Directions for Living logo
Directions for Living
Largo, Florida

Counselor Family Works

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$73K - $78K

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 6mo ago

Job Description

Job DetailsJob Location: Largo, FL 33773Salary Range: $73,000.00 - $78,000.00 SalarySalary is $73,000/year + $5,000 if licensed We offer: Medical (100% employer paid for employees only), Dental, Vision, Life, Short Term and Long-Term Disability.

5 days of PTO 16 Wellness Days and Holidays - Including the week of Christmas off! Do you envision working for a dynamic, mission-driven organization which supports the community while fostering an employee culture of appreciation and fun?

If your answer is yes, then an employment opportunity at Directions for Living may be a great fit for you!

We offer an excellent salary and benefits package to include employer paid health insurance premiums for all full-time employees, PTO and paid company holidays, 403b retirement, EAP, and year-round employee wellness and appreciation initiatives.

POSITION SUMMARY: This is a professional position providing Counseling services within the Family Works program under the Housing First Division.

Counseling consists of providing individual counseling for children and families affected by trauma, mental illness, or substance misuse, using evidence-based practices and the latest research-supported interventions to restore and improve the quality of life for each individual served.

Work involves the application of psychotherapeutic theories and practices. Family Works is a program that works with children from identified targeted schools in Pinellas County and their families to decrease homelessness and achieve stable and permanent housing potential.

It includes assessing, linking, coordinating, and monitoring services from mental health, social, and educational aspects. The team will collaborate and develop service plans in partnership with the family and work closely with the family to identify services needed in the home to maintain in a stable environment.

Services are provided in-home or in the community. The program works closely with the family to connect with resources and offer educational, financial or other assistance as needed or appropriate.

The Family Works Counselor will play an integral role of support, linkage, coaching and guidance for adults and families with a mental health or co-occurring mental health & substance abuse concern, and is responsible for guiding the adult and family in treatment/recovery by providing counseling services to the child and family.

The Family Works Counselor will play an integral role of support and guidance for youth and families with a mental health or co-occurring mental health & substance abuse concern, and is responsible for guiding the youth and family in treatment/recovery by providing counseling services to increase stability in the home.

The Family Works Counselor will ensure that services focus on providing clinical interventions, utilizing natural supports, community supports, and input and resources from other community partners or professional agencies.

The Family Works Counselor functions as a member of an Integrated Decision Team (IDT) consisting of the Family Works Case Manager, a counselor, and an IDT facilitator.

The Family Works Counselor is responsible for ensuring the youth and family have an individualized treatment plan that is strength based and built collaboratively with each member of the IDT team during the IDT session.

The treatment plan, risk level, and Counseling interventions are developed by the Integrated Decision Team that consists of the family, natural supports, and formal supports that care about and know the youth and family best.

Each IDT member, including the youth and family, contributes valuable knowledge, expertise and perspective that informs the treatment plan and clinical response.

In addition, the Family Works Counselor is responsible for reporting and discussing at IDT's the youth or families progress/lack of progress, barriers, interventions, safety issues, or any other information important in resolving the safety concerns that bring the youth and family into treatment.

The Family Works Counselor ensures services are delivered using standards of trauma informed care principles, and that plans and clinical interventions address issues regarding how trauma impacts family functioning, and that plans and interventions use trauma resolution skills.

Family Works Counselor ensures that services are Culturally & Linguistically Competent and are tailored to the unique culture of the child and family. The Family Works Counselor will ensure that counseling services occur in the community at a place convenient and comfortable for the youth and family.

This is a field position. The Family Works Counselor is responsible for ensuring an annual client facing client care number of hours annually. Achieving the minimum required weekly, monthly and annual client facing client care hours is an essential function of this position.

Directions for Living is an essential services provider. All Directions for Living employees must be willing and able to provide vital support and essential services to the people that we serve in the event of an emergency, pandemic or other disaster situation.

Qualifications EDUCATION EXPERIENCE/REQUIREMENTS

Master's degree in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work or related field required. Knowledge of DSM-IV and ICD-9 diagnostic codes preferred. Basic knowledge of psychotropic medications.

Must have sufficient clinical knowledge to provide clinical intervention with adults and children who manifest a range of psychopathology, utilizing various treatment approaches including individual, family play, and group therapy, individual psychopathology and normal childhood development.

Must have a willingness to learn approaches with which staff are less familiar as required. Must acquire knowledge of community resources. Knowledge of child development, including physical, mental, emotional and cultural issues preferred.

Must be computer literate and be proficient in Outlook, Excel spreadsheets, and Microsoft Word. Must be able to work proficiently in a Windows environment and be able to learn other software applications quickly.

Previous certification as a Wraparound Facilitator in high fidelity Wraparound preferred EOE/ADA/DFW Smoke Free Campus IND123 info.flclearinghouse.com For the safety of all clients and team members, please remember that Directions for Living is a private business and weapons or firearms are not permitted in any of our facilities. If you carry a weapon, it must remain secured in your vehicle (ref: Fla. Stat. 790.251).

Key Responsibilities

This professional role involves providing individual counseling services to children and families affected by trauma, mental illness, or substance misuse, utilizing evidence-based practices to improve quality of life. The counselor will collaborate with an Integrated Decision Team to develop strength-based, individualized treatment plans and ensure services are delivered in a trauma-informed and culturally competent manner.

Requirements

A Master's degree in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field is required, along with sufficient clinical knowledge to intervene with various psychopathology presentations in adults and children. Candidates must be computer literate and willing to learn new approaches and community resources as needed.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Family CounselingService CoordinationTreatment PlanningCultural CompetencyRisk AssessmentComputer Literacy

Clinical Psychology — Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Florida is 103.4 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$76k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $73k in an average-cost state. 58.1% of Florida clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Clinical Psychology listings this role was benchmarked against, 40% are remote, 36% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

Clinical Psychology pay on WeekdayDoc is up 11.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Counselor Family Works at Directions for Living a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Clinical Psychology (Counseling) — ranked against 352 active Clinical Psychology (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc.

Location & Logistics

Florida has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$76k midpoint, that is roughly $3k–$5k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top Counselor Jobs

34 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution34 jobs · 27 employers

16
<$75k
9
$75k-95k
3
$95k-115k
6
$115k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks23 jobs

401k / retirement match
91% this job
Sign-on bonus
43% this job
Loan repayment
26%
CME allowance
26%
PSLF eligible
17%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#2

Clinical Director - LMFT, LCSW, LPCC

Seneca Family of Agencies · Salinas, California

$112k-$126k
#3

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

$92k-$125k
#4

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

$115k-$120k
+ 32 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 7.2this job 7.2
Better work-life than 60% of Clinical Psychology (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 352 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Largo

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$401k≈ 5.5× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,833/mo≈ 30% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
25 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
100.9
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Directions for Living logo

About Directions for Living

Mental Health Care
Clearwater, Florida
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical Insurance (100% Employer Paid)
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
5 Days PTO
16 Wellness Days/Holidays
403b Retirement