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Centered Health
Los Angeles, California

Primary Therapist, Licensed - LAOP

CounselorIncludes callFull-Time

Listed compensation

$100K - $110K

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 4mo ago

Job Description

Primary Therapist, Licensed

Job Summary

With the supervision of the Clinical Director, works with the clinical staff in the assessment of client’s needs, treatment planning, facilitation, advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s mental and physical health needs through communication and available resources to promote the individual’s well-being and improve or restore their capacity for social functioning including counseling and the use of psychosocial interventions and social psychotherapy.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

  • Works as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide quality care to clientele, ensuring safety and best practices.
  • Ensures excellent clinical care is provided in individual and group therapy and documented for all clients.
  • Assesses client’s strengths, needs, abilities and preferences; formulates a diagnostic impression based on current DSM criteria; and in conjunction with the client/family develops a workable plan for treatment.
  • Facilitates and completes treatment plans upon admission, discharge summaries and other chart related documents and correspondence for assigned clients in a timely manner, as assigned by Clinical Director.
  • Consistently communicates and reports to the Clinical Director the needs of the clients,
  • Communicates and effectively interacts with all clinical and non-clinical departments coordinating care for clients.
  • Adheres to after-hours ATA and emergency phone tree protocol for all clinical and client related behavioral concerns including wanting to ATA.
  • Responsible for timely same day completion of clinical documentation which include assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, group notes, discharge plans.
  • Initiates discharge planning upon admission for assigned clients and updates weekly
  • Complete additional treatment plans based on problem areas identified in BPS
  • Ensures client records for assigned case load are comprehensive and complete to meet licensing standards
  • Conducts weekly individual therapy sessions at a minimum of three times a week per individual: 2 designated as individual and 1 as family therapy. Once client drops to IOP level of care then 2 visits per week: one individual and one family. Provides timely same day documentation for all assigned clients based on level care.
  • Facilitates skill building psycho-educational and/or support groups as assigned or fill in as directed by Clinical Director, providing timely same day documentation in accordance with insurance standards.
  • Maintains awareness of and tracks level of care authorizations for assigned clients, reviewing cycle dates and accurately documents functional impairment.
  • Establishes and maintains ongoing relationships with client’s family and outside resources necessary to provide for healthy transition and discharge. Provide family/conjoint therapy as specified in individual client’s treatment plan or as directed by supervisor.
  • Conducts crises management/intervention of assigned clients or as directed by immediate supervisor (Clinical Director).
  • Reviews client requests for outings, passes and visitors with Clinical Director for approval to ensure client care and safety is paramount.
  • Maintains appropriate state license/registration/certification for scope of practice.
  • Carry out other duties/responsibilities as delegated by Clinical Director.

Required Skills/Abilities

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Basic computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets, email, calendar, slide presentations, Internet etc.
  • Must be able to lift and carry light objects and parcels as an incidental part of their job
  • First aid and CPR certification
  • Must have current CA Driver’s Lice

Education and Experience

  • Master’s degree in career counseling, education, or similar field.
  • Excellent written and verbal interpersonal skills.
  • Minimum of five (5) years’ experience as a Career Counselor.
  • 1-2 years of experience in a treatment related field preferred.
  • Must be licensed in CA (LMFT/LCSW).

Physical Requirements

  • Frequent sitting must be able to remain in a stationary position at least 50% of the time
  • Must be able to lift and carry light objects and parcels as an incidental part of their job
  • The position needs to occasional move about inside and outside the facility frequently
  • Constantly operates a computer and other office machinery
  • Frequently communicates with other employees

Note: Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that an applicant meets 100% of the qualifications for a given role. Therefore, if much of this job description describes you, then you are highly encouraged to apply for this role.

At the Los Angeles Outpatient Center (LAOP), our mission is to provide a healing resource for adults, battling mental health, substance abuse, and disordered eating. Our diverse team of clinicians ensures that clients receive individualized comprehensive care in the most appropriate setting.

We look for people who can grow, think, dream, create, and push the model of healthcare forward. We value achievers, leaders, and visionaries. Our goal is to value each person's skills and provide an environment that embraces diversity and rewards imagination and service delivery.

LAOP is part of Centered Health, which operates a diverse network of behavioral health treatment centers ensuring that clients receive individualized comprehensive care in the most appropriate setting.

Key Responsibilities

The Primary Therapist conducts clinical assessments, develops treatment plans, and provides individual, group, and family therapy to clients. They are responsible for maintaining comprehensive clinical documentation and coordinating care within a multidisciplinary team to promote client well-being.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's degree and a valid CA license as an LMFT or LCSW. A minimum of five years of experience as a Career Counselor is required, with preference for experience in a treatment-related field.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Clinical AssessmentCrisis ManagementCase ManagementVerbal CommunicationComputer Literacy

Social Work — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 60% are remote, 24% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

In California, the Social Work weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$99k (110 salary observations; 259 listings), vs ~$84k nationally (823 salary observations; 3,000 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2025-12-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$105k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $95k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Social Work pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Primary Therapist, Licensed - LAOP at Centered Health a 6.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 35% of all Social Work counselor listings evaluated on our platform.

Top Counselor Jobs

39 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution39 jobs · 18 employers

4
<$90k
11
$90k-105k
10
$105k-120k
11
$120k-135k
3
$135k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks34 jobs · 18 employers

401k / retirement match
94%
Sign-on bonus
53%
CME allowance
35%
Loan repayment
3%
PSLF eligible
3%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Dental Therapist

InterDent Service · Salem, Oregon

From $155k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Encinitas, California

$118k-$135k
#3

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$115k-$135k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
+ 37 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.4this job 6.0
Better work-life than 50% of Social Work (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 236 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes call

Living in Los Angeles

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$923k≈ 9.2× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,778/mo≈ 33% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
31 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.

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

Centered Health logo

About Centered Health

Mental Health Care
Culver City, California
11-50 employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive benefits