Inova Health System logo
Inova Health System
Alexandria, Virginia

Behavioral Health Therapist I - Music Therapy

CounselorIncludes callNo weekendsFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not disclosed

Listing transparency3 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting and nights and shift pattern.

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Includes call
Weekends
No weekends
Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

Behavioral Therapist 1

Inova Arts and Healing Program is looking for a dedicated Behavioral Therapist 1
with music therapy experience to join the team. The role will conduct
individual, family, and group music therapy sessions for adults in the hospital
inpatient setting. The position will share time between Inova Alexandria
Hospital and Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. Work hours will be Monday through Friday,
8:30am to 5pm. 

Inova is consistently ranked a national healthcare leader in safety, quality and
patient experience. We are also proud to be consistently recognized as a top
employer in both the D. C. metro area and the nation. 

Featured Benefits

* Committed to Team Member Health: offering medical, dental and vision
coverage, and a robust team member wellness program.

* Retirement: Inova matches the first 5% of eligible contributions – starting
on your first day.

* Tuition and Student Loan Assistance: offering up to $5,250 per year in
education assistance and up to $10,000 for student loans.

* Mental Health Support: offering all Inova team members, their
spouses/partners, and their children 25 mental health coaching or therapy
sessions, per person, per year, at no cost.

* Work/Life Balance: offering paid time off, paid parental leave and more.

Behavioral Therapist 1 Job Responsibilities

* Conducts individual and group music therapy sessions for adolescents and/or
adults in inpatient and outpatient settings.

* Assesses patients' needs and develop personalized music therapy plans
tailored to their specific goals, including emotional expression, pain
management, cognitive rehabilitation, and stress reduction.

*  Utilizes a variety of musical interventions (e. g., live music, songwriting,
listening exercises) to address physical, emotional, social, and
psychological challenges.

* Collaborates with healthcare professionals (e. g., physicians, nurses, social
workers, psychologists) to ensure comprehensive patient care and treatment
plans.

* Monitors patient progress and adjust therapy techniques to ensure
effectiveness, documenting progress notes and assessments as required by
hospital policies.

* Leads music therapy groups, workshops, and education sessions, fostering a
safe, creative, and supportive environment for patients 

Minimum Qualifications

* Education: Master’s degree, Ph. D., PsyD, EdD in mental health, social work,
counseling, psychology, or behavioral health-related field

* Experience: Internship in mental health or substance use disorder treatment
completed within 90 days of employment.

* Certification: Basic Life Support Within 3 Months. CPI in-person training for
non-violent crisis intervention, receive CPI blue card within 6 months of
hire. After 9/1/25, Vistelar replaces CPI for new and renewed de-escalation
certifications.

* Licensure: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and
Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed
Clinical Psychologist (LCP), or Licensed Substance Abuse Professional (LSATP)
within 5 years. Must comply with the appropriate licensing board requirement
for registering as a Resident in Training or Supervisee in Clinical Social
Work or applicable title identified by the specific licensing board within 4
months of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

* Candidates have Board Certification in Music Therapy (MTBC). 

We are Inova, Northern Virginia’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider. Every
day, our 26,000+ team members provide world-class healthcare to the communities
we serve. Our people are the reason we're a national leader in healthcare
safety, quality and patient experience. And from best-in-class facilities to
professional development opportunities, we support them at every step. At Inova,
we're constantly striving to be ever better — to shape a more compassionate
future for healthcare. 

Inova Health System is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants
will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color,
disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic
origin, political affiliation, pregnancy (including childbirth,
pregnancy-related conditions and lactation), race, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristics
protected by law.

Key Responsibilities

Conduct individual and group music therapy sessions for adults and adolescents in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings. Collaborate with healthcare professionals to develop personalized treatment plans and monitor patient progress.

Requirements

Requires a postgraduate degree in a behavioral health-related field and a completed internship in mental health or substance use disorder treatment. Must obtain specific certifications (BLS, CPI) and professional licensure within the specified timeframes after hire.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Patient AssessmentTreatment PlanningGroup TherapyIndividual TherapyInterdisciplinary CollaborationClinical Documentation

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Behavioral Health Therapist I - Music Therapy at Inova Health System a 6.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 35% of all Mental Health Therapy counselor listings evaluated on our platform. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Counselor Career Context

Inova Health System ranks #22 of 29 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 34% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 2.7% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution49 jobs · 43 employers

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Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks38 jobs

401k / retirement match
92%
CME allowance
47%
Sign-on bonus
29%
Loan repayment
26% this job
PSLF eligible
13% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · San Diego, California

$117k-$134k
#2

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Mood Health · Spokane, Washington

$62-$64/hr
#3

West Virginia Licensed Professional Counselor (Remote)

$60-$62/hr
#4

Clinical Supervisor & Therapist

+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

6.0/ 10
Listing-based score
  • No weekends
  • Includes call

Living in Alexandria

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$703k
Typical market rent
$2,285/mo
Residents’ average commute
28 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.9
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Inova Health System logo

About Inova Health System

Hospitals and Health Care
Falls Church, Virginia
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, dental, vision coverage
Wellness program
Retirement: Inova matches first 5% of eligible contributions
Tuition assistance up to $5,250 per year
Student loan assistance up to $10,000
25 free mental health coaching or therapy sessions per year for team members and family
Paid time off
Paid parental leave