Social workers who hold the ACSW are qualified providers of social services. Social workers who hold the ACSW have:

An associate counselor is an individual who holds a current, valid license as a "Licensed Associate Counselor" and practices counseling under the direct supervision of a licensed professional counselor or a supervisor acceptable to the committee.

A Bachelor of Arts is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for the completion of a 4 year program in the arts and/or sciences.

The Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (BCD) credential is a national hallmark of quality practice, recognized by payor systems, professionals, courts, and consumers. The BCD is issued to those who have demonstrated high levels of practice competency. Eligibility criteria are as follows (summarized):

A minimum of a B.A. or B.S. degree (or equivalency) with a minimum of 300 Alcohol & Drug Education Hours. A CADC also needs too complete 4,000 supervised experience hours in the addiction counselor competencies. In addition, they must pass a national certification exam from the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors.

Has completed at least two hundred (200) hours of instruction from an American Council of Hypnotist Examiners (ACHE) approved hypnotism school that is licensed by their State Board of Education. The Hypnotherapist must also pass the ACHE written and practical skills exam. Exceptions are considered on a non-discriminatory basis and may be granted by the Qualifying Board.

Has fulfilled all of the requirements for Hypnotherapist and has completed a total of three hundred (300) hours instruction in hypnosis from a school approved by the appropriate state agency and by the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners.

In addition to holding the NCC credential, CCMHC’s must have 60 semester hours of graduate coursework, including 9-15 semester hours of clinical training in supervised practice/internship. They must also have a minimum of 2 years supervised post-master’s clinical practice which includes 3,000 hours of direct client contact in a clinical setting with 100 hours of face-to-face clinical counseling supervision over 2 years.

A CFLE is available to those with the minimum of a Baccalaureate degree and 2 years experience in family life education if the degree is family-related; 5 years of experience if the degree is non-family-related.

A CFT generally holds a graduate-level degree combining a relational understanding of people’s lives with theory, clinical training and the integration of faith and learning.

A Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) is a clinical mental health professional who meets nationally accepted criteria of education, training and experience in group psychotherapy. A CGP is an expert in group psychotherapy and an ethical practitioner who is committed to group psychotherapy as an autonomous treatment modality.

A CRC must have a Masters degree in rehabilitation counseling. They will also either have an internship of 600 clock hours or 24 months of acceptable employment experiences including 12 months under the supervision of a CRC.

Social workers who hold the CSW-G have:

Social workers who hold the NASW Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (DCSW) are recognized by the social work profession as providers of behavioral health care. The NASW Diplomate in Clinical Social Work is the highest distinction bestowed on clinical social workers.

Diplomates in clinical social work have:

A Doctor of Ministry typically has a M.Div degree or its equivalent. They also have at least 3 years ministry experience. A Doctor of Ministry has to complete a specific number of credit hours (in accordance to their respective schools) with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

DSW stands for "Doctorate in Social Work" and PhD stands for "Doctorate in Philosophy". There is no difference between a DSW and a PhD; some schools simply prefer one term over the other. Doctoral degrees in social work are designed for experienced practitioners who want to further their careers by gaining training in research and policy analysis. Doctoral degrees may take between 2 and 4 years to complete (beyond the M.S.W.). Social work practitioners who earn doctoral degrees are typically seasoned professionals who are ready to move into research and teaching. For some this means a total shift from practice into academia: these individuals become social work professors in schools or departments of social work, where research, publication, and teaching will be their primary focus. Others continue in leadership roles in agency-based or self-employed social work practice, while teaching part-time in a school or department of social work and/or collaborating on research with academic colleagues.

Ed.D.

An Ed.D. is a Doctor of Education. Professionals with Ed.Ds practice therapy just as those with Ph.Ds. Many of these professionals are trained in child development and education, sometimes with a focus on educational planning and assessment. Some work as school superintendents, principals or directors of nonprofit organizations. A total of four years of study is usually necessary to receive an Ed.D.

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate degree awarded by American law schools.

A Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor is a mental health professional trained in the application of psychotherapy techniques. The main focus of their work is to improvement the quality of life and life choices a person makes. A major goal is broadening possible decisions and helping to determine new alternatives for old behaviors and feelings which may have caused emotional discomfort.

L.C.S.W.

The licensed clinical social worker has a graduate academic degree, has completed supervised clinical work experience and has passed a national- or state-certified licensing exam. This advanced practitioner holds a license that allows him or her to receive health-care insurance reimbursements.

An LISAC requires a masters degree or higher in a behavioral health science from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of 24 semester credit hours of counseling related coursework. Also,3200 hours of supervised work experience in substance abuse counseling in less than 24 months is a prerequisite for attaining this certification.

This is the same as a L.C.S.W.: The licensed clinical social worker has a graduate academic degree, has completed supervised clinical work experience and has passed a national- or state-certified licensing exam. This advanced practitioner holds a license that allows him or her to receive health-care insurance reimbursements.

The licensed marriage and family therapist has a graduate academic degree (a 2 to 3-year master's degree or a 3 to 5-year doctoral degree), clinical work experience and has passed a state-certified licensing exam.

A licensed mental health counselor. A licensing qualification is granted to those who have a graduate academic degree, clinical work experience and have passed a state-certified licensing examination.

Licensed Master Social Worker is a person who has received a license as a Master Social Worker from the board and only performs non-clinical functions. A LMSW may perform all of the functions of the LSW License, engage in administration, research, consultation, social planning and teaching related to the functions of social work; engage in non-clinical private practice; and provide consultation required by the LSW and LSW Conditional Licenses.

A licensed professional counselor.

A master of arts can be earned in counseling, psychology or related fields. It usually requires two years of post-collegiate study. Many counselors and therapists hold a master's degree.

Some counselors and therapists are medical doctors, who, after completing medical school, receive an additional four years of clinical training in mental health specialties. Most professionals who fall under this category of training are Psychiatrists. Psychiatrists treat emotional and mental disorders and are licensed to prescribe medication. These professionals may treat psychiatric disorders with therapy in conjunction with psychotropic medications.

MCC is a credential awarded by the ICF (International Coach Federation.) To be considered by the ICF the following must be true about the individual:

Furthermore to become an MCC, the following is required:

This is the same as a L.M.F.T.: The licensed marriage and family therapist has a graduate academic degree (a 2 to 3-year master's degree or a 3 to 5-year doctoral degree), clinical work experience and has passed a state-certified licensing exam.

The marriage and family therapist or marriage, family and child counselor often has a 2- to 3-year master's degree. These professionals specialize in family relationships. This therapist or counselor may focus on such areas as communication and interpersonal skills.

A master of science can be earned in counseling, psychology or related fields. It usually requires two years of post-collegiate study. Many counselors and therapists hold a master's degree.

MSW stands for "Masters in Social Work". All accredited MSW programs require at least 900 hours of supervised field work in established agencies. Following foundation coursework in the first year, regular MSW students usually choose between direct work with individuals, families, and groups or organizing, managing, planning and policy analysis work with social agencies. Students are also required to specialize in a problem area, such as mental health, employee assistance, aging, health care, corrections, and child welfare.

This designation is also sometimes known as a Master in Social Service. The credential requires one to have an advanced degree in either Social Service or Social Science.

This designation is associated with The National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. and Affiliates (NBCC), an independent not-for-profit credentialing body for counselors. Counselors who hold the credential demonstrate that they have met national standards developed by counselors, not legislators. The three basic components of the requirements for the NCC credential are education, supervised experience, and examination.

PhD stands for "Doctorate in Philosophy". Doctoral degrees in social work are designed for experienced practitioners who want to further their careers by gaining training in research and policy analysis. Doctoral degrees may take between 2 and 4 years to complete (beyond the M.S.W.). Social work practitioners who earn doctoral degrees are typically seasoned professionals who are ready to move into research and teaching. For some this means a total shift from practice into academia: these individuals become social work professors in schools or departments of social work, where research, publication, and teaching will be their primary focus. Others continue in leadership roles in agency-based or self-employed social work practice, while teaching part-time in a school or department of social work and/or collaborating on research with academic colleagues.

A Psy.D. is a Doctor of Psychology. The Psy.D., like a Ph.D. is a terminal degree. However, the Psy.D. focuses on therapy and counseling rather than research. The degree was developed to address the need for practitioners. In the last 30 years, the Psy.D. has become increasingly popular.