Staff Therapist – Emerging Adult Team

Department: Clinical Services | Reports to: Associate Director of Emerging Adult Service Team | Location: Hybrid work arrangement from home office and any office location in Chicago, Evanston, or Northbrook

About the organization

The Family Institute at Northwestern University strengthens and heals children, adolescents, couples, families, and individuals through clinical services, education, and research. As one of the nation’s leading relationship-based behavioral health organizations, we are a team of over 230 clinicians, educators, researchers, therapists-in-training, partners, and administrators across three service sites. We are a strong, independent organization focused on advancing the world of behavioral health.

About the role

We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Staff Therapist to join our Emerging Adult Team. This clinician will provide mental health services tailored to clients across the lifespan, with a specific focus on emerging adults, supporting their unique developmental, social, and emotional needs. The role involves working with individuals, couples, and families to promote growth and resilience aligned with the Family Institute’s mission and values.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong interest in working with emerging adults and be comfortable addressing common presenting problems, including life stage transitions, relationship challenges, social and cultural identity, addiction, neurodivergence, sexuality, and work/life balance. They will have experience working systemically with families and couples.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychotherapy that is empirically informed, theoretically grounded, culturally responsive, and relationally based.
• Provide a timely response to all current or prospective clients; perform mental health assessments, identify at-risk behaviors, and develop appropriate treatment plans, providing referrals when necessary.
• Document all services in EHR within established organizational timelines.
• Build and maintain a caseload by meeting unit targets.
• Obtain two years of clinical supervision with satisfactory evaluations.
• Work collaboratively with clients, external systems, colleagues, and operation staff in a culturally sensitive and appropriate manner, including complex clinical or shared cases as appropriate.
• Support organizational or administrative communication with clients.
• Attend required individual supervision, weekly peer clinical consultation, Clinical Services meetings, and all other mandatory meetings.
• Demonstrate an ongoing investment in professional development while adhering to confidentiality practices and maintaining compliance with organizational policies and procedures.
• Apply AI and/or automation tools that streamline or improve processes, efficiency, and quality while exercising discretion and ethical judgment.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Optional responsibilities

• Contribute to a class (e.g., guest lecturer).
• Supervise therapist in-training.
• Participate in a clinical, educational, or research program.
• Present a topic to external groups (workshop, presentation).
• Receive meta-vision.
• Develop and disseminate a “product” (e.g., workshop, talk, blog) that drives referrals to The Family Institute.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in a license-eligible discipline.
• Minimum of one-year post-graduate experience.
• Experience building and maintaining a consistent clinical caseload and ensuring timely completion of all required documentation.
• Ability to work some evenings and Saturdays.

Qualifications

• Possess a training background and clinical experience that are empirically informed, theoretically grounded, and systemically oriented.
• Experience or strong interest in working with emerging adults and developmental challenges.
• Understanding of personal and professional boundaries.
• Organizational skills.
• Time and stress management skills.
• Communication skills, including interpersonal, teamwork, and collaboration.
• Computer literacy.
• Problem-solving skills.

Physical and mental requirements

• Must be able to compose written reports clearly and effectively.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position due to attention to computer screen.
• Ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Ability to observe details at close range (within a few feet of the observer) to perform work-related duties.
• Must be able to apply established protocols in a timely manner.
• Must be able to determine solutions to problems.
• Must be able to operate successfully while handling multiple projects.

Pay

Compensation is based on scope and responsibilities of the position, a candidate’s applicable work experience, licensure status, key skills and qualifications, and internal and external market considerations. Staff Therapists are compensated through a base salary plus variable compensation model.

• Base salary range for unlicensed applicants: $44,886 to $71,832, based on licensure tier and years of clinical experience.
• Base salary range for licensed applicants: $59,848 to $91,171, based on licensure tier and years of clinical experience.

New Staff Therapists are paid a fixed salary during a 24-week ramp period while building their caseload. After ramp, Staff Therapists move to base salary plus variable compensation based on clinical productivity, which can meaningfully increase total earnings above base. Details of the full compensation structure, including variable pay potential, are reviewed during the interview process.

Benefits

The Family Institute provides competitive benefits, including:

• Health benefits.
• 403(b) retirement savings plan.
• Generous time off.
• Professional development opportunities.