Travel Therapist - Mental Health & Substance Use Treatment

Addiction CounselorIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$80k-$90k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 20m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Job Title: Travel Therapist

Location

Travel to Sandstone Care's Northern Virginia Facilities Required. Locations include Chantilly, Reston, Alexandria, and Richmond, VA.

  • Schedule: Full Time | Variable Schedule - Evening and Weekend Availability Required
  • Compensation: $80,000–$90,000 annually (based on licensure and experience)

About The Role

As a Travel Therapist, you will provide therapeutic services across Sandstone Care's Outpatient and Detox programs in Northern Virginia, supporting adolescents and young adults on their recovery journey. This role offers the opportunity to work across multiple levels of care and treatment settings, serving as a key clinical resource for our teams.

You will facilitate individual, group, and family therapy sessions while partnering with multidisciplinary teams to deliver evidence-based treatment and exceptional client care. The ideal candidate is adaptable, relationship-focused, and thrives in dynamic environments while maintaining the highest standards of clinical excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Deliver individual, group, and family therapy using evidence-based modalities tailored to each client’s needs across all level of care in assigned region.

Develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive treatment plans in collaboration with clients, families, and the clinical team.

Ensure all clinical documentation is accurate, timely, and compliant with organizational and insurance standards.

  • Participate in utilization reviews and discussions on medical necessity with insurance providers as needed.
  • Coordinate with families to ensure alignment on treatment goals and progress.
  • Actively contributes to program development, performance improvement initiatives, and family programming.
  • Foster collaboration within the treatment team to ensure a cohesive and supportive care environment.
  • Represent the organization positively in interactions with families, referral sources, and community partners.

Qualifications

Candidates applying for this position should be aware that an offer for employment in this position is contingent upon passing a comprehensive background check, encompassing criminal records and motor vehicle reports.

A valid driver's License and clean driving history are required – Travel Therapists are required to commute between locations in assigned region as needed.

A master’s degree in behavioral health science (Clinical Social Work, Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, or related field) is Required

An active license in the state of VA in good standing is required - Clinical licensure is strongly preferred

LPC / LCSW / LMFT / Resident in Counseling / Supervisee in Social Work / Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy

An ideal candidate has a minimum of 3 years of experience, including experience with clients from the age of 13 – 30 in a detox, residential, partial hospitalization (“PHP”), and/or intensive outpatient (“IOP) setting

CPR certification strongly preferred, or the ability to obtain CPR certification within the first 30 days of employment

Candidates must demonstrate a proven ability to manage diverse caseloads while maintaining a high standard of care.

The Perks

At Sandstone Care, we believe that great care starts with our employees. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package to support you in your personal and professional journey. Some of the benefits include:

A competitive compensation and total rewards package including a meaningful salary, merit-based pay increases, and professional growth opportunities.

A flexible PTO package that includes accrued PTO, paid holidays, and wellbeing days

High quality medical, dental, and vision insurance with a variety of package options that meet your needs and majority company paid.

A robust Employee Assistance Program: Including counseling, legal consultations, financial planning, and wellness coaching.

A collaborative and supportive community of therapists and team members: Fostering a positive work environment.

What to Expect: Our Interview Process

Here's an Overview of What Comes Next

  • Application Review: We'll promptly review your application within a couple of business days.
  • Discovery Call: Expect a 30-minute discovery call with one of our Talent Acquisition Specialists.
  • Interview with Hiring Manager: You'll have 1 hour interview with the Clinical Services Director
  • Offer: If all goes well, you'll receive an offer.
  • Expected Interview Timeline: The entire process typically takes 2-3 weeks.
  • Sandstone Care’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

At Sandstone Care, we are committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion that not only enriches the lives of our employees but also ensures the wellbeing and care of our clients, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, ability, or background. We believe that embracing diversity and promoting equity and inclusion are integral to our mission of providing high-quality behavioral health services.

Sandstone Care is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered.

We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other legally protected status. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.

Qualifications

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

Certifications

CPR (preferred)

Key Skills

Individual therapyGroup therapyTreatment planningUtilization reviewCrisis interventionSubstance use treatmentMental health counselingAdolescent therapyYoung adult therapyDetox supportClinical assessmentMultidisciplinary collaboration

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 40% are remote, 50% have no call, 64% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$85k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $84k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

How many Substance Use / Addiction Counselor jobs are remote?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$80k–$90kSubstance Use / Addiction Counselor median $65k (middle half $57k–$69k)13 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$84k in purchasing powerVirginia index 101.1 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Addiction Medicine listings in Virginia42 active—live on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
All substance use / addiction counselor listings in Virginia423 active12,904 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 40% remote · 50% no call · 64% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedVirginia counselor listings (all specialties): 16% state a sign-on bonus (median $2k) · 12% offer loan repayment423 active listings, Nov 2026
New Addiction Medicine listings422 in the last 30 days230 the 30 days before (+83%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page. Virginia figures use all substance use / addiction counselors: too few Virginia Addiction Medicine postings state pay.

Top Counselor Jobs

33 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

33 jobs · 26 employers
9
<$85k
8
$85k-100k
7
$100k-115k
8
$115k-130k
1
$134k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

27 jobs · 26 employers
401k / retirement match
89%
Sign-on bonus
15%
CME allowance
15%
Loan repayment
7%
PSLF eligible
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Ventura, California

$117k-$134k
#2

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

LifeStance Health · Brookfield, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#3

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)

$115k-$120k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMFT, LMHC, LCSW)

$115k-$120k
+ 31 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 2.8
Better work-life than 20% of Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,008 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends
Sandstone Care - Chantilly, Virginia logo

About Sandstone Care - Chantilly, Virginia

Hospitals and Health Care
Denver, Colorado
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Flexible PTO package including accrued PTO, paid holidays, and wellbeing days
High quality medical, dental, and vision insurance with majority company paid
Employee Assistance Program including counseling, legal consultations, financial planning, and wellness coaching
Merit-based pay increases
Professional growth opportunities

Living in Reston

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$632k≈ 7.9× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,589/mo≈ 39% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.9
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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