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Acadia
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Board Certified Art Therapist ( ATR-BC ) - FT Days

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$26-$28/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Purpose Statement

  • Plan, direct and implement activity therapy programs as a component of the patient’s treatment plan.
  • Hourly Range: $26.00 - $28.00

Essential Functions

Complete activity assessment through patient observation and patient/family interview, obtaining information on the patient’s needs, skills, interests and limitations for the development and implementation of the treatment plan.

Plan, organize, direct and implement the activities within the treatment program to facility patient progress with treatment goals.

Plan and implement an activities program including but not limited to therapeutic leisure skills and activities, leisure education and leisure awareness.

Facilitate and lead activity sessions to improve patient mental and physical well-being.

Instruct patients in activities and techniques, such are sports, dance, music, art or relaxation techniques designed to meet their specific needs.

Develop treatment plans and implement activity interventions that meet patient needs and interests and helps the patient achieve his/her treatment goals.

  • Engage patients in therapeutic activities, such as exercise, games and community outings.
  • Help patients learn social skills needed to become or remain independent.
  • Modify activities to suit the needs of specific groups.

Demonstrate a positive, empathetic and professional attitude towards customers always. When patient needs are not met, acknowledge and work to resolve complaints. Recognize that patient safety is a top priority.

Other Functions

Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.

Education/Experience/Skill Requirements

  • Bachelor's Degree in Therapeutic Recreation, Recreational Therapy or related field required.
  • Master’s degree preferred.
  • Three or more years’ experience in recreation in a healthcare setting with knowledge of patient population served by the facility required.
  • Previous experience in recreation in a healthcare setting is preferred.

Licenses/Designations/Certifications

Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) or currently in the process of obtaining national certification; OR certified in the area of specialty (Art, Dance, Music, etc.) OR clinical professional licensure (LCPC, LPC, etc.) with certification in expressive therapy area required.

CPR and de-escalation and restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).

First aid may be required based on state or facility requirements.

While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the requirements of the job, management reserves the right to add or remove duties from particular jobs when circumstances

(e. g. emergencies, changes in workload, rush jobs or technological developments) dictate.

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment regardless of an individual’s characteristics protected by applicable state, federal and local laws.

AHPILOT

Key Responsibilities

Plan, direct, and implement therapeutic activity programs to support patient treatment goals and mental well-being. Conduct patient assessments and facilitate sessions involving art, exercise, and social skills training to improve patient outcomes.

Requirements

Requires a Bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation or a related field, with a Master's degree preferred. Candidates must have at least three years of experience in a healthcare setting and hold relevant professional certifications such as CTRS, LCPC, or LPC.

Qualifications

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

Certifications

Board Certification

Key Skills

Art therapyTreatment planningMental health supportPhysical well-being facilitationCrisis de-escalationPatient interviewingGroup facilitation

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 36% are remote, 44% have no call, 64% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Tennessee is 91.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$56k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $61k in an average-cost state. 58.6% of Tennessee clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

Tennessee has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$56k midpoint, that is roughly $2k–$4k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top Counselor Jobs

24 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution24 jobs · 18 employers

5
<$75k
10
$75k-95k
4
$95k-115k
4
$115k-135k
1
$155k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks21 jobs · 18 employers

401k / retirement match
100%
CME allowance
43%
Sign-on bonus
19%
Loan repayment
14%
PSLF eligible
14%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Dental Therapist

InterDent Service · Salem, Oregon

From $155k
#2

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#3

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)

$92k-$125k
#4

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)

$115k-$120k
+ 22 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,084 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Murfreesboro

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$391k
Typical market rent
$1,675/mo
Residents’ average commute
27 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
96.3
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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