Become a Counselor in Massachusetts

Below are basic guidelines for those wishing to earn their counseling certification in Massachusetts. Most of these requirements, such as earning your Master’s degree, completing 3200 hours of supervised experience and passing the NCE examination, are likely to continue to be mandatory in the Massachusetts counseling licensure process. However, it is wise to contact the Massachusetts Board of Allied Mental Health Counselors at (617)-727-3080 to make sure you are on the right track.

I’m a High School Graduate

As a high school graduate researching Massachusetts counseling licensure requirements, you are displaying admirable motivation. Try to leverage your current momentum to begin advancing your education: Massachusetts counseling certification requires candidates to have a minimum of a master’s level of education, and earning an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree is an important part of entering a master’s program.

Click on the links below to browse schools offering undergraduate programs in psychology or counseling.

Once you have enrolled in a program, take advantage of your school’s career services department to learn how you can find employment or volunteer opportunities that are related to the counseling career path.

Already Received Bachelor’s Degree

Once you have your bachelor’s degree, look for schools offering master’s or doctoral degree programs in counseling. You can request more information from counseling schools in Massachusetts.

Step One:

Before completing your master’s degree, complete 100 hours of supervised clinical experience under the supervision of a qualified supervisor.

These hours are broken down into individual requirements and you can check those individual requirements here.

Step Two:

After earning your master’s degree, earn at least 2 years of supervised work experience (this should equal 3360 hours).

Details about the hourly breakdown of the necessary work experience and more information about qualifying supervisors can be found on the following Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure webpage.

Step Three:

The next step is to download the exam registration form and submit the form along with the required fee to the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).

The state of Massachusetts requires you to pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam provided by the NBCC. More information about the exam can be found on the NBCC website.

Step Four:

Once you have registered for the exam, you can download the Massachusetts counseling license application and submit the application to the Massachusetts Board of Allied Mental Health Counselors and Human Services Professions. Include the application fee when turning in your application and the official exam scores once they have been received. The Board should notify you when your application has been accepted.

You may download the Massachusetts counseling license application here.

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