Recovery Counselor

CounselorIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$18-$21/hr

The week · per this posting · Tuesday – Saturday

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

Posted 2mo ago

Job Description

Partner with us in making a positive change!

Join a team where your work truly matters. We're proud to have been certified as a Great Place to Work for 8 years by our own employees. We invite you to partner with us in our mission to improve mental healthcare.

Job Title

Recovery Counselor

Division/Program

Orange: Coastal Star Crisis Residential Central

Starting Compensation

18.00 - 21.00 USD Per Hour

Working Location

Orange, CA

Working Hours/Shift

Tuesday - Saturday (6:00 AM - 2:30 PM)

Why Join Our Team?

  • Competitive Compensation: Offering a salary that matches your skills and experience.
  • Generous Time Off: Enjoy ample vacation and holiday pay.

Comprehensive Benefits Package

  • Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Additional voluntary benefits to support your lifestyle.

Professional Growth Opportunities

  • On-the-job training with access to paid CEU opportunities.
  • Career development programs designed to help you grow.
  • Supervision for BBS hours for AMFT, ACSW, and APCC professionals (where applicable).

Employee Recognition & Rewards: A culture that celebrates and rewards your hard work and dedication

What You Bring to SBHG (Qualifications)

Education & Experience | Must meet one of the following:

Completion of 15 semester units (or 24 quarter units) in psychology, sociology, or related behavioral sciences from an accredited college.

Six (6) months of full-time experience performing non-professional, consumer-directed services within a mental health, healthcare, or social services organization.

Certifications & Licensure

Valid California Driver’s License with an eligible driving record per company policy (Class “B” license preferred).

  • Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification is a plus (optional).
  • Meet agency driver eligibility criteria

Core Skills

Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively interact with individuals experiencing serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI), team members, and the public.

How You Will Make a Difference

The Recovery Counselor is a para-professional treatment team member who is responsible for providing direct care to meet the physical and psychosocial needs of the clients through direct and indirect physical and verbal interaction.

Duties are performed under direct supervision of the Program Coordinator, but some tasks are accomplished independently. Job duties include promoting and assisting clients with self-help skills in the areas of eating, hygiene and grooming, and other activities or nursing activities.

Encouraging client interactions and socialization with other peers, providing feedback to clients on appropriate behavior while acting as a role model. Transporting clients in facility vehicles as directed.

Conducting and assisting both large and small activity groups and outings independently but under the supervision of the Program Manager or his/her designee.

Division/Program Overview

Programs: The Crisis Residential Treatment (CRT) is a short-term voluntary residential facility designed to help adults aged 18-59 experiencing a psychiatric crisis safely stabilize, recover, and transition back to the community.

  • Population Served: adults aged 18-59 experiencing a psychiatric crisis
  • Facility & Setting: short-term voluntary residential facility | 24/7 program
  • Clinical Services: therapeutic and mental health services, medication evaluation and support, crisis intervention
  • Length of Stay: short-term

Skills & Transition: safely stabilize, recover, and transition back to the community, pre-vocational or vocational counseling

Skills & Services: rehabilitation and recovery services (including substance use rehabilitation), daily exercise and health/wellness education

Learn more about SBHG at: https://www.starsinc.com/stars-inc/

For Additional Information

mlawrence@starsinc.com

Key Responsibilities

The Recovery Counselor provides direct care to clients in a crisis residential setting, assisting with daily living activities and psychosocial needs. They also facilitate activity groups, act as a positive role model, and transport clients as required.

Requirements

Candidates must have either 15 semester units in psychology or related behavioral sciences or six months of full-time experience in a mental health or social services organization. A valid California Driver’s License and the ability to meet agency driver eligibility criteria are mandatory.

Key Skills

Mental health supportVerbal communicationClient transportationBehavioral observationPsychosocial supportActivity facilitationDocumentationTeam collaborationConflict de-escalationRehabilitation servicesSubstance use supportHealth and wellness education

Crisis Residential — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 24% have no call, 64% require no weekends.

Counselor pay on WeekdayDoc is down 3.3% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$41k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $37k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

32 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution32 jobs · 26 employers

7
<$90k
11
$90k-105k
6
$105k-120k
6
$120k-135k
2
$135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks30 jobs · 26 employers

401k / retirement match
93%
CME allowance
50% this job
Sign-on bonus
27%
Loan repayment
17%
Relocation assistance
10%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Poway, California

$118k-$135k
#2

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

Integrated Pain Management Medical Group · Walnut Creek, California

$115k-$135k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
#4

Therapist

$100k-$126k
+ 30 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.3this job 5.1
Better work-life than 40% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 13,314 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends

Living in Orange

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.05M
Typical market rent
$3,116/mo
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
113.6
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Stars Behavioral Health Group logo

About Stars Behavioral Health Group

Mental Health Care
Long Beach, CA
501-1,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage
Generous vacation and holiday pay
Paid CEU opportunities
Career development programs
Supervision for BBS hours