AKUA Behavioral Health logo
AKUA Behavioral Health
San Diego, California

Associate Therapist

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$32-$35/hr

Listing transparency2 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and weekend coverage.

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 1 day ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Description
  • Position: Associate Therapist
  • Type: Full-Time, Non-Exempt, Hourly

Compensation

Base Salary: $32 - $35/hour (Associate)

Benefits

  • Free Clinical Supervision (Hours Towards Licensing)
  • Health Insurance: Medical, Vision, Dental
  • Paid Time Off: Sick, Vacation, Paid Holidays
  • Equity Shares

Job Description

We seek an Associate Therapist (ASW/AMFT/APCC) to join our dedicated team and provide our clients mental health and substance abuse treatment. The Therapist position is crucial in helping clients achieve lasting recovery through individual and group therapy, treatment planning, assessments, and crisis intervention. The Therapist will receive Clinical Supervision in a fast paced, high learning environment.

Key Responsibilities

Individual Therapy: Conduct comprehensive assessments, develop individualized treatment plans, and provide evidence-based therapy to address substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health issues, and trauma.

Group Therapy: Facilitate psychoeducational and process-oriented groups to foster peer support, skill development, and relapse prevention.

Care Coordination: Collaborate with multidisciplinary team members to coordinate care, advocate for clients' needs, and ensure continuity of treatment.

Utilization Review: We conduct clinical updates to assess the client’s treatment and service utilization progress and establish medical necessity for our insurance partners.

Crisis Intervention: Provide immediate support and resources during emotional or behavioral crises, ensuring client safety and well-being.

Documentation: We maintain accurate and timely clinical records in accordance with ethical and legal guidelines, including timely clinical updates for our insurance partners.

Professional Development: Participate in ongoing training, supervision, and consultation to enhance clinical skills and knowledge.

Qualifications & Skills

Education: Master's degree in social work (MSW), counseling psychology (MA/MSc), clinical psychology (MA/MSc), or relevant field.

Licensure: Registered Associate (ASW/AMFT/APCC) in California.

Experience: Minimum of one year of experience providing direct clinical services to individuals with substance use disorders and/or mental health disorders.

Skills: Strong clinical assessment, treatment planning, and therapy skills; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to work effectively in a team setting.

Additional Requirements

  • Must be able to pass a background check and drug screening
  • Current CPR/First Aid Certification (Required)
  • Valid CA Driver's License
  • Current Health Screen (Required)
  • TB Clearance (Required)
  • Ability to communicate with compassion and empathy
  • Strong ability to manage time and prioritize tasks

Company Description

Akua Behavioral Health is California’s leading mental health and substance abuse treatment center.

We provide our clients with individualized, compassionate treatment and offer various levels of care from Master’s and Doctorate level clinicians at fully licensed and accredited facilities throughout Northern and Southern California.

To give our clients the best chance at lasting recovery, we pioneered an integrative East-meets-West approach that combines Western evidence-based treatment with holistic Eastern traditions to treat the mind, body, and spirit.

Our mission is to create an environment of healing and transformation for each client seeking change.

Requirements

Requires a master's degree in social work, counseling psychology, clinical psychology, or a related field, and California registration as an ASW, AMFT, or APCC. Applicants must have at least one year of relevant direct clinical experience, current CPR/First Aid certification, a valid California driver's license, required health screening and TB clearance, and the ability to pass background and drug screening.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Substance Use Disorder TreatmentMental Health TreatmentTrauma-Informed CareClinical DocumentationTime ManagementPrioritization

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% are remote, 30% have no call, 66% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$70k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $63k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

27 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution27 jobs · 21 employers

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<$90k
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$90k-105k
5
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6
$120k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks24 jobs · 21 employers

401k / retirement match
92%
CME allowance
46%
Sign-on bonus
21%
Loan repayment
21%
Relocation assistance
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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#4

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+ 25 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

3.0/ 10
Listing-based score

Living in San Diego

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.01M
Typical market rent
$3,036/mo
Residents’ average commute
24 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
111.9
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

AKUA Behavioral Health logo

About AKUA Behavioral Health

Health, Wellness & Fitness
Newport Beach, California
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Free Clinical Supervision (Hours Towards Licensing)
Health Insurance: Medical, Vision, Dental
Paid Time Off: Sick, Vacation, Paid Holidays
Equity Shares
Collaborative Practice Agreement Required