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Lifepoint Health
Holyoke, Massachusetts

Therapist, Activity

CounselorIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$27.97-$37.75/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Weekend work is also flagged as required; confirm which days and how often.

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Job Title: Activity Therapist - forensic unit - *Union position – governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement Job Type: Fulltime, Days Schedule: Towers at VSBHH, M-F, 8:00am - 4:30pm, rotating weekends

Your Experience Matters

Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital is operated jointly with Lifepoint Behavioral Health and Baystate Health. We are driven by a profound commitment to prioritize your well-being so you can provide exceptional care to others.

As an Activity Therapist joining our team, you’re embracing our promise to provide superior patient care that exceeds industry standards as well as patient expectations. Join us on this meaningful journey where your skills, compassion and dedication will make a remarkable difference in the lives of those we serve.

More About Our Team

Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital offers compassionate, high-quality inpatient and outpatient mental health and co-occurring treatment for teens, adults, and seniors.

We provide a full-range of evidence-based medical and clinical services in a state-of-the-art, 150-bed hospital operated jointly with Lifepoint Behavioral Health and Baystate Health, in Holyoke, MA.

Programs include inpatient mental health and co-occurring treatment, Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP), and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP).

Essential Functions

  • Applies appropriate theory and standards for decision and actions regarding therapeutic practices
  • Assesses patient needs utilizing cultural, religious, and physical disabilities, in the determination of capabilities in groups and with specific activities
  • Documents the patient’s response to interventions pertinent to patient treatment on daily/weekly progress status, as appropriate
  • Completes all assessments within the time frame allotted and contributes to assessment workload balance between therapists
  • Formulates the initial and subsequent treatment programs in accordance with the attending physician’s/licensed practitioner’s treatment orders
  • Develops a plan of care with specific and measurable goals, objectives, and interventions defining actions unique to each patient’s needs
  • Provides therapy treatment procedures according to the treatments plan, communicate, and work with the patient to achieve the greatest benefit and resolution
  • Maintains constant communication with the treatment team, therapist, and physician/licensed practitioner when patient is not responding the treatments
  • Contributes to the effective functioning of the patient’s program
  • Understands the age differences and the corresponding developmental needs
  • Provides activities suitable to the patient’s needs and offers a variety of stimuli in accordance with the treatment plan
  • Maintains a quality program to satisfy the therapeutic needs of the patient
  • Offers direction and education to maintain clear communication of expectations
  • Provides quality programming to support the objectives of the patient and their needs
  • Reassesses and updates treatment plan goals when there are significant changes in the patient’s condition in compliance with facility policy or after patient’s stay has exceeded 7 days
  • Contributes to treatment planning with feedback to clinical and program staff to achieve therapeutic interventions
  • Provides directions to clinical and unit staff regarding activity related groups
  • Provides input into patient’s AT goals to the treatment teams and records any treatment updates on the treatment update form in treatment team when applicable

Why Join Us

We believe that investing in our employees is the first step to providing excellent patient care. In addition to your base compensation, this position

also offers:

  • Comprehensive Benefits: Multiple levels of medical, dental and vision coverage for full-time and part-time employees.
  • Financial Protection & PTO: Life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity insurance, short- and long-term disability, paid family leave and paid time off.
  • Financial & Career Growth: Higher education and certification tuition assistance, loan assistance and 401(k) retirement package and company match.
  • Employee Well-being: Mental, physical, and financial wellness programs (free gym memberships, virtual care appointments, mental health services and discount programs).
  • Professional Development: Ongoing learning and career advancement opportunities.

Education/Licensure

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited institute in Certified Recreational Therapeutic Specialist (CTRS), Music Therapy (MT-BC), Art Therapy (ATR, ATR-BC, ATR-P LPAT), or similar field required.
  • Current CTRS, Certified Music Therapist, or Certified Art Therapist license as required by state regulations.
  • Basic Life Support and Handle with Care certification is required within 30 days of hire.

Hourly range: $27.97 - $37.75 per hour

EEOC Statement

“Lifepoint Behavioral Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Lifepoint Behavioral Health is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity for all applicants and employees and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment in employment.”

Lifepoint Health is a leader in community-based care and driven by a mission of Making Communities Healthier.

Our diversified healthcare delivery network spans 29 states and includes 63 community hospital campuses, 32 rehabilitation and behavioral health hospitals, and more than 170 additional sites of care across the healthcare continuum, such as acute rehabilitation units, outpatient centers and post-acute care facilities.

We believe that success is achieved through talented people. We want to create places where employees want to work, with opportunities to pursue meaningful and satisfying careers that truly make a difference in communities across the country.

We employ and provide care to people from all walks of life. We are committed to promoting healing, providing hope, preserving dignity and producing value with an inclusive workforce in which diversity is leveraged, respected, and reflective of the patients, family members, customers and team members we serve.

Key Responsibilities

The Activity Therapist assesses patient needs and develops measurable treatment plans to provide therapeutic activities in a forensic unit. They maintain constant communication with the treatment team and document patient progress to ensure high-quality mental health care.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Recreational Therapy, Music Therapy, or Art Therapy. Current professional licensure and Basic Life Support certification are required for this position.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Certifications

BLS

Key Skills

Patient assessmentMental health treatmentDocumentationCrisis interventionInterdisciplinary communication

Counselor Career Context

Lifepoint Health ranks #13 of 20 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 54% are remote, 26% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Massachusetts is 105.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$68k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $65k in an average-cost state. 63.2% of Massachusetts clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution40 jobs · 31 employers

13
<$85k
12
$85k-105k
10
$105k-125k
5
$125k-145k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks36 jobs · 31 employers

401k / retirement match
94% this job
CME allowance
53%
Sign-on bonus
22%
Loan repayment
22% this job
PSLF eligible
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Outpatient Therapist (Licensed Psychologist or LICSW)

Allina Health · Edina, Minnesota

$125k-$140k
#2

Behavioral Health Provider (ASW/LCSW or AMFT/LMFT) - Napa

OLE Health · Napa, California

$88k-$138k
#3

Psychotherapist, Behavioral Health

$94k-$132k
#4

Mental Health Therapist

$131k
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 5.1
Better work-life than 40% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,002 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends

Living in Holyoke

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$339k
Typical market rent
$1,863/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
96.1
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Springfield, MA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

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About Lifepoint Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Gallatin, Tennessee
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive Benefits
Financial Protection & PTO
Financial & Career Growth
Employee Well-being
Professional Development