With the current list of counseling treatments standing at over 300, it's a tough job to keep up to date. Here's a list of terms often used in reference to popular theories.
By: Dr. Susan LaCombe aka Shrinklady
Updated: January 6, 2024
Adlerian
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Art Therapy
Attachment Therapy
Body-Based Psychotherapies
- Integrative Body Psychotherapy
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
- Self-Regulation Therapy (Canada)
- Somatic Experiencing (USA)
- Affect Regulation Therapy (Australia)
- Body Psychotherapy (Britain)
- Hakomi
- Natural Processing (EMDR + somatic approach)
Behaviour Therapy
Bioenergetic Analysis Therapy
Brief Therapy
Client Centered Therapy (or Rogerian)
Cognitive Analytic Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Drama Therapy
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
Existential Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitizaiton & Reprocessing Therapy
Feminist Therapy
Functional Analytic Psychotherapy
Humanistic Therapy
Humor Therapy
Hypnotherapy
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Marital and Family Systems Therapy
Multimodal Therapy
(Also a good review of how music therapy helps.)
Narrative Therapy
Neurolinguistic Programming
Objects Relations
Pastoral Counseling
Positive Psychology
Psychodynamic
Psychoanalytic
Rational Emotive Therapy
Reiki Therapy
Reikian Therapy
Rolfing Therapy
Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Solution Focused Therapy
Systemic Therapy
Personal Musings
One of the best ways for learning the craft of counseling is through your own personal therapy.
As an experienced therapist, I know that the biggest factor affecting my effectiveness as a therapist is my ability to recognize when issues are about ME and when they are about my CLIENT.
This is absolutely essential for doing good therapy.
"Counseling" around the world
Counseling is available in most parts of the world. It's known in these countries as:
Spanish - Consejería
Chinese - 辅导
Dutch - Counseling
French - Counseling
German - Beratung
Greek - Counseling
Italian - Consulenza
Japanese - カウンセリング
Korean - 상담
Portuguese - Assessoramento
Russian - консультирование
PROFESSIONAL LICENSES & DESIGNATIONS
Social Work
LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker
LCSW-R - Licensed Clinical Social Worker
LMSW - Licensed Master Social Worker
ACSW - Academy of Certified Social Workers
LIS - Licensed Independent Social Worker
LCS - Licensed Clinical Social Worker
LICSW - Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
LMA - Licensed Master's in Social Work - Advanced Clinical Practitioner
CSW - Clinical Social Worker
Nursing
APRN - Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
RPN - Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Counselors
LMHC - Licensed Mental Health Counselor
LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor
LPCC - Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
RPC - Registered Professional Counsellor (Canadian)
NCC - National Certified Counselor
CCC – Canadian Certified Counsellor
RCC – Registered Clinical Counsellor (B.C.)
Specialty
CGP - Certified Group Psychotherapist
CHT - Certified Hypnotherapist
ATR - Registered Art Therapist
Addictions
CAC - Certified Addictions Counselor
CAP - Certified Addictions Professional
LAC - Licensed Addiction Counselor
CADC - Certified Alcholol and Drug Counselor
CATC - Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor
CCDC - Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor
SAP - Substance Abuse Professional
Rehabilitation
CRC - Certified Rehabilitation Counselor
CCRC - Canadian Certified Rehabilitation Counselor
RRP – Registered Rehabilitation Professional (Canadian)
Psychology
R. Psych or C. Psych – Registered Psychologist (the 'C' stands for Certificate of Registration)
In many states - as I understand it - many psychologists only list their doctorate training - not their licensing.
Highest Awards
BCD - Board Certified Diplomate
DCSW - Diplomate in Clinical Social Work
FAACP - Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology
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related topics
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Readers Comments
Moses
Moses (Kigali,Rwanda)
A wonderful and useful place to get vital information. Found it handy in My Masters In Social Work Counseling Course.
Shrinklady
Thanks for dropping a note Moses.
Shrinklady
Patti
Patti (USA)
Graduating in a few weeks as a MFT intern. What you do is so exciting.
Not sure how to start! Patti
Kailas
Kailas (Maharashtra, India)
It's realy good to gain a kowledge from this page..
Walucho Sylvester
Walucho Sylvester (Eldoret-Rift Valley Province, Kenya)
Am a student at MT. Kenya University taking counseling psychology and your theories has been of great significance to my studies. Thanks for your assistance.
Kal
How to integrate mind, body & spirit into counseling
Hello, I'm a trained counsellor and holistic therapist and I'm struggling at the moment on how to work combining both approaches and still get membership to the BACP. I think I should be able to counsel others in a combination approach, working on the mind, body and spirit at the same time, but I believe the BACP classes this as being unethical, due to boundary issues.
How can I get around this to offer the client, whatever they need at the given moment, without having to separate things.
Shrinklady
Hello Kal, thanks for your question. It's a good one and especially timely in this day and age.
Could you clarify what organization the BACP is? There's so many regulatory organizations and I want to be sure I'm referencing the right one.
Also, I've got quite back-up of questions so it might be a while before I get back to you on it.
Thanks for visiting myShrink!
Best,
Shrinklady
D Ashton
D Ashton (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)
this is a great site. I am doing developmental psychology and about to write my exams and i have gained alot from you guys thumbs up.
Michelle
Michelle (Gastonia)
I understand that working as a therapist in any field is very hard.Thanks for the theories it really help me understand the different fields and how u have to take patience and time everyday to succeed in your career.
Michelle
Oliver
Oliver (Nairobi, Kenya)
The theories are of great assistance to me, as I am a trainee counsellor in Kenya.
Oliver