JOB SUMMARY
This is a unique wilderness therapist position working with students from 10-23 years old in the Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest as well as via Zoom from your home or our office near Shelton, WA. The position is from a part-time up to full-time depending on what you are seeking. The position asks that you enjoy backpacking and are willing to spend 1 night each week out in the wilderness with your clients. This job while paying full-time salary can be completed within 3 days of your work week giving you four days off each week. This is down to time management.
Our website is: www.ritesofpassagewildernesstherapy.com so please check this out for more of an idea of the courses we run. Each course runs 2-3 months in length and so you will have a good amount of time to makes strong connections with each student and their families back home (all over the country - hence zoom).
There is a great deal of freedom and flexibility to this job and how you wish to conduct therapy sessions both in the wilderness and with their parents back home via zoom. Think Outward Bound except with therapists working directly with the students in the wilderness.
Each week you will drive out from your home to meet up with your clients in their group in whichever part of the National Park they are in. You will often backpack in a mile or so to meet up with your group. You will conduct individual therapy sessions with each of your clients and you will run a group therapy session for the "trail family" as a whole. Anything from therapy while climbing in trees to log balancing exercises in trust and team building.
The Field Therapist facilitates individual and group therapy to program participants and provides leadership and direction to Field Staff on courses. This role involves working closely with Rites of passage Leadership Team to manage and support program needs and course operations; collaborative problem-solving skills will be used often by the person in this position. An essential function of the Field Therapist's job is communicating with students' parents to provide updates and plan for the student's transition from the program. Collaborating with industry professionals and maintaining working relationships are also important aspects of this position.
The Therapist role in the program can be defined as guiding both students and parents through the Rites of Passage NW model of change, while utilizing the resources and structure of the program, as well as using individual creativity to enhance client experience.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Provide individual and group therapy to program clients.·
Facilitate 1 to 3 day field visits to student groups each week.·
Write student reports and billing codes send them to appropriate recipients.·
Schedule and facilitate weekly parent phone/zoom calls.·
Assist students and parents with completing their curricula and creating post-graduation Family Success Plans.·
Collaborate with educational and mental health professionals involved in students' past or continued treatment.·
Support Field Staff by communicating individual treatment goals and field-based interventions for each student.·
Attend weekly Treatment Team meetings (in-field) and participate in collaborative treatment planning.·
Attend weekly Leadership Team meetings and participate in team decisions and operations.·
Lead and/or assist with post-course performance evaluations with Field Staff, as requested.·
Facilitate and or/participate in skills-based therapeutic trainings with Field Staff, as requested.·
Field Days - Must be willing and able to spend two days in the field at a time.
JOB REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS
- Education and Training
Must have a Master's degree in Psychology or Sociology with an emphasis in individual and group counseling.·
Must have training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Therapy or closely related fields.·
- Contract Licenses and Certification
Field Therapist Contract
Basic First Aid and CPR certification.·
Must be a registered counselor in Washington state and have one of the following licenses:·
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Knowledge and Experience
Must have backpacking skills and be able to take care of yourself in a wilderness setting for at least one night each week.·
Must have knowledge of leadership styles and experience to lead the operations of Field Staff.·
Must have the ability to work well under pressure and be well organized to manage workload effectively.·