Staff Therapist - Mindfulness Behavioral Therapies Program

The Family Institute at Northwestern University is a leading relationship-based behavioral health organization committed to strengthening and healing children, adolescents, couples, families, and individuals through clinical services, education, and research.

About the role

We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Staff Therapist to join our Couple Services Team. This clinician will provide mental health care that may include work with individuals, couples, and/or families, supporting the mission of The Family Institute and aligning with our core organizational values.

This is a hybrid role based in Chicago, Evanston, or Northbrook, with a mix of remote and in-office work.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychotherapy that is empirically informed, theoretically grounded, culturally responsive, and relationally based.
• Respond promptly to 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 the Electronic Health Record (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 operational staff in a culturally sensitive and appropriate manner, including handling complex clinical or shared cases as needed.
• Support organizational or administrative communication with clients.
• Attend required individual supervision, weekly peer clinical consultation, Clinical Services meetings, and 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 to 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 a 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.
• Ability to work some evenings and Saturdays.

Qualifications

• Training background and clinical experience that are empirically informed, theoretically grounded, and systemically oriented.
• Demonstrated experience providing couples therapy, with a strong interest in ongoing growth and development in this area.
• Understanding of personal and professional boundaries.
• Strong organizational, time, and stress management skills.
• Excellent communication skills, including interpersonal, teamwork, and collaboration.
• Computer literacy and problem-solving skills.

Physical and Mental Requirements

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

Pay

Compensation is based on a number of factors, including the 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. The base salary range for this position is:

• $44,886 to $71,832 for unlicensed applicants, based on licensure tier and years of clinical experience.
• $59,848 to $91,171 for licensed applicants, 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 the ramp period, Staff Therapists move to base salary plus variable compensation based on clinical productivity, which can meaningfully increase total earnings above base.

Benefits

The Family Institute provides competitive benefits, including:

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