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Discovery Behavioral Health
Del Mar, California

Therapist

CounselorIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$75k-$95k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 41m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Casa Palmera

Casa Palmera is a nationally recognized subacute residential treatment center offering drug rehabilitation, treatment for alcohol addiction as well as treatment for mood disorders and anxiety and trauma disorders. Casa Palmera is staffed with a diverse team of psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists who work together to help each patient move forward within a caring community.

If you are looking for an organization that thrives on growth, celebrates diversity of thought, and rewards passionate execution, you’ve come to the right place. Because we put clients first, it is our honor to support and reward those who serve them.

Position Summary

The CP Therapist works in a dynamic multidisciplinary team providing treatment services according to the Clinical Model. Therapist responsibilities include ensuring patient safety, providing milieu interventions, leading psychoeducational and process-oriented therapy groups, facilitating clinical assessments, conduct individual and family therapy sessions, and other case management tasks, as assigned.

Essential Job Functions

  • Ensure clinical documentation is completed timely throughout the course of treatment.
  • Establish therapeutic rapport with patients and families/loved ones.
  • Carries a case load of 5-7 patients.
  • Completes appropriate number of therapy sessions weekly for patients, including family/support system sessions aligned with the patients’ level of care.
  • Facilitates the process orientated and psychoeducation groups daily/weekly.
  • Provides utilization reviews to insurance companies, providing appropriate clinical information to obtain initial authorization and continuing stay authorization, as necessary.
  • Assesses patients for suicidality and possibility of danger to self or others.
  • Communicate with the Utilization Review Department regarding authorization and payment.
  • Begins discharge planning on day of admission for all patients.

Completes discharge session with patient to ensure coping skills, transition plan, and resources are understood and intact.

Communicates with referral sources and outpatient providers for continuity of care upon admission, midpoint, and discharge.

  • Effectively manages crises in sessions and the milieu.
  • Provides support to milieu staff in their interactions with patients and their loved ones.

Works collaboratively with the entire treatment team and milieu staff to always ensure the highest level of clinical quality.

Knowledge, Education, and Experience

  • Master’s or Doctorate degree in relevant field, required
  • Completion of state requirements and state license to conduct therapeutic interventions required
  • Employment Status: Full time
  • Schedule: Sunday-Thursday OR Tuesday- Saturday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Work location: Del Mar, CA
  • Compensation range: $75,000-95,000 salary

Discovery Behavioral Health seeks to build a diverse staff that is reflective of the patients we serve and the communities where we work. DBH encourages multiple perspectives, experiences, and strives to hire and retain a diverse workforce.

We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Key Responsibilities

The therapist provides clinical treatment services, including individual and family therapy, within a multidisciplinary team. They are responsible for managing a caseload, facilitating therapy groups, and ensuring accurate clinical documentation and discharge planning.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's or Doctorate degree in a relevant field. A valid state license to conduct therapeutic interventions is required.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Psychoeducational groupsCrisis managementIndividual therapyClinical assessmentMilieu interventionSuicide risk assessment

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 40% are remote, 34% have no call, 58% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$85k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $77k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

35 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution35 jobs · 28 employers

9
<$90k
10
$90k-105k
6
$105k-120k
8
$120k-135k
2
$135k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks28 jobs

401k / retirement match
96%
CME allowance
43%
Sign-on bonus
32%
Loan repayment
14%
PSLF eligible
14%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

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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.

  • On-site
  • Includes weekends

Living in Del Mar

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$3.99M≈ 53.2× annual pay
Typical market rent
$7,097/mo≈ 114% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
22 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
111.9
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 · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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