Wellness Counselor (Behavioral Health)

CounselorNo weekendsNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$21.2-$24.47/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – FridayWeekdays only

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

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

MHA in Ulster seeks a full-time (35 hours per week) Wellness Counselor (Behavioral Health) to join our Wellness Services Program. The Wellness Counselor engages and assesses individuals to help them plan their path of Wellness while maintaining a solution–focused, strength-based, task-oriented and client-centered approach that is grounded in the Recovery Model. At times, they may include off-site, community based assessment and screening services.

In addition, this position provides direct wellness services such as crisis counseling, support groups, skill building groups, and workshops. This position develops and coordinates community projects, trainings, presentations, conferences and various education and awareness activities based on community need while maintaining good community relations that are in keeping with the mission of the Mental Health Association in Ulster County, Inc.

The Wellness Counselor has a schedule of Monday - Friday 9:00am - 4:30pm with one late night on Thursday of 12:30pm - 8pm for provided groups.

The pay rate for this position is $21.20 hourly with the potential to increase to $24.47 if additional workshop trainings are needed.

Responsibilities Include

Provide coaching, referral and linkage to all services and supports as appropriate to promote mental health wellness and enable individuals to best navigate the service system.

Provide the advocacy needed to help the individual gain access to services and supports when necessary and encourage him/her to advocate on their own behalf in the future.

  • Facilitate non-clinical support and self help groups.
  • Assist individuals interested in self-help and support activities.

Provide or coordinate services such as crisis calls and walk-ins, emergency housing, clothing, transportation, legal and entitlement advocacy, peer support, vocational, life skills training and education, and crisis intervention when needed.

Provide direct wellness services such as support groups, skill building groups, and workshops including creating, maintaining, and promoting group schedules and attendance. Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and Wellness Self-Management (WSM) groups are also provided.

Responsible for the coordination and implementation of various activities throughout the year, including conferences, Mental Health Month, Mental Illness Awareness week, BIPOC Mental Health Awareness month, Eating disorder awareness week, etc.

Other Duties and Wellness Team Tasks as Assigned.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in a Human Service field and 2 years of relevant work experience.

A combination of education, professional, and life experience which will enable the Coordinator to identify and respond to the needs of individuals and families. Knowledge and skills required in planning, screening, counseling (individual and group), advocacy and referral to appropriate services.

Experience Facilitating Support Groups Preferred

A clean, valid NYS driver’s license that will meet and maintain a satisfactory driving record consistent with agency and insurance standards and have been driving for at least 6 years.

Ability to safely perform the essential functions of the position, with or without accommodations required by federal, state, or local law.

  • MHA in Ulster is proud to offer the following benefits to our full-time employees:
  • Paid Vacation / Sick / and Flex Days
  • Medical / Dental / Vision / Life Insurance
  • Retirement 403(b) Plan
  • Profit Sharing
  • Supplemental Benefits such as Telemedicine
  • And More!

Key Responsibilities

The Wellness Counselor provides direct support services including crisis counseling, support groups, and skill-building workshops to individuals in the community. They also coordinate community projects, trainings, and awareness activities while advocating for client access to necessary services.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in a Human Service field and possess at least 2 years of relevant work experience. A clean, valid NYS driver’s license with at least 6 years of driving history is also required.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Case ManagementReferral ServicesCommunity OutreachWorkshop Facilitation

Behavioral Health — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Behavioral Health listings this role was benchmarked against, 34% are remote, 36% have no call, 56% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for New York is 107.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$47k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $44k in an average-cost state. 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Behavioral Health pay on WeekdayDoc is up 23.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Wellness Counselor (Behavioral Health) at Mental Health Association in Ulster County a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Behavioral Health (Counseling) — ranked against 341 active Behavioral Health (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements, no night shifts.

Top Counselor Jobs

47 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution47 jobs · 38 employers

15
<$80k
20
$80k-95k
6
$95k-110k
6
$110k-125k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks30 jobs

401k / retirement match
93% this job
Sign-on bonus
33%
CME allowance
20%
Relocation assistance
7%
PSLF eligible
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Gotham Enterprises · Warren, Michigan

$115k-$120k
#2

NY Licensed DBT Therapist - DBT Master’s or Doctoral - Telehealth - Full-Time

Lyra Health · Town of New Baltimore, New York

$93k-$120k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMFT, LCSW, LMHC)

$115k-$120k
#4

Psychotherapist | Integrated Behavioral Health | Sauk Centre

$78k-$119k
+ 45 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 6.4
Better work-life than 80% of Behavioral Health (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 341 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends
  • No nights

Living in Kingston

Typical market rent
$1,900/mo
Residents’ average commute
23 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
100.7
State income tax
Up to 10.9%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Kingston, NY metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Mental Health Association in Ulster County logo

About Mental Health Association in Ulster County

Mental Health Care
Lake Katrine, New York
11-50 employees

Benefits & Perks

Paid vacation
Paid sick days
Paid flex days
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Life insurance
Retirement 403(b) plan