Mass General Brigham logo
Mass General Brigham
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Community Residence Counselor- Gunderson Residence

CounselorPer Diem

Listed compensation

$23.4-$30.73/hr

Listing transparency3 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage and nights and shift pattern.

Employment & setting
Per Diem · on-site
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Site: The McLean Hospital Corporation

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit, we support patient care, research, teaching, and community service, striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham.

Job Summary

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Program Manager, the Community Residence Counselor provides direct patient care and participates in the therapeutic milieu within the scope of defined practice. This role provides direct patient care through group and individual counseling in accordance with the current treatment plan.

Essential Functions

  • Clear, concise, and timely documentation, including encounter forms and shift notes.
  • Establishes relationships with patients that are helpful and maintains professional boundaries.
  • Participates in patient rounds or teams per program guidelines.
  • Completes assigned patient care tasks per program guidelines.
  • Intervenes in managing complex patient situations.
  • Remains awake and alert at all times while on the job.
  • Works effectively to manage the therapeutic milieu.
  • Participates in leading and co-leading patient groups.
  • Provides and supervises community activities according to needs. This may include transporting patients to and from activities in hospital vehicles.
  • Provides patients with direction and supervision as needed.
  • Follows established program policies, procedures, and protocols.
  • Assumes leadership when functioning in charge counselor position by delegating duties and providing supervision when needed.
  • Communicates information regarding patient milieu/therapeutic environment to appropriate staff in a timely manner.
  • Supervises patients in taking medication as prescribed.
  • Follows all program and hospital-wide policies and procedures.
  • Reports and documents missed doses to appropriate staff.
  • Communicates observations related to medication side effects and desired effects to appropriate medical staff in a timely manner.
  • Supports nursing staff in assisting patients in acquiring skills to successfully self-medicate.
  • Assists patients in their activities of daily living.
  • Identifies patients’ strengths and deficits related to ADLs and initiates and implements interventions to meet these needs.
  • Assesses sleep patterns and assists patients in developing more appropriate sleep cycles, notifying the clinical team as necessary.
  • Assists patients in maintaining and keeping various appointments.
  • Maintains a commitment to professional growth and competency.
  • Completes mandatory in-service requirements.
  • Identifies areas of strength and areas needing improvement with supervisor.
  • Maintains competency for treating age-specific patient populations.
  • Uses supervision effectively to enhance professional growth and development.
  • Attends and participates in rounds and case conferences when appropriate.

Qualifications

  • Qualifications
  • High School Diploma or GED required.
  • Bachelor’s degree preferred.
  • No experience required.
  • One year of patient care or related experience preferred, preferably in a psychiatric setting.

Skills

  • Verbal and written communication skills and ability to work in collaboration with others.
  • Driver’s license from MA, CT, NH, NY, RI, or VT preferred, varies by program.
  • Ability to satisfactorily meet hospital driving standards.
  • Certifications / Requirements
  • Medication Administration Program Certification required for select programs only.

Applicants who are not currently MAP certified will have a specified time period from the date of hire to successfully complete a McLean-sponsored MAP certification program.

Successful passing of the Medication Administration Certification is a requirement of the job.

All employees must possess basic computer skills to use a variety of electronic or online systems for communication, clinical, and administrative purposes.

Required to complete electronic medical records training and demonstrate 80% accuracy on competency test within 30 days of hire.

Additional Job Details (if applicable)

The position is for Gunderson Residence (GR) which focuses on the treatment of personality disorders (BPD, NPD, ASPD) in a multi-month residential program. Training integrates evidence based approaches in the treatment of these adults seeking treatment for severe comorbid psychopathy.

Remote Type

Onsite

Work Location

5 Spruce Avenue

Scheduled Weekly Hours

0

Employee Type

Per Diem

Work Shift

Rotating (United States of America)

Pay Range

$23.40 - $30.73/Hourly

Grade

MCL051

At Mass General Brigham, we believe in recognizing and rewarding the unique value each team member brings to our organization. Our approach to determining base pay is comprehensive, and any offer extended will take into account your skills, relevant experience if applicable, education, certifications and other essential factors. The base pay information provided offers an estimate based on the minimum job qualifications; however, it does not encompass all elements contributing to your total compensation package. In addition to competitive base pay, we offer comprehensive benefits, career advancement opportunities, differentials, premiums and bonuses as applicable and recognition programs designed to celebrate your contributions and support your professional growth. We invite you to apply, and our Talent Acquisition team will provide an overview of your potential compensation and benefits package.

EEO Statement

1600 The McLean Hospital Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. To ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Veteran’s Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact Human Resources at (857)-282-7642.

Mass General Brigham Competency Framework

At Mass General Brigham, our competency framework defines what effective leadership “looks like” by specifying which behaviors are most critical for successful performance at each job level. The framework is comprised of ten competencies (half People-Focused, half Performance-Focused) and are defined by observable and measurable skills and behaviors that contribute to workplace effectiveness and career success. These competencies are used to evaluate performance, make hiring decisions, identify development needs, mobilize employees across our system, and establish a strong talent pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

The Community Residence Counselor provides direct patient care through group and individual counseling while maintaining a therapeutic environment. They are responsible for documenting patient progress, supervising medication administration, and assisting patients with activities of daily living.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Key Skills

Group counselingTherapeutic milieu managementActivities of daily living supportCrisis interventionPatient supervisionCase managementClinical observation

Behavioral Health — Counselor Career Context

Of the 40 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 55% are remote, 40% have no call, 73% require no weekends.

Counselor pay on WeekdayDoc is up 9.5% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Massachusetts is 105.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$56k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $53k in an average-cost state. 63.2% of Massachusetts clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution31 jobs · 25 employers

10
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16
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Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks34 jobs · 25 employers

401k / retirement match
85%
CME allowance
38%
Sign-on bonus
35%
Loan repayment
26%
PSLF eligible
18%

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Work-life snapshot

1.5/ 10
Listing-based score
  • On-site

Living in Cambridge

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1,386k
Typical market rent
$3,476/mo
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.3
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Mass General Brigham logo

About Mass General Brigham

Hospitals and Health Care
Somerville, Massachusetts
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive benefits package (as applicable)
Career advancement opportunities
Differentials, premiums and bonuses as applicable
Recognition programs