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Acadia
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Board Certified Music Therapist ( MT-BC ) - FT Days

CounselorIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$24.1-$31.95/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Join our team as a Board Certified Music Therapist ( MT-BC ) located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Our 94-bed treatment center offers superior psychiatric and addiction services to individuals of all ages.

  • Required Schedule: Sunday-Thursday 8:00am-4:30pm EST
  • Hourly: $24.10 - $31.95
  • Erlanger Hospital offers an extensive array of benefits to our valued team members. Current offerings encompass:
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance coverage
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options
  • Company-paid Basic Life & AD&D insurance
  • Disability benefits
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan with a company match
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Employee Discount Program
  • Paid Holidays for work-life balance
  • Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • Tuition Reimbursement opportunities for career advancement

Purpose Statement

Plan, direct and implement activity therapy programs as a component of the patient’s treatment plan.

Essential Functions

Complete activity assessment through patient observation and patient/family interview, obtaining information on the patient’s needs, skills, interests and limitations for the development and implementation of the treatment plan.

Plan, organize, direct and implement the activities within the treatment program to facility patient progress with treatment goals.

Plan and implement an activities program including but not limited to therapeutic leisure skills and activities, leisure education and leisure awareness.

Facilitate and lead activity sessions to improve patient mental and physical well-being.

Instruct patients in activities and techniques, such are sports, dance, music, art or relaxation techniques designed to meet their specific needs.

Develop treatment plans and implement activity interventions that meet patient needs and interests and helps the patient achieve his/her treatment goals.

  • Engage patients in therapeutic activities, such as exercise, games and community outings.
  • Help patients learn social skills needed to become or remain independent.
  • Modify activities to suit the needs of specific groups.

Demonstrate a positive, empathetic and professional attitude towards customers always. When patient needs are not met, acknowledge and work to resolve complaints. Recognize that patient safety is a top priority.

Other Functions

Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.

Education/Experience/Skill Requirements

  • Bachelor's Degree in Therapeutic Recreation, Recreational Therapy or related field required.
  • Master’s degree preferred.
  • Three or more years’ experience in recreation in a healthcare setting with knowledge of patient population served by the facility required.
  • Previous experience in recreation in a healthcare setting is preferred.

Licenses/Designations/Certifications

Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) or currently in the process of obtaining national certification; OR certified in the area of specialty (Art, Dance, Music, etc.) OR clinical professional licensure (LCPC, LPC, etc.) with certification in expressive therapy area required.

CPR and de-escalation and restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).

First aid may be required based on state or facility requirements.

While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the requirements of the job, management reserves the right to add or remove duties from particular jobs when circumstances

(e. g. emergencies, changes in workload, rush jobs or technological developments) dictate.

Ahpilot

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment regardless of an individual’s characteristics protected by applicable state, federal and local laws.

Key Responsibilities

The Music Therapist will plan, direct, and implement activity therapy programs to support patient treatment goals. They will conduct patient assessments and lead therapeutic sessions to improve mental and physical well-being.

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation or a related field is required, with a Master's degree preferred. Candidates must hold relevant professional certifications such as MT-BC or CTRS and have at least three years of experience in a healthcare setting.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Certifications

Board Certification

Key Skills

Music therapyTreatment planningMental health supportPhysical well-being facilitationSocial skills trainingCrisis de-escalationPsychiatric care

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 34% are remote, 34% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Tennessee is 91.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$58k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $63k in an average-cost state. 58.6% of Tennessee clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

Tennessee has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$58k midpoint, that is roughly $2k–$4k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top Counselor Jobs

23 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution23 jobs · 17 employers

6
<$70k
7
$70k-85k
4
$85k-100k
4
$100k-115k
2
$115k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks21 jobs · 17 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
CME allowance
33%
Sign-on bonus
29%
Loan repayment
10%
PSLF eligible
5%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Maplewood, Minnesota

$74k-$117k
#2

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LSCSW, LCPC, LCMFT) Sign-on Bonus $5,000

LifeStance Health · Wichita, Kansas

$86k-$117k
#3

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW, LPC, LMFT)

$84k-$113k
#4

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LCSW, LPC, LMFT)

$84k-$113k
+ 21 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,961 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends

Living in Chattanooga

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$327k
Typical market rent
$1,513/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.5
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Chattanooga, TN-GA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

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About Acadia

Mental Health Care
Franklin, Tennessee
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Health savings account
Flexible spending account
Basic life insurance
AD&D insurance
Disability benefits