Associate Residential Therapist- Neurodivergent Program

CounselorIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$70K - $85K

The week · per this posting · Tuesday – Saturday

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

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

Description

$70,000–$85,000 (based on experience) | Associate Level (AMFT, APCC, ACSW) | Sonoma, CA

Shift: Tuesday-Saturday or Sunday-Thursday

About the Role

Join our Joint Commission-accredited residential treatment program providing evidence-based therapy to teens ages 12–17 in a 24-hour therapeutic milieu, with a specialization in neurodivergent presentations including ASD, ADHD, sensory processing differences, and social communication challenges. As a residential clinician, you are embedded in the daily life of the program — providing individual, family, and group therapy while collaborating with on-site psychiatrists, nurses, and fellow clinicians around the clock.

Why Join Us

  • Work that matters — help teens and families through some of the hardest moments of their lives
  • Specialized clinical focus — dedicated training in neurodivergent-affirming modalities provided
  • Collaborative clinical team — supported by psychiatrists, nurses, and fellow therapists working as part of an integrated clinical team
  • Full benefits: Medical/Dental/Vision, 401k + match, PTO, FSA, EAP

Requirements

What You’ll Do

Provide weekly individual therapy, family therapy, and group therapy using DBT, CBT, ACT, PEERS, and trauma-focused modalities (polyvagal, interoception, somatic exercises)

Facilitate neurodivergent-specific programming including social skills groups and nervous system regulation interventions

Be present and active in the residential milieu — building rapport with residents, modeling therapeutic interventions, and shaping treatment in real time alongside direct care staff

  • Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial and risk assessments to guide treatment
  • Develop and maintain individualized treatment plans for each client
  • Collaborate with on-site clinicians, psychiatry, and nursing in daily and weekly multidisciplinary team meetings
  • Maintain timely, accurate clinical documentation
  • Participate in on-call rotation and 24-hour crisis response as needed
  • What We’re Looking For

Must Have

  • Master’s in psychology, counseling, social work, or MFT
  • Active CA Associate number: AMFT, APCC, ACSW
  • 2+ years of clinical experience in residential or inpatient behavioral health settings — comfort with the milieu is essential
  • Strong background in trauma-informed care and evidence-based modalities (DBT, CBT, ACT, or similar)
  • Experience with neurodivergent populations — ASD, ADHD, sensory processing differences, or related presentations
  • Knowledge of ethical and legal standards, including mandated reporting
  • Ability to work one weekend day per week

Preferred

  • 3+ years in adolescent residential or psychiatric care
  • Familiarity with Safe & Sound Protocol, PEERS, Interoception, or Polyvagal-informed practice (training provided for all)
  • Familiarity with family systems work and care coordination

About Muir Wood

We provide trauma-informed, relationship-centered residential treatment for teens ages 12–17 struggling with mental health and substance use challenges. Our multidisciplinary team — therapists, psychiatrists, nurses, and youth counselors — works together to help adolescents and families heal.

Muir Wood Teen Treatment is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All positions require a LiveScan background check.

Key Responsibilities

Provide individual, family, and group therapy to neurodivergent teens within a 24-hour residential treatment milieu. Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists and nurses to develop treatment plans and manage crisis responses.

Licensure & Certifications

Requires a Master's degree in a behavioral health field and an active California Associate license (AMFT, APCC, or ACSW). Candidates must have at least 2 years of clinical experience in residential or inpatient settings and a background in trauma-informed care.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Biopsychosocial AssessmentRisk AssessmentTreatment PlanningSocial Skills Training

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 22% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$78k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $70k 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

7
<$85k
11
$85k-100k
8
$100k-115k
6
$115k-130k
3
$130k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks32 jobs · 28 employers

401k / retirement match
94% this job
CME allowance
53%
Sign-on bonus
25%
Loan repayment
16%
Relocation assistance
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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$118k-$135k
#2

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

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$115k-$135k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
#4

Therapist

$100k-$126k
+ 33 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.3this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,885 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Petaluma

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$845k≈ 12.1× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,986/mo≈ 51% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
31 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
107.8
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 · Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Muir Wood Adolescent & Family Services logo

About Muir Wood Adolescent & Family Services

Hospitals and Health Care
Petaluma, California

Benefits & Perks

Medical/Dental/Vision insurance
401k + match
PTO
FSA
EAP
Specialized training in neurodivergent-affirming modalities
Collaborative clinical team