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Acadia
Chicago, Illinois

Music Therapist Full Time

CounselorIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, nights and shift pattern, benefits and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Music Therapist - Full Time

At Montrose Behavioral Health Hospital, our mission is to create a welcoming and safe therapeutic environment where our patients feel encouraged and supported as they receive treatment for behavioral health concerns. We support each person with empathy and compassion throughout their treatment journey.

We empower our patients to play an active role in their treatment process and to engage in clinical decisions that lead to positive transformations so that they can thrive once their time in treatment comes to an end.

We are seeking a full time Music Therapist to join our team to plan, direct and implement art activity therapy programs as a component of the patient’s treatment plan.

Fulltime Days with Rotatng Weekends

Acadia Healthcare is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services across the United States. Acadia operates a growing network of 253 plus behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 11,200 beds in 38 states and Puerto Rico. With more than 23,500 employees serving approximately 75,000 patients daily, Acadia is the largest stand-alone behavioral health company in the U.S.

Acadia Healthcare’s purpose is to Lead Care With Light and our mission is to be a world-class organization that sets the standard for excellence in the treatment of mental health and addiction concerns. We strive to maintain our standing as a thought leader in the behavioral healthcare industry, providing treatment that is synonymous with compassion and innovation.

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.

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.

AHMKT

#LI-MJEBH

Key Responsibilities

The Music Therapist will plan, direct, and implement therapeutic activity programs to support patient treatment goals and mental well-being. They are responsible for conducting patient assessments, facilitating group sessions, and collaborating with the clinical team to ensure a safe and supportive environment.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation or a related field and possess at least three years of experience in a healthcare setting. Professional certification such as CTRS or a clinical license in an expressive therapy area is required.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Music therapyPatient assessmentTreatment planningClinical documentationActivity facilitationMental health supportCrisis interventionSocial skills trainingBehavioral health careDe-escalation techniques

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 26% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution50 jobs · 37 employers

19
<$80k
15
$80k-95k
6
$95k-110k
9
$110k-125k
1
$125k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks46 jobs · 37 employers

401k / retirement match
91%
CME allowance
57%
Sign-on bonus
39%
Loan repayment
28%
PSLF eligible
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.3this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,853 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Chicago

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$356k
Typical market rent
$2,342/mo
Residents’ average commute
33 min
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.

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