UW Health logo
UW Health
Madison, Wisconsin

Behavioral Health Therapist - Primary Care

Counselor 8.0 Work-LifeNo weekendsNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$69K - $97K

The week · per this posting · Monday – FridayWeekdays only

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

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Work Schedule: 100% FTE, days. Shifts are scheduled Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. You will work at 20 S. Park St in Madison, WI.

Pay

  • This position may be eligible for a $3,000 sign-on bonus.

Be Part of Something Remarkable

Working as an independent health care provider, you'll play an integral role in our care teams by providing high-quality, cost-effective care to patients while working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary health team. This position is part of the Collaborative Care workstream in Primary Care.

We Are Seeking a Behavioral Health Therapist To

  • Collaborate with other medical professionals in a fast-paced environment.
  • Work as a team with the primary care staff and team psychiatrist helping deliver brief interventions for pediatric patients in Primary Care.
  • Provide short, but intense follow-up.
  • Use outcome-based models to track patient improvement.

At UW Health, You Will Have

  • An excellent benefits package, including health and dental insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, two-week paid parental leave and adoption assistance.
  • Options for a variety of schedules and shifts that offer flexibility and allow for work-life balance.
  • Access to great resources through the UW Health Employee Wellbeing Department that supports your emotional, financial, and physical well-being.
  • Tuition benefits eligibility - UW Health invests in your professional growth by helping pay for coursework associated with career advancement.
  • The opportunity to earn a referral bonus for referring friends, former colleagues or others to apply for open, posted positions.

Qualifications

  • Master's Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, or other behavioral health related field Required

Work Experience

  • 2 years of experience providing evidence-based treatment for a variety of behavioral health diagnoses for children, adolescents, or adults Required
  • 5 years of experience providing evidence-based treatment for a variety of behavioral health diagnoses for children, adolescents, or adults Preferred

Licenses & Certifications

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker Upon Hire Required or
  • Licensed Professional Counselor Upon Hire Required or
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Upon Hire Required and
  • Basic Life Support/CPR within 6 months Required and
  • Substance Abuse Counselor Upon Hire Preferred or
  • Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor Upon Hire Preferred

Our Commitment to Social Impact and Belonging

UW Health is committed to fostering a workplace that creates belonging for everyone and is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer.

Our respect for people shines through patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day.

It is the policy of UW Health to provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

UW Health Clinics - our physicians and staff are dedicated to providing an exceptional patient and family experience by delivering the highest quality of care in a compassionate environment. With more than 90 primary and specialty care clinics located throughout Dane County and the surrounding areas, we are proud to have the opportunity to impact the communities we serve.

View Full Job Description

UW Medical Foundation benefits

Key Responsibilities

The Behavioral Health Therapist will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to deliver brief interventions and evidence-based care to pediatric patients in a primary care setting. They will use outcome-based models to track patient progress and provide intense, short-term follow-up care.

Qualifications

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

Certifications

BLS

Key Skills

Behavioral health therapyPediatric careClinical social workSubstance abuse counselingMultidisciplinary teamwork

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Behavioral Health Therapist - Primary Care at UW Health a 8.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as excellent. This places the position in the top 10% in Counseling — ranked against 13,652 active Counseling listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements, no night shifts.

Primary Care — Counselor Career Context

Of the 40 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 70% are remote, 38% have no call, 75% require no weekends.

Counselor pay on WeekdayDoc is up 7.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Wisconsin is 94.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$83k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $88k in an average-cost state. 60.7% of Wisconsin clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

26 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution26 jobs · 10 employers

9
<$95k
3
$95k-105k
5
$105k-115k
7
$115k-125k
2
$125k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks24 jobs · 10 employers

401k / retirement match
96% this job
Sign-on bonus
46% this job
CME allowance
25%
Loan repayment
4% this job
PSLF eligible
4%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Outpatient Therapist (Licensed Psychologist or LICSW)

Allina Health · Edina, Minnesota

$125k-$140k
#2

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

LifeStance Health · Brookfield, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#3

Weekend Outpatient Mental Health Therapist

$63k-$123k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LMHC, LCSW)

$115k-$120k
+ 24 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.3this job 8.0
Among the best 10% of Counseling listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 13,652 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends
  • No nights

Living in Madison

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$433k≈ 6.3× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,616/mo≈ 28% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.3
State income tax
Up to 7.7%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Madison, WI metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

UW Health logo

About UW Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Madison, WI
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Health and dental insurance
Paid time off
Retirement plans
Two-week paid parental leave
Adoption assistance
Tuition benefits
Referral bonus
$3,000 sign-on bonus