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Cortica
San Marcos, California

Play-Based Therapist

Counselor / TherapistNo weekendsPart-Time

Listed compensation

$20.87-$28/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 23m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Looking for a meaningful career where you can make a difference every day? Start your journey with Cortica!

Join our team of compassionate, mission-driven professionals who are passionate about helping children with autism and other neurodevelopmental differences learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

As a Behavior Technician, you'll work directly with children to help them build important life skills, develop confidence, and celebrate their progress.

No prior ABA experience? No problem! Whether you're coming from childcare, education, recreation, healthcare, or simply have a passion for working with children, Cortica will provide the training, tools, and support you need to get started and build a rewarding career.

Pay: $20.87 – $28.00 per hour

Who We're Looking For

We welcome candidates from a variety of backgrounds! Experience working with children or individuals with developmental disabilities is a plus, but not required. We're looking for people who are:

  • Passionate about working with children and helping others learn and grow.
  • Patient, dependable, adaptable, and eager to learn.
  • Comfortable building relationships and creating fun, engaging experiences.
  • Interested in developing new skills and making a meaningful difference.
  • You may be a great fit if you have experience as a:
  • Childcare provider, nanny, or babysitter.
  • Preschool or elementary school teacher.
  • Teaching assistant, paraprofessional, or instructional aide.
  • Camp counselor, coach, or youth program leader.
  • Healthcare, behavioral health, or social services professional.

You'll Also Need

A high school diploma or equivalent.

Reliable transportation and the ability to travel between client locations within approximately a 30–40-minute radius.

Comfort using technology and willingness to learn electronic medical record systems, and Microsoft Office tools.

Why Cortica?

  • Flexible, Predictable Schedules
  • We know life outside of work matters! We offer part-time schedules designed to provide consistency and flexibility:
  • Choose from 5-, 3-, or 2-day-per-week schedule options (Minimum of 3 hours per day).
  • Enjoy a predictable schedule with a single, direct rate of pay.
  • Have opportunities to pick up additional hours on Saturdays.

Competitive Pay & Perks

  • $20.87–$28.00 per hour, based on experience and education.
  • Paid drive time and mileage reimbursement between client sessions, with toll reimbursement in select areas.
  • Cell phone stipend.
  • $250–$500 employee referral bonus.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with company matching.

Paid Training & Ongoing Support

No ABA experience? No problem! We invest in your success from day one with a comprehensive, two-week, in-person training and orientation program. You'll receive hands-on training, guidance, and ongoing coaching from experienced team members so you can feel confident in your role.

You'll never be expected to figure it out alone. Work alongside Lead Behavior Technicians, ABA Assistant Supervisors, and ABA Supervisors who are invested in your growth.

Build a Career, Not Just a Job

Cortica offers opportunities to grow your skills and advance your career. Whether you're interested in pursuing a future as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), advancing through our Behavior Technician Clinical Ladder, or exploring opportunities in corporate support, we'll help you discover what's possible.

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). For more details, visit the full job description here.

Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCOE) Accredited 2024 | America’s Greatest Midsize Workplaces 2025 Newsweek | Great Place to Work Certified 2025 | Glassdoor 4.3 Rating 2025 | Indeed 4.1 Rating 2025

Privacy Notice

corticacare.com is committed to protecting your personal information in compliance with applicable federal and state laws. Please review our Privacy Notice to understand how your data is collected, used, and protected.

Fair Chance Ordinance Compliance

Cortica is committed to fair hiring practices. Qualified candidates with criminal histories and/or driving violations will be considered and are not automatically disqualified from employment, consistent with applicable federal law, the California Fair Chance Act, and local ordinances.

Driving Requirement

This position requires the successful completion of a post-offer background check and a motor vehicle report review.

E-Verify Participation

This employer participates in E-Verify. Click here to view the E-Verify Poster and your Right to Work.

Este empleador participa en E-Verify. Este empleador participa en E-Verify. Haga clic aquí para ver el cartel de E-Verify y su derecho a trabajar.

#CarlsbadBICareers

Key Responsibilities

You will work directly with children with autism and other neurodevelopmental differences to help them build life skills and confidence. You will also be responsible for traveling between client locations to provide consistent, high-quality behavioral therapy sessions.

Requirements

Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent and reliable transportation for travel between client sites. You must be comfortable using technology and willing to learn electronic medical record systems and Microsoft Office tools.

Certifications

Board Certification

Key Skills

Patient careCommunicationRelationship buildingAdaptabilityElectronic medical recordsAutism supportDevelopmental disability support

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 34% have no call, 58% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$51k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $46k 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$43k–$58kMental Health Therapy median $78k (middle half $63k–$109k)53 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$46k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Mental Health Therapy listings in California573 active7,536 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 44% remote · 34% no call · 58% 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 listings2,575 in the last 30 days1,373 the 30 days before (+88%)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

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

26 jobs
9
<$65k
9
$65k-90k
1
$104k
7
$115k-140k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

27 jobs
401k / retirement match
78% this job
CME allowance
48%
Sign-on bonus
15%
Loan repayment
15%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Outpatient Therapist TF-CBT

Northeast Family Services · New Rochelle, New York

$70-$100/hr
#2

Outpatient Therapist TF-CBT

Northeast Family Services · Bronx, New York

$70-$100/hr
#3

Part Time Remote Group Therapist - California Licensed

$62-$96/hr
#4

Remote Mental Health Therapist - LCSW, LPCC, LMFT (1099, CA)

$75-$90/hr
+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 5.7
Better work-life than 50% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,459 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends
Cortica logo

About Cortica

Hospitals and Health Care
San Diego, California
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Flexible part-time schedules (5-, 3-, or 2-day options)
Paid drive time and mileage reimbursement
Cell phone stipend
$250-$500 employee referral bonus
401(k) with company matching
Fully paid 2-week training and orientation
Ongoing professional development
Career advancement to BCBA or Clinical Ladder

Living in San Marcos

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$865k
Typical market rent
$3,311/mo
Residents’ average commute
27 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
111.9
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 · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.