School Based Therapist

Duties And Responsibilities

• Individual therapy with students.
• Therapeutic Groups sessions with students experiencing behavior or therapeutic issues.
• Classroom observations of students.
• Weekly communication with parents and/or guardians.
• Complete clinical documentation.
• Consult with school personnel on strategies for working with students including behavioral and resiliency-based interventions.
• Services for identified special education students, including meetings with District staff, participation at IEP and other team meetings, treatment plan development, and progress documentation.
• Additional activities within the areas of expertise of staff and as requested by District.
• Create treatment goals, contribute, where appropriate, in the writing of Individualized Service Plans and/or IEP's, prepare behavior contracts, monitor student's progress, and write progress reports;
• Complete required written reports such as: progress notes and summaries.
• May facilitate learning experiences for school staff members on resiliency, behavior and classroom management, specialized treatment topics, or other learning needs as identified by school personnel.
• Collaboration with community agencies to develop cooperative and positive relationships.
• Work as a positive team member supporting the team's mission and goals, consistently working in a trusting and cooperative manner with fellow team members and supporting the team's common operating approach.

Qualifications

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to develop effective and meaningful relationships with clients.
• Must be able to remain calm in a crisis situation, identify underlying causes of problem situations, resolve conflicts, and de-escalate potentially explosive situations.
• Must be a team player.
• Must have the ability to maintain confidentiality; negotiating and problem solving skills are also essential.
• Must be willing to work independently and follow defined processes.
• Initiative and persistence will be needed to achieve the defined goals.

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to develop effective and meaningful relationships with clients.
• Must be able to remain calm in a crisis situation, identify underlying causes of problem situations, resolve conflicts, and de-escalate potentially explosive situations.
• Must be a team player.
• Must have the ability to maintain confidentiality; negotiating and problem solving skills are also essential.
• Must be willing to work independently and follow defined processes.
• Initiative and persistence will be needed to achieve the defined goals.

Education

• Minimum requirement is a Master's degree in a clinical area.
• Preferred qualifications include: Licensure such as Licensed Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Certified Addictions Counselor.
• Specialized learning in Resiliency & Trauma.
• Specialized learning in behavior interventions.
• Specialized learning in early intervention for younger children when services are requested.

Experience

• Three years of experience working with children, adolescents and their families in a clinical setting is preferred.

Working Conditions

• Work setting is a school building.
• Clientele may at times be verbally or physically abusive.
• Work is completed as a member of a collaborative team in loco parentis, and, as a result, use of emergency safety physical interventions (ESPI) is required.
• Candidate will have to successfully complete and maintain certification of ESPI training.
• ESPI techniques are only used in compliance with Laurel Life policy and procedure and within guidelines established by third-party experts in the proper and legal use of ESPI.