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UnitedHealth Group
Waterbury, Connecticut

Outpatient Therapist - Waterbury CT

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$69k-$104k

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

Tides of Mind Counseling, part of the Optum family of businesses, is seeking a Licensed Clinical Therapist to join our team in Waterbury, CT. As a member of the Optum Behavioral Care team, you’ll be an integral part of our vision to make healthcare better for everyone.

As an Outpatient Therapist, you will treat a wide variety of mental health conditions that reflect the needs of our diverse patient population. We offer a variety of solutions that meet the unique needs of our workforce and the patients they serve. From clinical operations such as credentialing to business operations such as contracting, we provide organizational support that allows our providers to focus on what matters - providing care.

We are committed to your well-being and growth, offering a comprehensive package of perks and benefits with varying eligibility based on role, including:

Competitive hourly pay & uncapped productivity incentives

Flexible work models & paid time off when you need it

Health and well-being benefits like health insurance, 401k matching, and other family support and wellness resources

Professional development with continuing education (CE) reimbursement and dedicated learning time to advance your career

Primary Responsibilities

Screen and assess patients for common mental health and substance abuse disorders

Provide treatment for mental health conditions using various approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and other evidence-based methods

Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications

Maintain accurate and up-to-date electronic medical records and clinical documentation, ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements

Participate in our patient growth strategy by providing a profile for online directories and other marketing efforts

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in psychology, social work, or a related counseling field
  • Active, unrestricted clinical license as an LCSW, LMFT, or LPC in the state of Connecticut

Preferred Qualifications

  • 2+ years of professional experience post master’s degree providing behavioral health services
  • Experience providing direct psychotherapy services to individuals and families
  • Experience working with computers for professional communication and medical documentation - Excel, Outlook, Athena RMS or other Electronic Health Records systems (EHRs)
  • Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively with equal effectiveness

Explore opportunities at Optum Behavioral Care. We’re revolutionizing behavioral health care delivery for individuals, clinicians and the entire health care system. Together, we are bringing high-end medical service, compassionate care and industry leading solutions to our most vulnerable patient populations.

Our holistic approach addresses the physical, mental and social needs of our patients wherever they may be - helping patients access and navigate care anytime and anywhere. We’re connecting care to create a seamless health journey for patients across care settings.

Join us in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Pay Range: $69,100 - $103,800 annual total cash target pay

Annual total cash compensation for this role assumes full time employment and generally follows the range above, includes earnings from hourly pay (25/hr) and incentive pay and is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets and may increase over time based on productivity and performance in the role.

We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable. In addition to your pay, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements).

No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare by harnessing technology and innovation to make care simpler to navigate, more affordable and more connected for the people we serve.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, heard and respected, empowering people to bring their authentic selves to work and strengthening our collective impact through diverse talents, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

Key Responsibilities

The therapist will screen, assess, and provide evidence-based treatment for patients with various mental health and substance abuse conditions. They are also responsible for maintaining accurate clinical documentation and monitoring patient treatment responses.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's degree in psychology, social work, or a related field and possess an active, unrestricted clinical license (LCSW, LMFT, or LPC) in Connecticut. At least two years of post-master's professional experience in behavioral health is preferred.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Mental health assessmentSubstance abuse counselingTreatment planningCrisis interventionPatient monitoringEvidence-based practiceClinical compliance

Counselor Career Context

UnitedHealth Group ranks #5 of 29 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay, and holds silver-tier status on the Top Employers work-life index, composite score 75/100, 1,407 active listings.

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 54% are remote, 34% have no call, 58% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Connecticut is 103.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$86k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $83k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Connecticut clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

42 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution42 jobs · 32 employers

11
<$75k
14
$75k-90k
7
$90k-105k
4
$105k-120k
6
$120k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks38 jobs · 32 employers

401k / retirement match
95% this job
Sign-on bonus
37% this job
CME allowance
37% this job
Loan repayment
18%
PSLF eligible
11%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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$74k-$126k
#3

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

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 4.8
Better work-life than 40% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,956 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Waterbury

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$310k≈ 4.5× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,540/mo≈ 27% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
28 min
State income tax
Up to 7%
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.

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About UnitedHealth Group

Hospitals and Health Care
Eden Prairie , Minnesota
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Competitive hourly pay
Uncapped productivity incentives
Flexible work models
Paid time off
Health insurance
401k matching
Family support and wellness resources
Continuing education (CE) reimbursement