Becoming a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in Nevada

Marriage family therapy is a discipline that is now recognized in the state of Nevada with the passing of NRS641A. This legislation requires candidates be examined by the Board on their knowledge of marriage family literature. In order to register as an intern a person must first pass the written portion of the exam. An interview or oral examination will be held by the Board before the internship begins.

Marriage family therapy differs from other forms of therapy as the focus of diagnosing and treating the person will focus on the relationship aspect of their mental health. Marriage family therapists work with individuals as well as couples and families.

Educational Requirements for Marriage Family Therapists in Nevada

In the state of Nevada an individual that wishes to practice as a marriage family therapist will first need to complete the licensing process.

In order to qualify for the written examination the applicant must have completed courses in these areas:

• Human Development: 2 to 4 courses required
• Marital and Family Systems: 2 to 4 courses required
• Marital and Family Therapy: 3 to 5 courses required
• Professional Studies and Ethics: 1 course required
• Supervised Clinical Practice: 3 courses required
• Diagnosis and Assessment: 1 course required
• Research: 1 course required
• Alcohol or controlled substance abuse: 1 course required.

The supervised clinical practice courses must include three classes taken over the course of three semesters within a one year time frame. Applicants have to have at least 45 credit hours in graduate degree courses relating to the areas as described above before they may take the written portion of the examination to become licensed.

Along with the application the applicant must include their official transcripts for both their undergraduate and graduate degree programs, three references, and a summary of their experience.

The cost to send in an application to the Board after the above requirements are met is $75. Once the application has been approved the applicant may then sit for the written examination. Examination dates are in January, May, and in September. You must apply to take the examination three months before the date of the exam.

Once the examination is completed successfully the applicant will then need to schedule an oral examination with the Board before they start their internship. Once this process is completed the internship can begin.

The internship must consist of 3000 hours in an approved setting. At least 160 hours must be under the direct supervision of a supervisor that has been approved by the AAMFT. At least 1500 of the hours must be in direct contact with the clients after the applicant has been registered as an intern. The remaining hours can be met in the same way as above or in the following ways if approved by the Board:

• Group facilitator: maximum 300 hours
• Personal therapy: maximum 150 hours
• Documented teaching such as workshops, lectures, etc.: maximum 200 hours
• Additional training including graduate work: maximum 50 hours
• Direct client contact within the graduate program: maximum 500 hours, with at least 100 hours of supervision provided by a supervisor from the University.

Read more about Nevada MFT degrees.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Career Outlook In Nevada

The employment of marriage family therapists is expected to increase by 14% from 2021 through 2031. Overall, employment of mental health counsellors in general is expected to increase by 22% in the same time frame. In May of 2022 there were 250 marriage family therapists in the state of Nevada.

There are many reasons for this expected growth. One reason is that there is going to be an increase in the population. The other reason is that health insurance companies are expected to begin paying for these services as a part of their policies.

The average median wage for marriage family therapists in the state of Nevada was $70,590 in May of 2022. Overall, the national average wage for marriage family therapists was $63,300.

Research Additional Psychology Professional Licenses Granted by Nevada:

• Nevada Psychologist Licensing
• Nevada Counselor Licensing
• Nevada Social Work Licensing
• Learn More About The Career of an LMFT

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics job market trends and salary figures for marriage and family therapists and substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2023.

Schools with MFT Degree Programs Accepting Students from Nevada