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Compass Health Center
Falls Church, Virginia

Intake Therapist

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$77k-$98k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Weekly outpatient therapy isn't always enough, and a trip to the ER isn't the only answer. Patients and their families rely on Compass Health Center when in crisis – every day, we help people overcome depression, anxiety, suicidality, obsessions/compulsions, trauma, chronic pain, and other obstacles in order for our patients to live freely.

About This Role

As the largest provider of PHP/IOP programs and psychiatric services in Illinois, Compass Health Center is one of the fastest-growing behavioral health organizations in the country. We are thrilled to expand our exceptionally innovative and highly distinguished programs that redefine our industry and raise the standard for comprehensive care.

Launching in early 2027, our newest location in Falls Church, VA, will be home to top local talent in behavioral health care. This interdisciplinary team of trailblazers will build our adolescent and adult programs from the ground up alongside the leadership of well-established clinicians and doctors working in PHP/IOP behavioral health care for the past decade.

As we prepare to open our Falls Church facility, we are seeking an Intake Therapist to help guide our patients in taking their first steps towards healing. If you are passionate about supporting patients through a fundamental part of their personal journey here at Compass, while being an expert on compatible programs and resources, you would be a great addition to our team.

Please note that this role is set to start in early December and will consist of 10 weeks of training prior to launching for patients.

What You'll Do

  • Complete initial intake evaluation to determine diagnosis and appropriateness of program
  • Interface with program directors during intake process regarding patient appropriateness for programming
  • Work with patients and families regarding appropriate referrals if treatment at Compass Health Center is not indicated during intake
  • Screen potential intakes and answer questions from families, providers, and potential patients
  • Chart and communicate with our utilization review department regarding initial insurance authorizations
  • Facilitate group therapy and family therapy, as needed (e. g., when intake census is lower, intake therapist may be requested to assist with proving coverage leading groups or covering family therapy sessions)
  • Participate in professional development activities

Who You Are

  • Licensed Doctorate Level Psychologist or Masters Level Clinician with a clinical license
  • 1+ years of clinical experience conducting intake assessments and individual therapy
  • Have knowledge and experience utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), as well as other empirically supported treatments
  • Have previous experience with patients in crisis
  • Have worked in a PHP/IOP, residential, or inpatient setting

We are committed to a fair and equitable work environment. The expected compensation range for this role is below. This range includes multiple career path levels across the organization; where you fall in the range is dependent upon a number of factors including, but not limited to, your years of experience, type of experience, location, and education/certifications. Compass reserves the right to update these ranges.

Compensation

$77,000—$98,000 USD

We know job descriptions can be intimidating, so if this sounds like an opportunity for you, please don't hesitate to apply!

Who We Are

Compass Health Center is a recognized leader in crisis-level mental health, bringing passion, connection, and patient-centered care to the Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient space (PHP/IOP).

Based in Chicagoland, we serve hundreds of patients every day, ranging from ages 5 through adulthood, in our onsite facilities or through our flourishing virtual programming. Compass fills a critical gap between outpatient and inpatient care through an intermediate level of Behavioral Healthcare.

A few more things we want you to know: our values are super important to us, and hopefully will be to you, too. Cultural humility, teamwork, continuous improvement, connection, patient centered care, passion, innovation, and agility should be your power sources. Joining Compass is an opportunity to feel fulfilled through a joint mission towards healing our communities.

Benefits & Perks

We know that you will be dedicated to your purpose here. We look at that investment as a two-way street. We are proud to offer plenty of space for growth, and opportunities to pursue continuous development within our organization.

For eligible positions, our other benefits include: comprehensive medical/dental/vision plans, 401k program with company matching, generous PTO (including competitive parental leave after 1 year of employment), and continuous training through CEU seminars and volunteering opportunities.

What’s Next?

Compass is committed to cultivating diverse and dynamic teams who exude passion for their craft, so whether or not you check all the boxes, we encourage you to apply – we’d be grateful to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities

The Intake Therapist will conduct initial evaluations to determine patient appropriateness for PHP/IOP programs and coordinate with utilization review for insurance authorizations. They will also facilitate group and family therapy sessions as needed to support the clinical team.

Requirements

Candidates must be a licensed doctorate-level psychologist or a master's-level clinician with at least one year of clinical experience. Proficiency in CBT, DBT, and experience working with patients in crisis within a PHP/IOP, residential, or inpatient setting is required.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Clinical assessmentCrisis interventionTreatment planningInsurance authorizationPatient screeningDocumentationInterdisciplinary collaboration

Counselor Career Context

Compass Health Center ranks #16 of 25 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 50% are remote, 34% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.2% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$88k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $87k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

38 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution38 jobs · 32 employers

15
<$85k
10
$85k-105k
8
$105k-125k
5
$125k-145k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks34 jobs · 32 employers

401k / retirement match
94% this job
CME allowance
50% this job
Loan repayment
21%
PSLF eligible
12%
Sign-on bonus
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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Allina Health · Edina, Minnesota

$125k-$140k
#2

Mental Health Therapist

Brightways Counseling Group · Portland, Oregon

$131k
#3

Behavioral Health Therapist 2 Community Behavioral Health

$80k-$130k
#4

Behavioral Health Therapist 2 Mental Health Programs

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+ 36 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.2this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,029 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Falls Church

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$781k≈ 10.1× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,574/mo≈ 40% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
29 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.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Compass Health Center logo

About Compass Health Center

Mental Health Care
Chicago, Illinois
501-1,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical/Dental/Vision
401k with company match
Generous PTO
Parental leave after 1 year
CEU seminars
Volunteering opportunities