Atlantis Academy logo
Atlantis Academy
Bentonville, Arkansas

Mental Health Therapist

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$65K - $70K

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

Starting Salary: $65,000 - $70,000 /year based on experience

Environment: Special Education Program, Grades K-5

ChanceLight Behavioral Health, Therapy, & Education, a growing, dynamic organization with a social mission to offer hope, is seeking a School-based Mental Health Therapist to join our award-winning Special Education team and perform meaningful work in a culture that welcomes innovation, encourages creative expression and offers limitless potential for personal and professional satisfaction!

If you excel in a student-centered, collaborative, and data-informed environment, are passionate about supporting students with special needs, and bring resilience, empathy, and a solutions-focused mindset — We Should Talk!

As a Mental Health Therapist, you will play a vital role in supporting students’ academic, social, and emotional success. Through individual and group counseling, as well as close collaboration with educators, families, and community partners, you will help create a safe, supportive learning environment that strengthens connections between home and school.

‖ Responsibilities Include:

  • Providing individual and group counseling sessions to address interpersonal, social, emotional, or family challenges impacting school performance, including crisis intervention when necessary.
  • Conducting comprehensive interviews with students, families, and school personnel to assess social, emotional, and behavioral adjustment to school and community life.
  • Maintaining consistent communication with parents/guardians by informing them of student progress, challenges, and any home-life changes that may influence academic performance.
  • Developing and updating Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and Positive Behavior Intervention Plans (PBIPs) in compliance with company, school, state, and federal guidelines.
  • Attending and actively participating in IEP team meetings, facilitating when required by the district, and engaging in other team meetings to address student or parent concerns.
  • Collaborating with educators, school staff, and social service agencies to design and implement appropriate support services for students and families.
  • Providing case management for students, including coordinating parent meetings, facilitating emergency transportation requests, supporting disciplinary processes, and liaising with outside therapists.
  • Partnering with teachers, parents/guardians, district personnel, and service providers to identify solutions to academic and behavioral challenges, while building strong relationships and promoting a positive organizational image.
  • Ensuring consistent use of positive teaching strategies by conducting monthly classroom climate observations and monitoring the implementation of IEP and PBIP goals.
  • Guiding and consulting with teachers on classroom scheduling, data system management, and student transition planning to ensure alignment with IEP and program goals.
  • Assessing student progress through ongoing review of data collection systems, and training staff to apply results-driven interventions that address evolving student needs.
  • Modeling best practices for student engagement, effective communication, and problem-solving with staff—reinforcing a data-driven, behavior-analytic, and collaborative approach to maximize outcomes for students and colleagues.

‖ Qualifications Required:

  • Master’s degree or higher in educational counseling, therapy, social work or a closely related field of study.
  • Licensed currently or in the process of obtaining one or more of the

Following Credentials

  • LMFT | LMHC | LPC | LCSW | SSW
  • Licensed currently or in the process of obtaining an AR state special education credential highly preferred.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain certification in company approved crisis management training.
  • Prior experience and/or knowledge in special education services and compliance, particularly for students with learning disabilities, emotional behavioral disorders and/or other related disabilities.
  • Prior experience and/or highly knowledgeable in providing mental health support to children, preferably in an education and/or behavioral health program setting.
  • Well-versed in applied behavior analysis (ABA) including functional behavior assessment (FBA), positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) and behavior intervention plans (BIP's).
  • Proven success in developing and implementing effective treatment plans for students with diverse needs at various levels.
  • Proficiency in providing motivation and having critical conversations with students that help move them toward realistic goals.
  • Ability to think and act quickly and calmly in an emergency and make independent decisions.
  • Highly skilled in building relationships with students, parents, teachers and community and/or district partners.
  • Advanced oral and written communication, instruction, curriculum, conflict resolution, multitasking, problem solving, and decision making ability.
  • Well-versed in the use of relevant technology including experience with computers, Microsoft Office Suite, database entry and basic office equipment.

ChanceLight Behavioral Health, Therapy, & Education is the nation’s leading provider of alternative and special education programs for children and young adults. For more than 50 years, and in partnership with over 235 school districts nationwide, we have helped change the direction of more than 240,000 student lives!

> Learn more about our history, our mission and the program services we > provide by visiting the link below:

> * bit. ly

At ChanceLight we believe in providing more than just a job, as a member of our team you'll receive the opportunity to make meaningful impacts, the support needed to achieve success, and all the tools essential to reaching your personal & professional fulfillment! Your path to a truly rewarding career starts here – where growth, empowerment, and collaboration define our culture; and every day is a Chance to transform lives through education!

‖ Perks and Benefits Include:

  • Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
  • FREE Telehealth and Virtual Counseling Sessions
  • FREE Health Advocacy Services and 24/7 Nurse Line
  • Company Paid Life & Disability Insurance
  • Company Paid Employee Assistance Program
  • Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
  • Personal Protection Insurance Plans
  • Cigna Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Babies Program
  • Legal Services Insurance
  • Pet Health Insurance
  • Accrual-based Paid Time Off
  • School Hours and Paid Holiday Schedule
  • Extensive Personal and Life Event Paid Leave Policy
  • 401k Retirement Saving Plan
  • Perks at Work Employee Discount Program
  • Opportunities for Growth & Development
  • And So Much More!

If you're ready to start making lasting impacts on the lives of students and contribute to the creation of a brighter future — This Is Your Chance!

Join us and together, we can empower students to overcome challenges, build confidence and unlock their full potential!

Careers, with Chancelight Work. with Purpose.

Copyright © 2026 ChanceLight Behavioral Health, Therapy, & Education, a ChanceLight® company *Benefit plans and eligibility requirements may vary based on role and employment status.

Key Responsibilities

Provide individual and group counseling to students in a special education setting to support their academic and emotional success. Collaborate with educators and families to develop IEPs and PBIPs while monitoring student progress through data-driven interventions.

Requirements

Requires a Master's degree in counseling, therapy, or social work and a relevant professional license (e.g., LMFT, LCSW). Candidates should have experience in special education, ABA methodologies, and the ability to manage crises in a school environment.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Individual CounselingIEP DevelopmentPBIP DevelopmentInterpersonal Communication

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Mental Health Therapist at Atlantis Academy a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) — ranked against 8,033 active Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc.

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 52% are remote, 40% have no call, 72% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Arkansas is 86.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$68k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $78k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Arkansas clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

28 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution28 jobs · 13 employers

6
<$85k
5
$85k-100k
5
$100k-115k
11
$115k-130k
1
$137k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks27 jobs · 13 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
56%
CME allowance
22%
PSLF eligible
11%
Loan repayment
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Genetic Counselor I

Lurie Children's Hospital · Chicago, Illinois

$83k-$137k
#2

MCRT Licensed Team Lead LCSW LMFT LPCC - Mental Health 396

Telecare · San Diego, California

$103k-$128k
#3

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

$74k-$126k
#4

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

$92k-$125k
+ 26 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 7.2
Better work-life than 80% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,033 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Bentonville

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$381k≈ 5.9× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,656/mo≈ 31% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.4
State income tax
Up to 4.9%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Atlantis Academy logo

About Atlantis Academy

Primary and Secondary Education
Brentwood, Tennessee
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision
FREE Telehealth and Virtual Counseling
FREE Health Advocacy Services
Company Paid Life & Disability Insurance
Company Paid Employee Assistance Program
Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
Personal Protection Insurance Plans
Cigna Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Babies Program