Hope For The Best, Prepare For The Worst

It’s a cliché we’ve all heard a million times. If you have ever ventured into something new, I am sure you know the validity of those words.

Hoping for the Best

About a year before my husband and I had plans to relocate to Nevada, I began looking into the state licensing requirements for massage therapists.  The requirements were laid out clearly on the website.  The application process was pretty straight forward. I met all of the requirements, it was simply a matter of gathering all of the documents.  What surprised me was the statement on the website which read, “Application process may take 3-5 months.”  3-5 months?!  When I moved from Florida to Virginia it only took about 3 weeks to get my license.

Preparing for the Worst

A couple of months later, I met with some massage therapists from Nevada.  I asked them about the licensing process and if it really took 3-5 months.  They assured me that as long as I had all of my documents in order, it should only take a few weeks.  I decided to start the application process in January, in preparation for a March/April move. Many of the documents could be requested online and sent electronically, so I thought 3-4 months would be more than enough time.

The Fly In The Ointment

The one document I was certain would be a breeze to acquire turned out to be the biggest challenge…my massage school transcript.   I reached out to a few fellow graduates who still live in the area, after multiple failed attempts to contact a human being at my alma mater.  Turns out the school had been sold, and rumor had it that the new owners had abandoned it altogether.  I reached out to the accrediting agency, who put me in touch with the state board of massage therapy, who eventually put me in touch with the state board of education.

About three weeks later, I was told that the school records had been obtained and were being sorted through.  I was assured that once my transcript was found, I would be contacted.  Meanwhile, all of my other documents had already been received by the Nevada State Board.  But without my transcript, my application packet was not complete and would not be considered for approval.

It All Works Out In The End

When my transcript was eventually located, I had one copy sent directly to the Nevada State Board of Massage.  I also requested a second copy to keep in my own records (officially sealed, of course) in case I have future need for it.  Once my application was complete, it only took about two and a half weeks for me to receive my Nevada license.  But that was just over three months from when I started the process.  Luckily, it arrived about two weeks before I moved. Whew…that was close. Often, the road blocks occur where you least expect them.

Thankfully, I allowed what I thought to be more than enough time to get my credentials. Now I am happy to be licensed to practice massage in the state of Nevada.  Soon I look forward to opening Connective Touch Therapeutic Massage in Reno.  Stay tuned for more on that to come.