You know you want to go to therapy and you go to the all powerful Google to search one out in your area. Maybe you’ve come across a site dedicated to therapists advertising themselves, maybe you’ve gone through your insurance providers website to see who is in your network, great! You have a whole list of therapists so picking one should be easy. But what are all these letters? They all have some kind of letters after their name…most either have an MS or ED? What about RMHCI, LMHC, MFT, LCSW, LPC?! In no way is this list exhaustive but below is a short guide to what some of these credentials mean.
MS: Master of Science. This means that the individual has at least a graduate level of training from a university and has obtained their masters degree with a focus applied to scientific or technical degrees.
MA: Master of Arts. Again, this means that the individual has at least a graduate level of training from a university and has obtained their masters degree with a focus applied to humanities and the arts degrees.
M Ed: Master of Education. Again…this means that the individual has at least a graduate level of training from a university and has obtained their masters degree. An M.Ed. program is research-based in that consideration of educationally relevant research constitutes a major focus of study and students are normally required to take a number of research-relevant courses (e.g., statistics courses).
LMHC/LPC: Licensed Mental Health Counselor/Licensed Professional Counselor. This individual has completed their masters degree including pre-graduate practicum providing counseling services, has completed at minimum 2 years of post-graduate work providing therapy under supervision from a qualified supervisor, has passed their national examination for their license, and has completed additional mandatory coursework for their state. LMHC’s focus solely on the mental health of their patients
RMHCI: Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern. RHMCI’s are able to practice on their own but are not yet licensed therapists. They have completed their masters degree programs and are registered with the state as interns. They either have not yet completed their mandatory 2 years post graduate work, their national exam or their number of clinical practicum hours to receive licensure. They may still practice therapy but under the supervision of a Licensed Qualified Supervisor who oversee’s their services. RMHCI’s are limited in the scope of services they can provide without supervision but are otherwise well trained, depending on their years out of school.
LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker. This individual has completed their masters degree including pre-graduate practicum providing counseling services,, has completed at minimum 2 years of post-graduate work providing therapy under supervision from a qualified supervisor, has passed their national examination for their license, and has completed additional mandatory coursework for their state. LCSW’s focus on the mental health of their patients, but also do considerable work to help underserved populations access resources that may not be able to access on their own. LCSW’s may also be employed in hospitals and palliative care to help families with end of life decisions and resources/referrals for long term living care.
RCSWI: Registered Clinical Social Work Intern. RCSWI’s are able to practice on their own but are not yet licensed therapists. They have completed their masters degree programs and are registered with the state as interns. They either have not yet completed their mandatory 2 years post graduate work, their national exam or their number of clinical practicum hours to receive licensure. They may still practice therapy but under the supervision of a Licensed Qualified Supervisor who oversee’s their services. RCSWI’s are limited in the scope of services they can provide without supervision but are otherwise well trained, depending on their years out of school.
LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. This individual has completed their masters degree including pre-graduate practicum for their field as well as LMHC and LCSWs. However, depending on the state requirements coursework may be less in depth and the requirements lower than for LMHCs and LCSWs. For example, in the state of Florida practicum requirements for LMFT’s are only 180 hours compared to 1,000 for LMHCs, and educational hour requirements are almost half that for LMHC and LCSWs. Additionally, LMHC’s and LCSW’s may earn dual licensure as an LMFT after they have been practicing for 3 years and may take the exam to also add LMFT to their expertise. This is not reciprocal for LMFT’s, however. This may be due to the speciality nature of this degree as it focuses mostly on helping those with marital problems and family relationship dynamic issues. They view things from a social and relational context, which see’s each individual in a family unit as affecting the other which can have a profound impact on our behavior and mental well-being.
RMFTI: Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern. RMFTI’s are able to practice on their own but are not yet licensed therapists. They have completed their masters degree programs and are registered with the state as interns. They either have not yet completed their mandatory 2 years post graduate work, their national exam or their number of clinical practicum hours to receive licensure. They may still practice therapy but under the supervision of a Licensed Qualified Supervisor who oversee’s their services. RMFTI’s are limited in the scope of services they can provide without supervision but are otherwise well trained, depending on their years out of school.
