Sierra Health and Wellness logo
Sierra Health and Wellness
Pacific Grove, California

Associate Therapist / Licensed Therapist

Counselor / TherapistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$85k-$120k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Job Location: Monterey - Pacific Grove, CA
  • Position Type: Full Time
  • Education Level: Masters Degree
  • Salary Range: $85000.00 - $120000.00Salary/year
  • Job Shift: Any
  • Job Category: Clinical, Licensed Therapists or Associate Therapist opportunity. (please note: Licensed Therapists, LMFT, LCSW or LPCC, will also be considered. The list of essential functions reflects that of Associate Therapists) Sierra Health and Wellness uses evidence-based methods to accomplish the restoration of families, relationships, and self-worth. By transforming the character, we give life back to the people who have lost it through substance abuse and mental health issues. Our stunning inpatient facility houses 22 clients who receive specialized and personal care from our staff. Our historic, remodeled mansion is located in stunning Monterey, with ocean views. Join our team to provide platinum level care. Job Description: The Associate Therapist is responsible for treating, assessing, monitoring, and developing a comprehensive plan to meet the needs of clients while in treatment for chemical and alcohol abuse and dependency. The Associate Therapist is responsible for providing ongoing direct client care through weekly individual and group therapy, as well as responding to immediate clinical needs such as AMA prevention, crisis response, and milieu management. In addition, the Associate Therapist provides family therapy to clients who request this service and where clinically indicated. The Associate Therapist is a primary member and participant in weekly multidisciplinary treatment planning and works collaboratively with the certified SUD counselor to develop a comprehensive aftercare plan post-discharge. Documentation within the electronic healthcare record is required for all clinical interactions and relevant case management activities. The Associate Therapist may also provide ongoing clinical consultation and support for the certified SUD counselors. Essential Functions: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. Performs professional mental health and substance use disorder services with clients in treatment for chemical and alcohol abuse and dependency. Provides individual, group, and family therapy services. Assesses and monitors client’s progress and behavior while in treatment. Participates in multidisciplinary treatment planning and aftercare planning. Participates in collaborative treatment with representatives of other agencies. Responds to clinical emergencies and acute client needs. Responds to client complaints in an efficient and timely manner. Records noteworthy events involving clinical services and client activities in the electronic medical record. Reviews client chart for completion of all paperwork with appropriate signatures; may complete weekly audits. Attends conferences, workshops, and training to maintain current awareness of mental health and SUD methodologies and issues. Maintains confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations. Operates a personal computer and other office equipment. Communicates effectively with others in person and over the telephone. May be assigned some lead and special work coordination responsibilities. Competencies: Principles, procedures, techniques, trends of clinical and casework services, therapy, and treatment. Social aspects and characteristics of mental and emotional disturbances and substance use disorders. Principles of mental health and substance use disorder education. A wide variety of therapeutic and treatment approaches for persons with mental and emotional problems. Scope, availability, and activities of community resources, including other mental health and social service agencies. Current trends in mental hygiene, mental health, public health, and social services, including State and Federal programs in these areas. Expert communication skills and counseling abilities Commitment to the philosophy of recovery, continuity of the program, and to affirming the dignity and respect of all clients. Work Environment: Office and Health care setting with clients and other employees present. Working indoors primarily and outdoors occasionally. Working in close proximity to others. May walk on slippery and uneven walking surfaces. Excessive continuous noise at times. Typical office and group counseling environment. Mostly indoor office environment with windows and lights. Physical Demands: Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. Attending conferences or training session
  • Travel Required: Ability to travel to various office or facility locations

Affirmative Action/EEOC Statement: Sierra Health and Wellness is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

Required education and experience: Must obtain and maintain a registration number regulated by a state board (ASW, AMFT, APC) Must possess a master’s degree in social work, marriage and family therapy, or counseling. Have at minimum one-year experience in Drug and Alcohol counseling.

Very familiar with HIPAA/client confidentiality and personal rights. Must possess a current CPR and First Aid certification. Must possess a valid Driver’s License Preferred education and experience: Two to three years of experience in drug and alcohol counseling BA or MA degree in related field.

Salary

Associate Therapist: $85,000 - $105,000 Licensed Therapist: $105,000 - $120,000 The posted pay range is a reasonable estimate that the organization believes in good faith it may pay for this particular job based on the circumstances at the time of posting. This pay range is not a promise of a particular wage. Pay may consider several factors including but not limited to internal equity, experience, specialty, training, hours/shifts worked, business need, and education.

Pay ranges may be adjusted in the future depending upon many factors including business needs. PM21 #IDSHW26

Key Responsibilities

The Associate Therapist provides direct clinical care, including individual, group, and family therapy, while monitoring client progress in a substance abuse treatment setting. They also participate in multidisciplinary treatment planning and maintain accurate documentation within the electronic healthcare record.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a master's degree in social work, marriage and family therapy, or counseling and maintain a valid state registration number. A minimum of one year of experience in drug and alcohol counseling, along with current CPR and First Aid certifications, is required.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Individual therapySubstance abuse counselingMental health assessmentElectronic healthcare recordsHIPAA complianceCPR certification

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% are remote, 30% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$103k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $93k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Mental Health Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$85k–$120kMental Health Therapy median $87k (middle half $80k–$114k)38 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$93k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Mental Health Therapy listings in California570 active7,459 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 48% remote · 30% no call · 70% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedCalifornia counselor listings (all specialties): 12% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 9% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Mental Health Therapy listings2,512 in the last 30 days1,354 the 30 days before (+86%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Counselor Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

40 jobs · 33 employers
15
<$95k
13
$95k-115k
7
$115k-135k
3
$135k-155k
2
$155k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

33 jobs
401k / retirement match
94%
CME allowance
55%
Sign-on bonus
45%
Loan repayment
12%
Relocation assistance
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Licensed Mental Health Therapist

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 1.5
Below most Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,558 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Pacific Grove

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.47M≈ 17.2× annual pay
Typical market rent
$3,176/mo≈ 45% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
22 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
109.0
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Salinas, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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