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Cushing Academy
Ashburnham, Massachusetts

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

CounselorIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$114K - $135K

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

Cushing Academy seeks a faculty member with a strong background in psychotherapeutic treatment to promote positive mental health in the school community by providing preventive education and psychotherapeutic treatment.

This is a ten-month position, generally from Late August through May.

This position is a member of the Cushing Academy Counseling Department and reports to the Director of Counseling. The work takes place on the school’s campus in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, as part of the school’s overall student health and wellness program.

Most of the counselor’s time is spent in individual counseling appointments and other student services. Students who meet with the counselor do not incur additional charges. Consultation with faculty, administrators, and parents/guardians constitutes the remaining direct service time.

Indirect services include faculty meetings, committee work, faculty education, and presentations. The counselor will also have on-call responsibilities on evenings and weekends.

Cushing Academy seeks candidates who are motivated to help students attain a positive sense of identity and self-worth and equip students with skills and strategies for academic, social, and community success.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter who brings a collaborative style, clinical skills relevant to a school setting, and values a community of highly engaged, compassionate, and motivated people.?

Provide counseling, case management, and/or crisis intervention services for school students identified as needing support with social/emotional functioning.?

Lead student educational programming as needed, focusing on skill development (e. g., social skills or self-regulation) or student interests (e. g., community service/social activism),?

Maintain communication with teachers, parents, and outside providers regarding the social/emotional needs and functioning of students, and provide consultation as needed with faculty around the social-emotional components of the student profiles.?

Assist in the planning and implementation of schoolwide SEL programs (e. g., Responsive Classroom), Health & Wellness lessons, and other pro-social, community-building activities in a culturally responsive manner.?

Attend weekly team meetings, department meetings, participating in school-wide trainings/ activities as required.? Other duties as assigned by the Counseling Director.

Requirements

  • Master's Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or a related field
  • LCSW/LICSW/LMHC /licensed

Experience in a School Environment

Excellent communication skills, clinical skills, and capacity to connect with students and collaborate with others.

Key Responsibilities

Provide individual counseling, case management, and crisis intervention services to students to promote positive mental health. Collaborate with faculty and parents while implementing school-wide social-emotional learning programs and health lessons.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Clinical CounselingStudent SupportCollaborationCulturally Responsive Teaching

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 52% are remote, 26% have no call, 64% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Massachusetts is 105.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$125k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $118k in an average-cost state. 63.2% of Massachusetts clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

38 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution38 jobs · 25 employers

11
<$75k
5
$75k-90k
6
$90k-105k
5
$105k-120k
11
$120k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks35 jobs · 25 employers

401k / retirement match
91%
Sign-on bonus
29%
CME allowance
26%
Loan repayment
11%
PSLF eligible
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

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

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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 8,035 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Ashburnham

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$481k≈ 4.2× annual pay
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026).

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

Benefits & Perks

Ten-month academic schedule
On-campus work
Student counseling at no additional charge