Recovery Centers of America logo
Recovery Centers of America
Merrifield, Virginia

Outpatient Therapist

CounselorFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

RCA's Passion

In 2013, Recovery Centers of America (RCA) announced a goal: Save one million lives from the disease of addiction. We're working fast and hard to fulfill that promise, with over 11 facilities that offer evidence-based inpatient, outpatient, and medication-assisted treatment 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We know one size doesn't fit all when it comes to addiction treatment; that's why we tailor our treatment for each patient and offer specialized programs for patients with trauma and multiple recurrences, as well as programs for older adults, first responders, and more.

We believe in the power of local treatment, because families are a huge part of the treatment and recovery process at RCA. Our family program rebuilds, restores, or strengthens family relationships. As an Outpatient Primary Therapist, you'll help facilitate family therapy sessions, as well as individual and group sessions.

Our curriculum, resources, and evidence-based care were created to help patients not just achieve recovery, but maintain it for life. All of our services and treatment are delivered by clinical expertise - that's where you come in.

As an Outpatient Primary Therapist, you'll be a part of our exciting mission of helping millions of people jumpstart their recovery. Your medical expertise will aid in patient recovery, as you support and implement evidence-based techniques while making a difference in the lives of patients, their families, and communities. You'll pave the way in various therapy settings, teach patients to overcome the past, and provide the skills and strategies needed to overcome addiction.

If you're looking for a fulfilling, life-changing job, Recovery Centers of America is the right place for you. And you're the right candidate for us!

Position Overview

The Outpatient Primary Therapist plans, directs and coordinates medically-approved programs for patients in hospitals, substance abuse facilities, or other institution. Inspires and motivates RCA clients and to help them develop tools to work toward recovery using evidence-based and person-centered practices

Specific Responsibilities

  • Evaluate clients' mental and physical health, addiction, or problem behavior and assess their readiness for treatment
  • Help clients develop treatment goals and plans
  • Review and recommend treatment options with clients and their families
  • Help clients develop skills and behaviors necessary to recover from their addiction or modify their behavior
  • Work with clients to identify behaviors or situations that interfere with their recovery
  • Teach families about addiction or behavior disorders and help them develop strategies to cope with those problems
  • Refer clients to other resources and services, such as job placement services and support groups
  • Conduct outreach programs to help people identify the signs of addiction and other destructive behavior, as well as steps to take to avoid such behavior
  • Direct oversight of census within assigned area, including ensuring adequate leads and/or direction where appropriate.
  • Ensures site meets census/budgetary requirements.

Education and Experience

  • Master's degree in Social Work or Mental Health Counseling required; licensure as a MHC, LMHC, LMSW, LCSW, or Ph.D. in Psychology preferred.
  • One to three years of experience in a behavioral healthcare or substance abuse settings serving culturally diverse populations.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
  • Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize workload and meet deadlines.
  • Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
  • Exceptional analytical and problem solving skills.
  • Proven ability to handle multiple projects under pressure.
  • Must have strong knowledge of a variety of computer software applications in word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations (MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
  • Understanding of diverse cultures and gender specific issues and the ability to incorporate needs of gender and culturally diverse groups into the organization.
  • Understands need for and maintains appropriate confidentiality at all times when interacting with patients, residents, families, visitors, referral sources and all other contacts.
  • Exhibits excellent customer relation skills as evidenced by supportive and constructive communication with all contacts including coworkers, patients, residents, visitors, families and referral sources.
  • Knowledge of group, individual and family counseling

Competencies

  • Customer Service: Demonstrates concern for meeting internal and external customers' needs in a manner that provides satisfaction for the customer within the resources that can be made available.
  • Problem Solving: Identifies problems, involves others in seeking solutions, conducts appropriate analyses, searches for best solutions; responds quickly to new challenges.
  • Communication Proficiency: Comfortable using a broad range of communication styles, and ability to choose appropriate, effective ways to communicate to different audiences in diverse situations.
  • Group Counseling: Experience facilitating psycho-education groups
  • Individual Counseling: Ability to provide counseling on an individual basis
  • Family Counseling: An ability to provide family counseling

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls.

The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move objects up to 25 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Travel: Travel is primarily local during the business day, although some out-of-the-area and overnight travel may be expected.

Key Responsibilities

The Outpatient Primary Therapist plans and coordinates medically-approved programs for patients in substance abuse facilities. They facilitate individual, group, and family therapy sessions using evidence-based and person-centered practices to support long-term recovery.

Requirements

A Master's degree in Social Work or Mental Health Counseling is required, with licensure (MHC, LMHC, LMSW, LCSW) or a PhD in Psychology preferred. Candidates should have one to three years of experience in behavioral healthcare or substance abuse settings.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Crisis InterventionTreatment PlanningCase ManagementPatient AssessmentEvidence-Based PracticeSubstance Abuse TreatmentClinical DocumentationInterpersonal CommunicationAnalytical SkillsMS Office

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Addiction Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 42% have no call, 74% require no weekends.

In Virginia, the Addiction Medicine weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$61k (54 salary observations; 173 listings), vs ~$62k nationally (1,336 salary observations; 3,917 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

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).

Addiction Medicine pay on WeekdayDoc is up 2.4% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Outpatient Therapist at Recovery Centers of America a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 10% in Addiction Medicine (Counseling) — ranked against 1,262 active Addiction Medicine (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc.

Top Counselor Jobs

47 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution43 jobs · 37 employers

13
<$70k
12
$70k-85k
5
$85k-100k
8
$100k-115k
5
$115k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks37 jobs

401k / retirement match
92%
CME allowance
43%
Loan repayment
27%
Sign-on bonus
24%
PSLF eligible
14%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#2

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)

LifeStance Health · Milwaukee, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LMHC, LCSW)

$115k-$120k
#4

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

$115k-$120k
+ 45 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 7.2
Among the best 10% of Addiction Medicine (Counseling) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,262 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Merrifield

Median resident rent
$2,368/mo
Residents’ average commute
28 min
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

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

Recovery Centers of America logo

About Recovery Centers of America

Hospitals and Health Care
Devon, Pennsylvania
1,001-5,000 employees