LPC, LCSW, LMFT: what the letters mean.

The short answer

Counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists and psychologists can all provide talk therapy. The best fit usually depends more on the person, their experience and their approach than on the type of license.

Counselors

LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) is used in both states. Kansas also licenses counselors at a clinical level as LCPC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor). PLPC (Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor) is a Missouri counselor who has finished school and is completing supervised hours toward full licensure.

NCC (National Certified Counselor) is a national certification some counselors add.

Social workers

LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) is a clinical social work license. Kansas uses LSCSW (Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker) for its clinical level. LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) is a master’s-level social work license.

Social workers are trained to look at the whole picture of your life, including family, community and access to resources.

Marriage and family therapists

LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) is used in both states. Kansas licenses a clinical level as LCMFT. Titles like S-MFT, PLMFT or LMFT-T usually mean a family therapist in training or provisionally licensed, working under supervision.

Family therapists focus on relationships, so they’re a common choice for couples and families, though many also see individuals.

Psychologists

PhD and PsyD are doctoral degrees in psychology. Psychologists provide therapy and can also do testing, such as evaluations for ADHD, autism or learning differences.

Interns and clinicians in training

Intern or CIT (counselor in training) means a graduate student seeing clients under a licensed supervisor. Interns often have more openings and lower fees, which can make care easier to reach.

Add-on certifications

You may also see RPT or RPT-S (Registered Play Therapist, and Supervisor), PMH-C (certified in perinatal mental health) and CCTP (Certified Clinical Trauma Professional). These show extra training in a specific area.

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.