Clinical Therapist Job Description

A Clinical Therapist assesses people in psychological distress and treats them over time. In behavioral health organizations, the therapist carries a personal caseload under a master's-level independent license such as LPC, LMFT, or LCSW, and answers for the written treatment plan and the disposition decision when a patient arrives in crisis. Emergency settings add a legal layer, because therapists may complete petitions for involuntary inpatient hospitalization. The hard part is judgment. Suicide risk, co-occurring substance use, and family dynamics rarely arrive one at a time, and every clinical decision must hold up to billing and accreditation review.

As the Clinical Therapist, you will carry a defined clinical caseload and hold accountability for assessment accuracy, safety planning, and treatment progress for children, adults, and families with complex behavioral health needs. You will work within an interdisciplinary treatment team that includes psychiatry, medical staff, and case managers, with clinical supervision provided by a Clinical Director or Program Manager.

Career Impact: Supervised clinical hours delivering evidence-based modalities such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Enhancement strengthen your standing for independent practice and specialty clinical work.

Business Impact: Accurate emergency department disposition recommendations reduce avoidable inpatient admissions while keeping allocated billable patient contact hours on target.

Growth Opportunity: Experience supervising trainees as co-therapists and leading in-service training prepares you for Sr Clinical Therapist, Clinical Team Leader, or Clinical Director positions.

Company Value: Employers in this field describe missions centered on recovery strategies for adults with persistent mental illness and values such as compassion, accountability, and respect.

• Conduct biopsychosocial intake assessments and diagnostic evaluations, including suicide and safety risk screening, for assigned patients and families.
• Deliver individual, group, and family psychotherapy using evidence-based modalities matched to each client's presenting needs.
• Develop individualized treatment plans with measurable goals and revise them based on documented client progress.
• Provide crisis intervention and de-escalation for patients in acute distress, including emergency department and after-hours situations.
• Coordinate case management, referrals, and disposition recommendations with community agencies, schools, and inpatient services.
• Document every client contact and clinical record entry within required timeframes to meet billing and accreditation standards.
• Collaborate with psychiatry, medical staff, and interdisciplinary team members in treatment planning meetings and case conferences.
• Guide trainees, students, or staff through co-therapy, in-service training, and consultation on clinical methods.

• Master's degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or marriage and family therapy, or equivalent work experience.
• 1 or more years of clinical mental health experience, with direct assessment and therapy caseload work.
• Active or eligible master's-level license such as LCSW, LPC, LMFT, or LMHC.
• Skill in conducting clinical assessments and applying DSM diagnostic criteria to individualized treatment planning.
• Ability to perform crisis intervention and safely de-escalate verbally or physically aggressive behavior.
• Strong clinical documentation skills that meet confidentiality, HIPAA, and state mental health code requirements.
• Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team and with diverse children, adolescents, adults, and families.
• Resilience and sound judgment when working under stress in rapidly changing clinical situations.

• 3 or more years of post-master's clinical experience, including work with children, youth, and families.
• Experience treating substance use and co-occurring disorders, including familiarity with ASAM criteria or 12-step recovery models.
• Training in evidence-based modalities such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or Motivational Enhancement techniques.
• Experience in emergency department, hospital, or medical settings conducting risk assessments and disposition planning.

• Same-day documentation rate, percentage of notes completed on the date of service.
• Billable patient contact hours per week, reflecting caseload productivity against allocation.
• Treatment plan review compliance, percentage of plans updated within required timeframes.
• Emergency disposition turnaround time, hours from referral to documented recommendation.
• Treatment goal attainment rate, percentage of caseload meeting plan milestones.

• Base Salary Range: $60,000 to $85,000 annually, higher for independently licensed clinicians
• Bonus: Typically none, with occasional productivity or retention incentives
• Equity: Not typically offered in hospital, nonprofit, or community health settings
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus 403(b) or 401(k) with match
• PTO: 15 to 25 days annually plus paid holidays
• Common Perks: CEU stipends, licensure supervision hours, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Because this work involves vulnerable patients, any offer of employment is contingent on a successful background check, which may include drug screening and verification of licensure. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to any characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request throughout the application and hiring process.

The Clinical Therapist delivers psychiatric assessment, crisis intervention, and disposition planning for children and families presenting to the emergency room, with special emphasis on suicide risk and safety. Reporting to hospital leadership within an emergency psychiatry setting, the Clinical Therapist works with medical and psychiatry care partners to sustain continuity of care and collaborative treatment planning around the clock.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide evaluation and treatment services to patients and families with complex psychosocial needs, and provide crisis intervention and emergency services as needed.
• Perform assessment and intervention for individuals presenting to the emergency room with a chief complaint of mental health concern or identified secondary complaint of mental health concern with special emphasis on risk of suicidality and safety.
• Provide patient care and treatment information throughout the shift and across shifts with ongoing communication to both medical and psychiatry care team partners.
• Handle case management and disposition arrangements, and contribute to program development.
• Maintain fiscal accountability and apply problem solving skills that demonstrate responsibility for generating allocated billable and/or patient contact hours.
• Contribute to the teaching mission of the hospital by working with trainees as co-therapists, and participating in didactics on topics of own expertise.
• Identify and understand issues, problems, and opportunities, compare data from different sources to draw conclusions, use effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions, and take action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences.
• Take prompt action to accomplish objectives, take action to achieve goals beyond what is required, and be proactive.
• Deal effectively with others in an antagonistic situation, using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to reduce tension or conflict between two or more people.
• Effectively manage one's time and resources to ensure that work is completed efficiently, and accomplish tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small, showing concern for all aspects of the job, accurately checking processes and tasks, and being watchful over a period of time.
• Set high standards of performance for self and others, assume responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks, self impose standards of excellence, and assimilate and apply new job-related information in a timely manner.
• Clearly convey information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the message.
• Interpret internal/external business challenges and recommend best practices to improve products, processes or services.
• Lead functional teams or projects with moderate resource requirements, risk, and/or complexity, and lead others to solve complex problems using sophisticated analytical thought to exercise judgment and identify innovative solutions, impacting the achievement of customer, operational, project or service objectives with work guided by functional policies.
• Customer focus, ensuring that the customer perspective drives business decisions and activities, and crafting and implementing service practices that meet customers' and own organization's needs.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate or professional work or advanced degree, or equivalent experience, required.
• Independent License at a Master's level (LPC, LMFT, LCSW) required.
• Initial Pediatric Prevention and Management of Aggressive Behaviors (PPMAB) training completed within 60 days of hire and renewed annually required.
• Health care provider course (BLS) certification completed within 60 days of hire and renewed every 2 years required.
• At least 1 year of job-related experience required, with at least 3 years preferred.
• Depth within a specialized, critical discipline and/or breadth of substantive professional knowledge that crosses disciplines within the professional field.
• Ability to work independently, with guidance in only the most complex situations.
• Ability to communicate difficult concepts and negotiate with others to adopt a different point of view.
• Ability to maintain effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment, adjusting effectively to new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures.
• Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles to establish effective relationships with customers and internal partners, interacting in a way that promotes openness and trust and gives them confidence in one's intentions.
• Commitment to meeting patient and patient family needs, taking responsibility for a patient's safety, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes, and using appropriate interpersonal techniques to resolve difficult patient situations and regain patient confidence.

Embedded within a child and adolescent services clinic, the Clinical Therapist shapes family-centered assessment and brief structured therapy for children, adolescents, and their families facing relationship and mental health concerns. Working closely with the leadership team, students, schools, and community agencies, the Clinical Therapist coordinates services that help families address problems in living within wider socio-cultural systems.

Core Functions

• Provide clinical assessments of families, subsystems and individuals as may be required for therapy or consultation purposes.
• Conduct brief and structured therapeutic treatment using intervention techniques to address a wide range of relationship issues.
• Assess and treat mental health issues and problems in living, whether cognitive, affective or behavioural, within the context of the family and wider socio-cultural systems.
• Conceptualize families' concerns and subsequent intervention strategies including the awareness of and, when appropriate, consultation and advocacy with larger systems such as other social service agencies, schools and correctional services.
• Carry a clinical case load adhering to established program benchmarks, which is specific and appropriate to the level of expertise, and maintain case system recording to meet requirements that reflect this level of analysis and intervention.
• Manage the co-ordination of services to the assigned children, adolescents and their families which make up the clinician's caseload.
• Provide oversight and/or direction to students and/or volunteers as needed, and engage in community liaison, lectures, talks and presentations to service clubs, schools, parent groups and community agencies as requested and deemed appropriate in consultation with leadership.
• Participate in and provide consultation in clinical work group meetings, attend and participate in staff and in-service meetings as required, and participate in Clinic, Divisional and/or Departmental sub-committees as appropriate.
• Participate in regularly scheduled clinical and administrative supervision sessions with the leadership team and annually take part in written evaluation and goal setting with the leadership team.
• Keep abreast of professional developments within own professional field, and participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of therapeutic interventions in specific evidence-based modalities as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned which are directly related to the duties of this position, and work in accordance with applicable Health and Safety legislation and all corporate and departmental policies and procedures related to occupational Health and Safety.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master's Degree in Social Work, Psychology or a related field from a recognized University.
• Registration and active membership in good standing with a professional body, e.g. OCSWSSW, CPRO.
• Proven experience conducting assessments, brief and structured therapy, consultations and counselling and therapy with families, children, youth, individuals and groups.
• Strong assessment, interviewing and case management skills.
• Working knowledge of computer software applications (Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook).
• Flexibility in adapting to change and strong interpersonal relationship skills.
• Ability to work independently with little supervision and to relate with a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to relate with all levels of the community, as well as peers, individuals, families and groups.
• Highly effective facilitation, communication, presentation, interpersonal and organizational skills.

Reporting to clinical leadership, the Clinical Therapist/Psychotherapist delivers individual psychotherapy, diagnostic intakes, and behavioral redirection for patients with Autism and other behavioral and developmental challenges. Partnering with a treatment team in a clinic setting, the Clinical Therapist/Psychotherapist supports patient safety and measurable improvements in patient behavior.

Primary Duties

• Respond appropriately to different situations common among Autism patients and others with behavioral and developmental challenges.
• Utilize key communication skills to provide effective feedback to patients.
• Effectively communicate positive feedback to patients.
• Become familiar with and use behavioral redirection techniques.
• Respond to negative behaviors appropriately.
• Provide written documentation on each patient.
• Conduct individual psychotherapy with a diverse client population.
• Conduct bio/psycho/social diagnostic intakes and complete clinical documentation as appropriate.
• Conduct occasional crisis intervention and perform occasional case management duties.

Skills & Qualifications

• Master's degree in clinical psychology or counseling.
• Full licensure to practice psychotherapy in the state, with eligible credentials including but not limited to LMSW, LMFT, LICSW, LCSW, LPC, LLP.
• 2 years of post-degree clinical experience, with treatment team experience preferred and clinic/medical setting experience encouraged.
• Additional experience with chronic pain, substance abuse, depression, PTSD, and anxiety preferred.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills.
• Proven excellence in patient safety and care, with the ability to recognize and respond to critical improvements in patient behaviors.
• Verbal and written English communication skills for safe and effective patient care and to meet documentation standards.
• Ability to relate and work effectively with others, including a wonderfully diverse populace.
• Friendly, empathetic and respectful, and reliable in work results, timeliness and attendance.
• Able to work in a fast-paced, stressful environment and under pressure while maintaining positive energy, patience, tact, stamina and endurance.
• Detail-oriented, conscientious and committed to precision in work results.
• Committed to contributing to a positive environment in rapidly changing circumstances, aware of standards and performing in accordance with them.

Sitting at the intersection of school-based services and community mental health, the Clinical Therapist delivers intakes, clinical assessments, and family-focused therapy for children across school, office, and community settings. Operating across teachers, counselors, and school administrators, the Clinical Therapist builds parent education and family support programs that improve outcomes for the families served.

Duties

• Conduct intakes and provide individual, group and family therapy services in the public school, office based and community settings, including initial clinical assessments, diagnosis, clinical treatment planning and implementation, referral and termination.
• Handle crisis situations, including outside of normal work hours.
• Follow the agency's and coinciding school district's reporting protocols.
• Conduct parent education programs and family support groups.
• Maintain clinical charts and complete program paperwork.
• Collaborate and consult with school personnel, including teachers, counselors and administrators.
• Participate in supervision, meetings and trainings related to position and services provided, including evidence-based practice trainings, boosters and consultations assigned.

Requirements

• MSW degree or MA/MS degree with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy.
• Eligibility to register with the Board of Psychology or Board of Behavioral Sciences, with licensure preferred.
• Experience working with children and families.
• Knowledge of evidence-based child and family interventions relevant to families served in community mental health settings.
• Strong assessment and clinical judgment skills.
• Ability to develop reasonable, appropriate treatment plans and clinical programs to meet the needs of the clients.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English.

A key member of a multi-disciplinary recovery team, the Sr Clinical Therapist leads brief treatment, support groups, and caseload management for adults with persistent mental illness and co-occurring substance use needs. Collaborating across the Program Manager, psychiatric staff, and agency committees, the Sr Clinical Therapist helps clients reach treatment and rehabilitation goals and improve their quality of life.

Functions

• Provide individual brief treatment and support to clients and their families utilizing best practices in order to assist in developing coping skills for behavioral management and controlling psychiatric symptoms as prescribed in the treatment plan.
• Facilitate support group sessions as assigned.
• Function as the primary worker for a caseload of clients as assigned by the Program Manager, including intake assessments, skills training, resource linkage, treatment planning, documentation of recovery and progress, and maintaining the clinical record according to accreditation, funding source, agency and program standards and policies.
• Participate as a member of a multi-disciplinary team in the development and implementation of treatment plans, including completing assessment assignments within required timeframes, scheduling and attending treatment planning meetings, and utilizing assessment information, diagnostic results and staff reports.
• Attend medication evaluation appointments and psychiatric evaluations as needed.
• Provide services in the areas of assessment, treatment planning, consultation, client education and referrals pertaining to substance abuse and co-occurring disorders.
• Follow agency policies and standards for client rights and confidentiality.
• Attend biweekly or as needed supervision meetings, weekly team meetings and other activities as required.
• Maintain annual CPR certification, all mandated agency training certifications, and any other related certifications/licenses as required.
• Maintain current knowledge of Agency P&P, implement it in daily routine and follow all Health Home procedures as indicated.
• Serve on agency committees and task forces as appropriate and as assigned.
• Utilize Stages of Change theory, Motivational Enhancement techniques and Rehabilitation Goal Readiness & Development Technology & Process to facilitate maximum potential for rehabilitation goal attainment.

Experience & Qualifications

• State Certification as a Chemical Dependency Professional required within two years of date of hire.
• CPR training within 90 days of employment, maintained annually.
• Annual physical examination and Mantoux test.
• Ability to successfully complete all required training and certifications.
• Understanding of mental health and chemical dependency issues, and knowledge of community resources.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret professional journals and governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals, either manually or by use of a calculator.
• Knowledge of and/or willingness to develop computer literacy skills.
• Ability to work as a multi-disciplinary team member and to accept, establish and maintain working relationships with diverse populations of clients and staff.
• Ability to maintain objectivity, perspective under stress and resilience.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients and customers.
• Oral and written communication skills, including speech, grammar, spelling and legibility, at a sufficient level to ensure effective and appropriate communication.
• Interpersonal skills developed to a level which will allow smooth cooperation at all levels within the center.

Safe and effective treatment of residents in a sexually violent predator program depends on the Clinical Therapist, who delivers sex offender treatment groups, individualized treatment planning, and weekly resident monitoring. Serving as a clinical resource for treatment and security staff under the Clinical Team Leader, the Clinical Therapist supports consistent clinical methods and compliance with state regulations.

Accountabilities

• Comply with all laws, policies and procedures, rules and regulations formulated by the state Department of Children and Families, and any applicable professional governing bodies.
• Deliver SOTP and other treatment to individuals and groups as assigned in accordance with established performance standards, including 21 hours of sex offender treatment groups weekly.
• Document service delivery and resident progress on a weekly basis in accordance with established standards and timeframes.
• Serve as clinical therapist to assigned residents, with frequency and amount of direct contact consistent with established performance standards.
• Review and integrate assessment information to write and monitor individualized treatment plans, and review and revise them as needed on a quarterly basis using established format.
• Coordinate referral of residents to appropriate treatment groups and activities, refer clients to psychiatric services and encourage residents to seek medical services or other specialized care as needed.
• Meet weekly with assigned residents to monitor and review ongoing treatment or other needs.
• Evaluate clinical appropriateness of property and visitation requests, and document all individual resident contacts using established formats within established time frames.
• Provide training and consultation to treatment and security staff on clinical methods and procedures related to the Sexually Violent Predators.
• Administer tests and assessments within scope of licensure, certification and training, as assigned.
• Attend and actively participate in staff meetings, case conferences, case presentations, staff development meetings and training activities.
• Provide clinical support and back up to other clinical staff as needed.
• Work cooperatively in weekly individual supervision with the Clinical Team Leader for clinical and administrative supervision.
• Perform administrative duties including documentation of work hours, correspondence and coordination with other clinical and facility staff.

Technical Qualifications

• Masters or Doctoral degree in psychology, social work, counseling, or related human services field.
• Licensed or license-eligible in the state as a Clinical Psychologist (LCP), Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), or Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).
• Affiliate or Clinical member of the Association for Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) preferred.
• Prior clinical experience working with sexual offenders and an understanding of the dynamics of sexual deviance strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with relevant research literature, clinical assessments, procedures and methods, particularly those designed for sexual offenders, and with the diagnostic nomenclature outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.
• Ability to assess treatment goals, write goal-directed individualized treatment plans, monitor and document individual behavior patterns and modify treatment plans to meet changing treatment goals.
• Ability to instruct others in the implementation of therapeutic and behavioral interventions and procedures.
• Ability to work with computers and the necessary software typically used by the department.
• Excellent listening and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and the ability to establish rapport and maintain objectivity with a criminal or forensic population, while maintaining appropriate personal boundaries with sexual offender populations.
• Investment in expanding current skills/knowledge and in transferring this knowledge to other staff.
• Ability to form and maintain good working relationships with a diverse staff and a commitment to enhancing cultural competency.
• Ability to apply critical thinking and sound judgment beyond a specific set of instructions to practical and emergent situations, and to accurately follow standardized procedures that may call for deviations.
• Alert at all times, attentive to details and able to work under stress on a regular or continuous basis.

As the Clinical Therapist, this role owns crisis intervention, triage, and disposition recommendations for behavioral health patients in the Emergency Department and across the Medical Center. The Crisis and Consultation Liaison team relies on this work to direct trainees, manage complicated psychiatric events, and keep assessment, billing, and utilization processes accurate.

Activities

• Provide crisis intervention, brief psychotherapy, triage, resource development and disposition recommendations for behavioral health patients of the Emergency Department and Medical Center as part of Crisis and Consultation Liaison Services.
• Provide direct specialized care with patients who have been identified as needing psychological assessment or interventions beyond the scope of general patient care practice.
• Actively participate in organizational performance improvement, utilization review and incident debriefing activities in ways that make a positive contribution to organizational operations.
• Complete various clinical and administrative forms, including the Certificate or Petition for patients who require involuntary inpatient hospitalization.
• Assure accurate data collection for scheduling, billing, the management information system, and other purposes in accord with organizational policies and procedures.
• Provide supervision of the assessment process and other professional duties.
• Direct trainees on approaches to patient needs or suggest alternative approaches for resolution of problems.

Position Requirements

• Master's Degree with a minimum of two years experience in a mental health or related setting.
• Knowledge of state law regarding confidentiality, mental health code and federal substance abuse codes.
• Knowledge of behavioral health and healthcare resources, and familiarity with the roles and functioning of other providers in the behavioral health, addictions and healthcare treatment network.
• Knowledge of techniques to de-escalate verbal and physically aggressive behavior from patients who could potentially be violent.
• Clinically appropriate skills, along with linkage and resource development skills.
• Organization, time management and documentation skills.
• Keyboard skills and familiarity with a Windows environment.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills necessary for frequent interdisciplinary interaction, and demonstrated problem solving ability.
• Resiliency and flexibility to work in a changing, fast paced environment with multiple tasks, time constraints, stressful conditions and difficult situations.
• Flexibility and openness to working any Crisis/Consult Liaison shift.

Clinical Therapist builds individualized treatment plans and provides one-on-one and group counseling for clients with substance abuse issues in a behavioral health recovery setting. The work directly supports the Clinical Director and the interdisciplinary treatment team in helping each client progress through recovery with accurate, timely clinical documentation.

Operational Focus

• Provide high-quality, compassionate, and ethical counseling to clients as scheduled in individual, group, and family therapy settings.
• Actively participate as a positive member of an interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Complete treatment plans for each client in caseload and regularly update them based on client progress.
• Complete clinical assessments and documentation as necessary, including but not limited to treatment plans, biopsychosocial assessments, ASAM's and discharge plans.
• Schedule individual appointments as directed by the supervisor.
• Complete accurate clinical documentation on the same day as the date of service.
• Complete all recommended continuing education requirements.
• Be aware of community referral sources and refer when necessary.
• Secure client information per HIPAA standards.
• Provide in-service training as needed.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Master's Degree in Social Work, Marriage and Family Counseling, or related field, from an accredited college or university.
• Licensed in the state as an LCSW/CSW-1, LMFT/MFT-1, LCPC/CPC-I, LADC/LADC-I, LCADC/LCADC-I.
• Licensure through the state Board of Behavioral Health examiners per state statute requirements, verified by the employer prior to employment.
• 2 - 3 years post-master's experience working as a clinician in the behavioral health substance abuse field preferred.
• Military Veteran applicants or experience working with Veterans preferred.
• Working knowledge of 12-step programs for recovery.
• Strong computer skills required, with experience with electronic medical records preferred.