Finishing Your Master’s in Counseling or Therapy?
Here’s What to Do Before You Walk the Stage.
Congratulations — you're almost there. You've survived practicum, research papers, and every challenging client session that came with them. But before you celebrate, there's a window of time right before graduation that savvy clinicians use wisely. Getting a few key things done now can mean the difference between being licensed in weeks— or waiting months longer than you have to.
Steps to take before graduation that can save you months of delays.
Get Your Fingerprints Done Early
Nevada requires a fingerprint-based background check as part of your licensure application. This is one of the most overlooked steps — and one of the slowest. Processing can take several weeks, so do not wait until after graduation.
Contact the Nevada State Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors (or the Nevada Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug, and Gambling Counselors if applicable) to get the correct fingerprinting instructions for your license type. Typically you'll use an approved Live Scan location.
Schedule your fingerprinting appointment during your last semester — ideally 2–3 months before graduation.
2. Find Your Primary Supervisor
After graduation, you'll need to complete 3,000 post-degree supervised hours under a Board-approved supervisor before you can apply for full licensure. Your primary supervisor must be licensed and approved by the Nevada Board — ideally an AAMFT Approved Supervisor (for MFT) or a licensed LPC or LCSW with supervisory credentials.
Start looking before you graduate. Great supervisors fill their caseloads fast. Ask your program faculty for referrals, call or email Nevada Board of Examiners, check the AAMFT supervisor directory, Psychology Today Profiles, and local Facebook groups for available Clinical Supervisors.
Many supervisors want to meet with you and assess your fit before committing. Start outreach at least a semester early.
3. Line Up a Secondary Supervisor
Nevada require 40+ hours with a secondary supervisor. This is also a smart backup plan — if your primary supervisor moves, retires, or has a change in availability, you don't want your hours to grind to a halt.
A secondary supervisor can also offer you a different clinical lens — someone who specializes in trauma, couples work, or a population you're passionate about. Think of it as expanding your clinical education beyond the classroom.
Ask your supervisor if they can recommend a secondary supervisor in a specialty area that complements their own approach.
4. Get Your Malpractice Insurance — Before You See Clients
This is non-negotiable. You need professional liability (malpractice) insurance before your very first post-graduation client session — even under supervision, even if your employer says you're covered. Always have your own policy.
Reputable providers for early-career therapists include CPH & Associates, HPSO (Healthcare Providers Service Organization), and NASW Insurance Trust (for social workers). Costs are typically very affordable for associate-level clinicians — often under $200/year.
Apply for coverage as soon as you have a graduation date. Policies can be issued quickly, but don't leave it to the last minute.
The therapists who hit licensure the fastest aren't the ones who worked the hardest in grad school — they're the ones who started their post-grad checklist while they were still in it.
-Wisdom From the Licensure Trenches
Your Pre-Graduation Checklist
Schedule fingerprinting appointment (Live Scan)
Research Board-approved primary supervisors in Nevada
Reach out to at least 3 potential supervisors for a consultation
Identify a secondary supervisor or backup option
Purchase malpractice/professional liability insurance
Download and review the Nevada Board licensure application
Request official transcripts from your program (for your application)
Celebrate — you earned this! 🎓
You've Put in the Work. Now Protect It.
The journey from graduation to licensure is a marathon, not a sprint — but the clinicians who start their prep early cross the finish line with far less stress. Take these steps now, and you'll be ready to do the work you trained so hard to do: helping people heal.
