Expressive Therapist | Behavioral Health | PRN
Listed compensation
$21.75-$33/hr
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Location: Avera Behavioral Health Center-Sioux Falls
Worker Type
PRN
Work Shift
Day Shift (United States of America)
Pay Range
The pay range for this position is listed below. Actual pay rate dependent upon experience.
$21.75 - $33.00
Position Highlights
You Belong at Avera
Be part of a multidisciplinary team built with compassion and the goal of Moving Health Forward for you and our patients. Work where you matter.
A Brief Overview
Responsible to provide a variety of programs and services to patients in order that social, physical and cognitive functioning be maximized. Expressive therapy can include art, music, recreational, reminiscent therapies as well as programming on the unit for social events and activities.
What You Will Do
- Creates and develops individualized and group plans of Expressive Therapy for each patient.
- Provides individualized instruction as needed and implements group activities.
- Establishes and maintains therapeutic relationships with patients and families, if applicable.
- Maintains accurate and concise records by documenting all pertinent data timely.
Assesses cognitive abilities of each patient and provides specialized programming as needed to maintain the same level of service to all patients.
Creates a positive expressive environment where all patients feel comfortable exploring and expressing their thoughts, emotions and creativity.
Works actively with the interdisciplinary care team, physicians, psychologists and other professionals in development of individualized patient treatment plan.
Assists in maintaining a safe and secure environment for patients and staff.
Assists with patient care as needed.
Essential Qualifications
The individual must be able to work the hours specified.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds.
These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.
Required Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
4-6 years Related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience
Preferred Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
Bachelor's
Specialization in area of support
Expectations and Standards
Commitment to the daily application of Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles to serve patients, their families, and our community.
- Promote Avera’s values of compassion, hospitality, and stewardship.
- Uphold Avera’s standards of Communication, Attitude, Responsiveness, and Engagement (CARE) with enthusiasm and sincerity.
- Maintain confidentiality.
Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating work flow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment.
Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards associated with, but not limited to, CMS, The Joint Commission, DHHS, and OSHA if applicable.
Avera is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, or other categories protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-605-504-4444 or send an email to talent@avera.org.
Key Responsibilities
The Expressive Therapist develops and implements individualized and group therapy plans using art, music, and recreational activities to maximize patient functioning. They work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team to provide specialized programming and maintain accurate patient records.
Requirements
Candidates must have 4-6 years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A bachelor's degree in a relevant area of support is preferred.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
- Experience
- 5+ years of experience
Key Skills
Counselor Career Context
Of the 40 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 73% are remote, 8% have no call, 75% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for South Dakota is 88.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$57k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $64k in an average-cost state. 58.2% of South Dakota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $45k–$69k | Mental Health Therapy median $67k (middle half $67k–$85k)67 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$64k in purchasing power | South Dakota index 88.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Mental Health Therapy listings in South Dakota | 22 active | 7,857 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 73% remote · 8% no call · 75% no weekends40 benchmarked listings |
Location & Logistics
South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$57k midpoint, that is roughly $2k–$4k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.
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