MUSIC THERAPIST

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$63k-$83k

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

Title: MUSIC THERAPIST

State Role Title: Therapy Assistant/Therapist I

Hiring Range: $63,084-$83,287

Pay Band: 3

Agency: Dept Behavioral Health/Develop

Location: Eastern State Hospital

Agency Website: esh.dbhds.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Eastern State Hospital located in Williamsburg, Virginia was founded in 1773 with a well-intentional emphasis on community focused care. This state of the art campus, situated on 500 acres, consists of two patient care buildings with 300 patients, and a highly skilled staff of over 900. Eastern State Hospital is part of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) system, and is accredited by the Joint Commission.

ESH invites applications for the position of Therapist I – Music Therapist

This position provides Music Therapy treatment to meet the psychiatric, social, emotional and physical needs of patients. Plan and implement goal-oriented MT treatment appropriate to the needs of adult/geriatric patients. Attend and actively participate in scheduled patient-related conferences. Demonstrate good oral and written skills for communicating and documenting patient progress.

Ability to integrate knowledge, skills and abilities and MT principles to practice. Ability to complete age-specific assessments and evaluations. Must be able to drive State Van to safely transport patients to activities and outings.

This position is considered essential personnel and would be required to work in the event of an emergency or facility need. All ESH positions are required to work different shifts and/or overtime as requested.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Graduate from a college or university with major studies in Music Therapy accompanied by experience that would meet the requirements for certification.
  • Music Therapist must be board certified (MT-BC) by the Virginia Board of Social Work.
  • Experience in completing age-specific assessments and evaluations.
  • Experience working with psychiatric patients in a clinical setting, in Music Therapy and in activity programs.
  • Experience in planning and implementing goal-oriented Music Therapy treatment appropriate to the needs of adult patients with Psychiatric Diagnosis.

Additional Considerations

None.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and people with National Service experience are encouraged to apply. EEO/AA/TTY. Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities.

Eastern State Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment opportunities are open to applicants without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, political affiliation, genetics or disability.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the application and supplemental materials thoroughly reflects their knowledge, skills, and abilities, as it relates to the advertised qualifications.

For consideration, a completed application must be received online by 11:59PM on the “Job Close Date”

Applicants who list “see resume” in lieu of completing the application may miss the opportunity for consideration.

Eastern State Hospital conducts a comprehensive and thorough background check on all employees.

Contact Information

Name: EASTERN STATE HOSPITAL

Phone: 757-208-7717 REFER TO PAGEUP(JOBS. VIRGINIA. GOV ACCOUNT) FOR APPLICATION

STATUS.

Email: EMAIL APPLICATION MATERIAL NOT ACCEPTED.

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process.

To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI).

Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.

Key Responsibilities

The Music Therapist provides goal-oriented treatment to meet the psychiatric, social, emotional, and physical needs of adult and geriatric patients. Responsibilities include conducting assessments, documenting patient progress, and participating in interdisciplinary patient conferences.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a degree in Music Therapy and possess board certification (MT-BC). Experience in a clinical psychiatric setting and the ability to perform age-specific assessments are required.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Psychiatric CareClinical AssessmentPatient DocumentationTreatment PlanningGeriatric CareCrisis ManagementPatient Transportation

Counselor Career Context

Virginia Information Technologies Agency ranks #13 of 17 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% are remote, 46% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$73k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $72k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

33 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution33 jobs · 26 employers

7
<$75k
10
$75k-90k
5
$90k-105k
7
$105k-120k
4
$120k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks30 jobs · 26 employers

401k / retirement match
90%
CME allowance
30%
Sign-on bonus
23%
Loan repayment
17%
PSLF eligible
13%

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
+ 31 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,961 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Williamsburg

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$420k≈ 6.7× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,115/mo≈ 40% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
20 min
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.

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

Virginia Information Technologies Agency logo

About Virginia Information Technologies Agency

IT Services and IT Consulting
Richmond, VA
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

State benefits