Primary Therapist

Encore Outpatient Services is looking for a Primary Therapist to join our amazing and dedicated team.  Encore is conveniently located in Arlington, Virginia, in the Ballston metropolitan area, serving the Greater Washington, D.C. area and Northern Virginia. Since inception, Encore has been committed to providing the very best treatment for substance use and mental health disorders, specializing in the treatment of underlying trauma, addiction interaction disorders and process addictions.  Our program provides a full-continuum of outpatient care, with holistic therapies, career coaching, family education and support, medication management, and community integration, all provided from a trauma-informed lens.  We provide a clinically sophisticated and comprehensive approach, guiding patients and families to recovery for life.

As a team member at Encore, there is a commitment to your ongoing support, growth, and satisfaction.  Our benefits are highly competitive, the opportunity for expanding your leadership and clinical skills are many, and the environment and culture emphasizes well-being and connection.

Position is full time at the Arlington office and should be flexible with a few evenings for groups. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Group therapy and individual counseling – conducting the clinical process through which clients address treatment goals, as stated on their treatment plans via an interactive process with other clients.
2. Responsible for assessment activities (level of care evaluation, biopsychosocial interview/integrated summary) – a clinical function to determine eligibility for and placement in a level of treatment based on admission criteria. The writing and summation of findings from therapy and other disciplines with diagnostic impressions.
3. Family sessions – assessing family dynamics, recommending the family education program and possible ongoing family therapy. This also includes individual family therapy as needed.
4. Case management – overall coordination of a patient’s care while in outpatient services, including the integration of family sessions, communication with referral sources, assessment of patient progress and communication to the clinical team regarding special treatment needs and procedures.
5. Aftercare care assessment and planning – assess unresolved and deferred problems and write goals and objectives in the aftercare plan, and coordinate referral to appropriate follow up providers.
6. Responsible for overseeing the collection of random urine drug screen and breathalyzer samples from patients and relaying the results to the patient.
7. The therapist is expected to work within the ethical constraints of professional or organizational ethical standards as they apply to the position.
8. Responsible for documenting treatment plans, progress notes, treatment plan updates, case consultations, telephone calls and discharge summaries in the patient records in a timely fashion. This includes the coordination of assessments from the multidisciplinary treatment team according to Encore policy and procedures.
9. Assume responsibilities such as coordination of internship training programs, perform speaking engagements for targeted groups within the organization and general community, represent the organization on clinical/administrative committees, assist in training new staff and consult or provide other treatment services as assigned.
10. This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Physical Requirements:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Must be able to work extended hours.
2. Must be able to deliver presentations and groups that may be for lengthy time periods.
3. Must be able to lift up to 20 lbs.
4. Must be able to climb stairs.
5. This is a safety sensitive position.

Education, Experience and Qualifications:

1. Master’s degree in counseling or related field required.
2. Independently licensed in Virginia, LCSW, LMFT, LPC, PsyD or Pre-licensed status in Virginia required.
3. Experience in the area of facilitating group therapy preferred.
4. Experience with addiction/recovery strongly preferred.
5. Knowledgeable in dual diagnosis, specifically trauma and PTSD.
6. If in recovery, two years of uninterrupted sobriety preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

1. Must possess good verbal and writing skills.
2. Knowledgeable in the treatment of substance abuse disorders, dual diagnosis, trauma, and PTSD.
3. Must possess the willingness and capacity for growth, both personally and professionally.
4. Must have the ability to be objective and empathetic while addressing the individual needs of the patients, referrals and family members.
5. Must be computer literate and able to work with most Microsoft applications along with network components.
6. Must have fluid communication skills and the ability to document insights and observations in a clinical record.
7. Must possess a high degree of professionalism and be able to maintain confidential information and treat sensitive clinical information ethically.
8. Must be able to keep all clinical work and conduct within the guidelines of the Virginia Department of Health Professionals, Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and CARF standards.

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