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Yale New Haven Health
New Haven, Connecticut

Mental Health Milieu Counselor

Counselor / TherapistFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values - integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion - must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.

Working collaboratively as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team, the Milieu Counselor is assigned to and works under the direction of a Registered Nurse, participating in carrying out nursing interventions to provide patients with opportunities for learning and adaptive ways of coping.

The Milieu Counselor works collaboratively with the licensed staff on the ongoing development of the milieu and activities that promote quality patient outcomes.

Patient and family centered care (PFCC) at YNHH is demonstrated by working with patients and their families based on the 4 principles of PFCC: participation, dignity and respect, information sharing, and collaboration.

This includes providing service excellence by creating a great "First Impression" by demonstrating exemplary customer service skills for all customer groups including patients, families/friends, physicians, staff and support department personnel.

Adheres to the "I Am YNHH" service excellence pledge and promotes a positive work environment.

EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran

Responsibilities

1. Assists the nursing staff in maintaining a therapeutic milieu/environment to ensure the care and treatment of patients.

1.1 Acts as a co-facilitator in select unit based therapeutic groups as identified by Nurse Manager.

2. Under the direction of the Registered Nurse, provides individualized patient care to ensure the safety and dignity of the patient.

2.1 Collaborates with members of multidisciplinary team offering suggestions and recommendations on addressing patient/family needs.

3. Participates in unit activities that promote a cohesive staff group.

3.1 Participates in interdisciplinary staff meetings and if unable to attend, reads and signs minutes.

Qualifications

Education

Associates degree required and Bachelor degree preferred

Experience

Minimum one (1) year prior experience in Psychology working with specialized populations such as emotionally disturbed children and families.

Special Skills

Ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team to communicate and effectively deal with complex effectively charged situations and possess group facilitation and crisis management skills.

Physical Demand

Requires prolonged standing; walking; use of sight, hearing, and touch. May be exposed to infectious diseases. Will be exposed to physical, mental and emotional illness. Moderate stress and risk of injury from patient care. Standing/walking for more than half of the day. Frequently bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, twisting and lifting. Must be able to assist pushing/pulling/lifting patients ranging from five (5) to three hundred (300) pounds.

YNHHS Requisition ID

175939

Qualifications

Education
Associate degree

Key Skills

Interdisciplinary collaborationTherapeutic milieu maintenanceCommunicationNursing intervention supportPatient safetyConflict resolution

Psychiatry — Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Connecticut is 103.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 62.6% of Connecticut clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% are remote, 28% have no call, 58% require no weekends.

What does the Counselor market look like in Connecticut?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score7.2 / 10 · top 10% in psychiatry (counseling)ranked against 52 Psychiatry (Counseling) listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Cost of livingConnecticut index 103.6US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Psychiatry listings in Connecticut6 active—live on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
All counselor listings in Connecticut238 active13,472 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 48% remote · 28% no call · 58% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedConnecticut counselor listings (all specialties): 12% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 28% offer loan repayment238 active listings, Nov 2026
New Psychiatry listings1,290 in the last 30 days1,016 the 30 days before (+27%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Counselor pay trend (all specialties)−2.7% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (52 Psychiatry (Counseling) listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page. Connecticut figures use all counselors: too few Connecticut Psychiatry postings state pay.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Mental Health Milieu Counselor at Yale New Haven Health a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 10% in Psychiatry (Counseling) — ranked against 52 active Psychiatry (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc.

Top Counselor Jobs

46 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

41 jobs · 37 employers
14
<$70k
13
$70k-95k
5
$95k-120k
9
$120k-145k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

36 jobs
401k / retirement match
92%
CME allowance
36%
Sign-on bonus
33%
Loan repayment
33%
PSLF eligible
17%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist

LifeStance Health · Lake Oswego, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#2

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

LifeStance Health · West Linn, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Remote Licensed Mental Health Therapist

$66/hr
#4

Remote Licensed Professional Therapist

$66/hr
+ 44 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 7.2
Among the best 10% of Psychiatry (Counseling) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 52 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in New Haven

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$352k
Typical market rent
$1,972/mo
Residents’ average commute
22 min
State income tax
Up to 7%
Sources & methodology

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

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