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AMFM Healthcare
Arlington, Virginia

Primary Therapist I- Part Time

CounselorNo callNo weekendsPart-Time

Listed compensation

$36-$40.87/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

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

Posted 8m ago · Verified live

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Primary Therapist I

STATUS: Hourly, Part-Time, Exempt (2:30-6:30PM)

REPORTS TO: Clinical Director

Summary

The Primary Therapist I at AMFM Healthcare is a critical position in the organization tasked with the care of each client's treatment at the facility.

Under the direction of clinical leadership the Primary Therapist sets the treatment goals and objectives of the clients in their caseload with guidance from the clinical team, assesses the needs and development of clients throughout the entirety of their stay, contributes to their clients mental health diagnosis, and guides overall care.

They conduct groups with clients and family as needed and deliver top of the line, quality care.

Qualifications

1. Minimum Education Requirement: Masters degree or higher in a relevant course of study at an accredited university.

2. Required Credentials - Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, Associate Clinical Social Worker, Associate Professional Clinical Counselor

3. Must have active registration with Board of Behavioral Sciences

4. Hands-on experience in Groups (process, psycho educational, and topic), Family Therapy, Individual Therapy (wide range of modalities accepted), and working with clients with addiction issues.

5. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function assigned satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

6. Flexibility to work some weekends on call and assist when requested on after hours crisis calls.

7. Successful completion of Criminal Background Checks through DSS LiveScan DOJ Fingerprint, in addition to passing the ADP Selective Screening Services background check.

8. CPR/First Aid Certification

9. Current T.B. clearance

10. Physical Requirements: Ability to lift 20 lbs.

Responsibilities

1. Proficiently conduct clinical evaluation, biopsychosocial assessment, client diagnosis, and interpretive summaries among other assessments and evaluations. Prepare person-centered treatment plans (ISP’s,) case management, consultation, education, and referral as needed.

2. Provide therapeutic interventions including crisis counseling to individuals, groups and families as needed.

3. Facilitate individual psychotherapy sessions and group therapy.

4. Provide services in accordance to organization’s policies and procedures and established Mental Health and Substance Abuse Standards as well as within the scope of practice of the therapist.

5. Evaluate the individual and family systems as well as assess clients functioning within work, family, and routines of daily living and identify areas needing continued support, resources, and treatment in order to assist clients.

6. Maintain Electronic Health Records to reflect the course of treatment and provide required documentation.

7. Prepare pre-certification/authorization information to insurance utilization review team and subsequent concurrent review (continued stay) clinical reports per medical necessity criteria.

8. Provide emergency crisis services during work hours and after hours as assigned.

9. Attend staff meetings, supervisory conferences, training, and other activities, which ensure effective and efficient functioning of clinical operations.

10. Adhere to organizational standards and policies and procedures, code of ethics, legal aspects of clinical practice, professional standards, duty to warn, abuse and neglect reporting policies and procedures and exercise professionalism at all times.

Competencies

1. Group Facilitation

1. Opening - strong start. Set tone. Introductory statement of material to be covered during the class; objectives for the group set

2. Room is prepared appropriately for all group members to participate and engage in the discussion or activity

3. Curriculum and/or topic is set and approved, evidence based, and materials all prepared.

4. Staff engages the participants and accurately guides the discussion throughout the duration of the group in order to meet stated group objectives.

2. Clinical Documentation

1. Knowledge of regulations and guidelines

2. Prepares accurate and concise notes

3. Write comprehensive, clear interpretive summaries

4. Progress notes consistent with treatment plan goals and objectives.

3.. Individual Counseling

1. Theory of individual counseling

2. Describe, select, and use appropriate strategies

3. Session focuses on Tx Plan

4. Understands functions and techniques of individual counseling.

4. Treatment Planning (Person-Centered)

1. Based on assessment and client needs

2. Goals in client words

3. 1st or 2nd person objectives, measurable & behavioral specific

4. Reassessment when needed

5. Utilization Review Documentation

1. Clinician accurately documents client mental health symptoms and behaviors

2. Clinician submits documentation on time

3. Clinician relays adequate information in order for the UR team to determine appropriate level of care

4. Clinician is adept at completing both ASAM and LOCUS assessments for new clients

5. All dimensions of care are appropriately addressed by clinician with supporting evidence

M-F 2:30pm to 6:30pm

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Addiction TreatmentASAM AssessmentLOCUS Assessment

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Primary Therapist I- Part Time at AMFM Healthcare a 6.6 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) — ranked against 8,002 active Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties, no weekend requirements.

Counselor Career Context

Of the 40 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 50% are remote, 18% have no call, 90% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$80k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $79k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution19 jobs

6
<$60k
5
$60k-85k
5
$85k-110k
3
$110k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks20 jobs

401k / retirement match
90%
CME allowance
50%
Loan repayment
30%
Sign-on bonus
15%
PSLF eligible
15%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.6
Better work-life than 60% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,002 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No call
  • No weekends

Living in Arlington

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.00M
Typical market rent
$2,702/mo
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 (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

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

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