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Abbreviated therapist titles can represent a few different things. Among them are theirlevel of educationand whether they hold a professional license or certification.

When unsure about a psychotherapist’s credentials, ask. Inquiring about their credentials is just one of thequestions to ask a new therapist.

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 formental health professionals who provide psychotherapy.

Just because someone calls themselves a doctor doesn’t mean that they are qualified to offer mental health treatment. They could just as easily have a Ph.D. in English or archaeology. If in doubt, ask to see their full credentials.

M.D. (Medical Doctor)

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

How to Earn a Ph.D. in Psychology

Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology)

Thistype of psychology degreefocuses 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.

Both a Ph.D. and Psy.D. require that students complete a supervised internship in a professional setting and pass state exams in order to be licensed.

Overview of Psy.D. Doctorate Psychology Degree

D.Min. (Doctor of Ministry)

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.

Somemaster’s degrees within the psychology fieldinclude:

Jobs for a Master’s Degree in Psychology

Abbreviations for Psychology Licenses

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

Therapist Titles Representing Certifications

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.

A certification requires the professional to pass a competency exam whereas a license does not.

Some certifications seen in the psychology field include:

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

How to Find the Right Therapist

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc.General public.Michalski DS, Fowler G.Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?American Psychological Association.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.How to become a psychologist.The Association of Theological Schools.The ATS Educational Models and Practices Project.National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals.Certification.American Board of Professional Psychology.General requirements.Additional Reading

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc.General public.Michalski DS, Fowler G.Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?American Psychological Association.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.How to become a psychologist.The Association of Theological Schools.The ATS Educational Models and Practices Project.National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals.Certification.American Board of Professional Psychology.General requirements.Additional Reading

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc.General public.Michalski DS, Fowler G.Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?American Psychological Association.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.How to become a psychologist.The Association of Theological Schools.The ATS Educational Models and Practices Project.National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals.Certification.American Board of Professional Psychology.General requirements.

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc.General public.

Michalski DS, Fowler G.Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?American Psychological Association.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.How to become a psychologist.

The Association of Theological Schools.The ATS Educational Models and Practices Project.

National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals.Certification.

American Board of Professional Psychology.General requirements.

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