensic Counselors. 

 

CCMHC = Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor
A specialty certification for clinical mental health counselors. The certification is offered by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc.

 

CCPA = California Consumer Privacy Act
Regulation designed to protect the personal information of all California residents. Due to its low triggering mechanism, it will effectively apply to any business, regardless of location, if they are doing business in the US.

 

CCSOTS = Clinically Certified Sex Offender Treatment Specialist
A certification granted by the National Association of Forensic Counselors. 

 

CDC = Center for Disease Control
US federal agency charged with tracking and investigating public health trends. A part of the US Public Health Services (PHS) under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the CDC is based in Atlanta, Georgia. (https://www.cdc.gov/) 

 

CDC = Chemical Dependency Counselor
In Washington state the term designated a person with the required level of training for persons working in substance abuse treatment programs. The CDC replaced the former title Qualified Chemical Dependency Counselor (QCDC). The CDC designation was replaced by the CDP in 2001.

 

CDER = Center for Drug Evaluation and Research 
The Center within FDA that regulates biological products for human use under applicable federal laws, including the Public Health Service Act and the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. CBER protects and advances the public health by ensuring that biological products are safe and effective and available to those who need them--also provides the public with information to promote the safe and appropriate use of biological products. 

 

CDMHP or CDMHPs (plural) = County Designated Mental Health Professionals
Mental health professionals who are designated by a contracting agency or hospital to fulfill contractual obligations with a county under Washington State laws governing involuntary commitment and other designated duties. Often abbreviated as MHPs. {Additional 2005} "County designated mental health professional" as defined in RCW 71.05.020 was changed to "designated mental health professional" by 2005 c 504 § 104. [Washington State].

 

CDP = Chemical Dependency Professional
(New in 1999 as State of Washington professional designation, CDP indicates that the holder meets requirements to work as a counselor in a chemical dependency treatment program, but does not authorize private practice.)  Replaces "Chemical Dependency Counselor" (CDC) designation.  March 2015, this rule was changed.State certified Chemical Dependency Professionals who are not employed by a state-approved CDP program may also use the title "Certified Chemical Dependency Professional", or "CDP” so long as they are also licensed as an ARNP, LMFT, LMHC, ASW, ICSW, Psychologist, Physician, or Physician’s Assistant.  (“This rule does not restrict mental health professionals with another credential from practicing chemical dependency counseling or treatment without being a CDP so long as such treatment is otherwise within the scope of professional's credential. “ –Eric Strom).

 

CDPT = Chemical Dependency Professional Trainee
Designates a counselor who is working under supervision in a state licensed chemical dependency treatment facility toward a chemical dependency professional (CDP) certification. [Washington State 2009].

 

CDS = Chemical Dependency Specialist (a national certification)
The initials are usually followed by a Roman Numeral between I and III to indicate increasing levels of experience and competency. Contact the Northwest Indian Alcohol-Drug Specialist Certification Board.
 

CDVC = Certified Domestic Violence Counselor
A specialty certification of the National Association of Forensic Counselors. They are numbered I, II, III, and IV. The higher the number the higher the holder's accidemic degree. 

 

CEDS = Certified Eating Disorders Specialist
A counselor with special training to work with problems such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, obesity, etc., a specialty certification of IAEDP.

 

CEHP = Certified Energy Health Practitioner 
A training facility credential for allied healthcare professionals, who complete the CEHP continuing-education training program. [also, see ACEP]CAAP-I = Certified Associate Addiction Professional-I
Requires a bachelors degree in social services (or related studies) and 2,000 hours of supervised experience. The next higher level of certification is the CAAP II. 

 

CEP = Comprehensive Energy Psychology
One of the many counseling modalities used by counselors.

 

CEPI = the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations 
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations "CEPI is a global partnership launched in 2017 to develop vaccines to stop future epidemics. COVID-19 has brought the world to its knees. Now is the moment to unite and break the cycle of panic and neglect that has characterised our response to epidemic and pandemic disease. CEPI has a $3.5 billion plan of action to substantially reduce global epidemic and pandemic risk."

 

CERTIFICATIONS
NOTE: Certification shows a specialty training, but is not a license to practice.

CAGCS = Certified Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist (through Evergreen Certifications, Eau Claire, WI.)
CDV = Certified in Domestic Violence
CECR = Certified in Emergency Crisis Response
CFT = Certified in Forensic Traumatology
CIT = Certified in Illness Trauma
CMVT = Certified in Motor Vehicle Trauma
CPM = Certified in Pain Management
CRT = Certified in Rape Trauma
CSA = Certified in Sexual Abuse
CATSM = Certified in Acute Traumatic Stress Management
CBT = Certified in Bereavement Trauma
CCC = Certified Crisis Chaplain
CCCR = Certified in Corporate Crisis Response
CCI = Certified in Crisis Intervention
CCT = Certified in Child Trauma
CDT = Certified in Disability Trauma
CSCR = Certified in School Crisis Response
CSM = Certified in Stress Management
CUCR = Certified in University Crisis Response
CWT = Certified in War Trauma
CAC = Certified Addiction Counselor
CAC-AD = Certified Associate Counselor-Alcohol and Drug (Maryland) [https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/Pages/cacad.aspx]
CADAC = Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor
CADC = Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor
CAGS = Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study
CAMF = Certified Anger Management Facilitator
CAP = Certified Addictions Professional
CART = Certified Anger Resolution Therapist
CAS = Certified Addiction Specialist
CATSM = Certified in Acute Traumatic Stress Management
CASAC = Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor
CBT = Certified Bioenergetics Therapist

CATSM = Comprehensive Acute Traumatic Stress Management
CCADC = Certified Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor
CCDP = Certified Chemical Dependency Professional
CCH = Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
CCHT = Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
CCMHC = Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor
CCPT = Certified Clinical Pastoral Therapist
CCSW = Certified Clinical Social Worker
CEAP = Certified Employee Assistance Professional
CEDS = Certified Eating Disorders Specialist
CFLE = Certified Family Life Educator
CGP = Certified Group Psychotherapist
CHT = Certified Hypnotherapist
CICSW = Certified Independent Clinical Social Worker
CISW = Certified Independent Social Worker
CMFT = Certified Marriage and Family Therapist
CMSW = Certified Master Social Worker
CP = Certified Psychologist -or- Clinical Psychologist
CpastC = Certified Pastoral Counselor
CPC = Certified Professional Counselor
CPLC = Certified Professional Life Coach
CRADC = Certified Reciprocal Alcohol and Drug Counselor
CRC = Certified Rehabilitation Counselor
CSAC = Certified Substance Abuse Counselor
CSW = Clinical Social Worker or Certified Social Worker
CSW-C = Certified Social Worker - Clinical

___________________________________________________________________________________

 

CFAE = Certified Forensic Addictions Examiner
Evaluates clients referred by the criminal or civil justice system, probation, parole, defense attorney's, etc, for not only their substance abuse disorder, but also for co-occurring disorders--formulating a DSM IV diagnosis and making recommendations to the referral source, for referral to appropriate treatment. [National Association of Forensic Counselors].

 

CFLE = Certified Family Life Educator
A national certification offered by the National Council on Family Relations. 

 

CFMHE = Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator
A credential provided through the National Board of Forensic Evaluators, Inc., a certification that requires specialized training in providing forensic mental health evaluations and expert court testimony.

 

CGAS = Certified Gambling Addiction Specialist
Certification by the American Academy of Health Care Providers, intended to meet the growing need for credentialed counselors working within the discipline of gambling addiction.

 

CGP = Certified Group Psychotherapist
Offered by the American Group Psychotherapy Association.

 

CGT = Certified Gottman Therapist
A training facility certification by the The Gottman Institute, Inc., P.O. Box 15644, Seattle, WA 98115-0644.

 

CIPS = Confederation of Independent Psychoanalytic Societies
The Confederation of Independent Psychoanalytic Societies (CIPS) is an organization of psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic societies, founded in 1992 to represent the interests of psychoanalysts belonging to independent component societies of the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA) in the United States.

 

CKD = An abbreviation for Chronic Kidney Disease
This is an abnormality in the kidneys that is present for more than 3 months, and is graded stages 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4 and 5 for minor to severe kidney disease. “chronic kidney disease” means lasting damage to the kidneys that can get worse over time. If the damage is very bad, your kidneys may stop working. This is called kidney failure, or end-stage renal disease (ESRD). If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant in order to live.

To slow progression of CKD see suggestions what to eat or avoid (and to look for on the ingredients list on prepared food labels) see Mayo clinic advice.

 

Clean and Sober Housing Groups 
Oxford House (oxfordhouse.org)

 

CMA = "Certified Movement Analyst"
The Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies officiates this credential affirming professional level skills in: qualitative movement embodiment, movement observation and analysis, and verbal description of movement complexities and subtleties. CMA's work in the dance world, in nonverbal communication research, in consulting and movement education fields. Some dance therapists (DTR) also have earned the CMA. 

 

CMHPL = Center for Mental Health, Policy, and the Law
UW-Our Center is devoted to research, education, and clinically-based services at the interfaces of psychiatry, psychology, public policy, and the law. Our mission is to provide a comprehensive approach to the broad array of issues affecting justice-involved people with mental illness and criminal and civil legal matters related to mental health delivery.

 

CMHS = Center for Mental Health Services

 

CMS = federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. [www.cms.gov/]
Part of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 

 

CMV = cyto megalo virus (CMV)
One of the more common severe infectious agents of the fetal and newborn periods. Clinically severe CMV infections early in life are usually acquired during the intrauterine period. Newborns infected with CMV after delivery are generally asymptomatic, and older children and adults often acquire infection with either no or mild clinical symptoms. The CMV Foundation seeks to make CMV information more available and is pushing for universal CMV newborn screening

 

COAMFTE = Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
A professional accrediting organization.

 

COPPA = Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (federal)
Imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age.

 

CPC = Certified Peer Counselor
A person certified by the State as a " peer counselor" (under WAC 182-538D-0200)
"The (Washington State) Health Care Authority's (HCA) Peer Support Program trains and qualifies behavioral health consumers as certified peer counselors (CPCs). By "behavioral health" we mean both mental health and substance use disorder consumers.
A "consumer" is someone who is eligible for or who has received mental health or substance use disorder services. This also includes parents and legal guardians who have a child under the age of 18 and they are involved in their treatment plan.

 

CPLT = Certified Past Life Therapist
A training facility certification from the Past Life Certification Program, a home study course. Past life regression is based on the belief in reincarnation--"the rebirth of a soul in a new body."

 

CRIS = Crisis Response Improvement Strategy committees 
In 2021, the Washington State Legislature passed HB 1477, establishing the Crisis Response Improvement Strategy Committee (CRIS) and Steering Committee. These committees will develop recommendations to support implementation of the national 988 suicide prevention hotlines and the statewide improvement of behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services

 

CRM = Customer relationship management, "is a technology for managing all your company’s relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. CRM tools can now be used to manage customer relationships across the entire customer lifecycle, spanning marketing, sales, digital commerce, and customer service interactions."  Salesforce.

 

CRT = Critical Race Theory
"The central idea of CRT is that racism is institutionalized and is embedded in America's history, legal systems, and policies. It acknowledges the continuing impacts of slavery and segregation in America and critiques how institutionalized racism perpetuates a caste system that is inherently unequal."

 

CSA = refers to survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
"Women who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse often present with a wide array of symptoms. Frequently, the underlying cause of these symptoms is unrecognized by both the physician and patient.

 

CSAP = Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

 

CSAT = Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

 

CSAT = Certified Sex Addiction Therapist
(CSAT®) offered through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP).

 

CSN = Cancer Survivors Network
Search the areas of CSN which are open to the public: prerecorded personal stories and talk shows, discussion boards, announcements, and the CSN member resource library. To search all areas of CSN, register or login.

 

CSTC = Child Study and Treatment Center (Washington) Operates within the Department of Social and Health Services of the Behavioral Health Administration and is located in Lakewood, Washington. CSTC is the only state-operated and funded psychiatric hospital for children and youth who have psychological and safety needs that cannot be met in their community.
(https://www.dshs.wa.gov/bha/division-state-hospitals/child-study-and-treatment-center)


CSW= (1.) Certified Social Worker
Formerly a State of Washington professional designation--now replaced by the Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.

 

CSW = (2.) Clinical Social Worker
Aa title describing the type of social work being performed but persons with higher qualifications will generally be listed as QCSW or DCSW.

 

CSWA = Clinical Social Work Association, the national voice of clinical social work. 
"The Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA) is a national individual membership organization dedicated to providing essential services, products, professional support, and national identity for Clinical Social Workers...CSWA membership consists of clinical social workers, new professionals (clinical social workers who have graduated within the last four years), emeritus members, and students...While primarily an individual membership organization, the Association does believe that strong state societies are as important as a strong national organization. We have, therefore, made provisions that allow state societies to affiliate with the Association."

 

CSWE = Council on Social Work Education
(CSWE) is the national association representing social work education in the United States. Its members include over 800 accredited baccalaureate and master’s degree social work programs. CSWE's Commission on Accreditation (COA) is responsible for developing accreditation standards that define competent preparation and ensuring that social work programs meet these standards. [www.cswe.org/]

 

C-SWHC = Certified Social Worker in Health Care
A specialty certification of the National Association of Social Workers.

 

CT = Certified in Thanatology
From the Association of Death Education and Counseling, recognizes a counselor's specific educational background in dying, death and bereavement. Thanatology is the branch of science that studies the social and psychological aspects of human death: the circumstances surrounding a person's death, the grief experienced by the deceased's loved ones, and larger social attitudes towards death such as ritual and memorialization.

 

CTE = Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy 
A degenerative brain disease associated with former professional football players has focused on concussions.  But a major new study has confirmed that CTE can also result from repeated, seemingly minor blows to the head...CTE can currently be diagnosed only during an autopsy, but those suspected of suffering from the disease tend to exhibit symptoms including memory loss, confusion, impulsivity and depression.”    ---THE WEEK magazine, February 9, 2119. 

 

CTR = Certified Trauma Responder
A certification issued by The Association for Traumatic Stress Specialists.

 

CTRS = Cetrified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist
Often an integral part of the treatment team working with individuals diagnosed with a psychiatric condition, including addictions. See also: NCTRC. Areas of focus include leisure education, coping skills, stress management/relaxation skills, expressive art therapy, values clarification, relapse prevention, and education about healthy lifestyles. 

 

CTS = Certified Trauma Specialist
A certification issued by The Association for Traumatic Stress Specialists.

 

CVCP = Crime Victim Compensation Program
[In Washington State - Find a WA state CVCP counselor or therapist.]
This program was created to help victims with the many costs associated with violent crime. The program provides financial compensation to crime victims for such expenses as medical bills, loss of financial support, and funeral expenses.

 

SEE ALSO:
Mental Health Articles
How Drugs and Alcohol Affect the Brain and Body
Race Relations Articles

How helpful is this web page to you?
(and how can we can improve this page for you?)

not helpful
very helpful
Top