Mental Health Therapist

Come join us! We’re looking for a mental health therapist to provide individual and family therapy to children and families who are affected by childhood sexual abuse and trauma.

About us:

Canopy Center is a non-profit agency located in Madison, Wisconsin that provides services to children and families in our community impacted by trauma and adversity.

Canopy Center’s Oasis program is a therapeutic program and certified Mental Health Clinic serving children from preschool through high school who have been sexually, physically, and emotionally abused. Our mission is to help heal the trauma of abuse, promote safety and stability within the family unit, and foster skills to sustain healthy functioning and prevent further abuse. Our therapists utilize a wide range of trauma-sensitive experiential, expressive, sensory, and cognitive therapies, enabling them to adapt treatment to an individual child’s strengths, developmental age, and emotional needs. Oasis also provides education, mentoring, and coaching to caregivers and other family members to help them reinforce healing and protective strategies in the home and their community.

Qualifications: The Oasis Therapist must have a strong interest in developing knowledge and understanding of trauma treatment models and the dynamics of sexual abuse within families, as well as a demonstrated commitment to helping clients work through traumatic experiences. Experience working with children, adolescents, and/or adults, including caregivers, in a therapy setting, school, community agency, or nonprofit program is required. Experience in child-focused psychotherapy modalities and interventions is a plus. Ideally the therapist has experience in creative methods such as dance, drama, music, and art therapy, but an interest in learning how to engage in and work with therapeutic material through play is a must. The Oasis Therapist must be willing to learn and develop skills in crisis and suicide intervention strategies for children. The Oasis Therapist must have strong organizational and written and verbal communication skills, along with the energy, enthusiasm, and desire to work within a community-minded nonprofit agency.

Some things you would do on a typical day:

• Have several play therapy sessions with children
• Collaborate with a client's social worker to discuss progress
• Conduct session prep and/or gather ideas for future sessions
• Confer with the Clinical Director or other Oasis therapists regarding a challenging clinical concern
• Write progress notes and update treatment plans

Official Duties:

Client Care

• Provide weekly trauma-focused psychotherapy to children and families impacted by sexual abuse. 
• Engage in 15-20 clinical client contact hours a week.
• Provide trauma-informed, culturally-aware, and developmentally-appropriate clinical sessions to support treatment goals and objectives.
• Complete intakes, clinical assessments, diagnostic formulations, ongoing treatment plans, clinical notes, discharge notes, timesheets, and other documentation promptly and according to policy and procedures.
• Provide case coordination/management with external systems and agencies, and make informed referrals as needed.
• Collaborate with the legal system, human services, outside therapists, and other providers. 
• Accompany clients to legal proceedings for emotional support and assist clients with victim statements.

Staff and Community Support & Enrichment

• Participate in weekly Oasis team meetings, periodic in-service training, and Canopy Center staff meetings.
• Pursue continuing education in therapy modalities that benefit survivors of sexual abuse.
• Committed to inclusive care and supporting marginalized survivors based on their race, ethnicity, gender, gender identification, religion, age, ability, or other.
• Participate in professional collaborations in the community. 
• Maintain a commitment to professional improvement with an emphasis on self-care. 
• Participate in individual and group supervision consistent with licensing requirements and agency expectations.
• Maintain client confidentiality and comply with applicable professional, ethical, legal, and agency requirements.
• Contribute to a clean work environment by keeping a tidy office and organizing therapy rooms.
• Support new team members by facilitating shadowing opportunities.

Other duties as assigned.

Other Requirements:

Hours: 35 hours per week. Monday through Thursday office hours, Friday remote work hours. Clinical hours may vary from day to day and may include morning, afternoon, and early evening appointments.

Education and Licensure: Must hold one of the following Wisconsin licenses: LPC, LMFT, LCSW, LPC-IT, LMFT-Training, or APSW. Clinical experience required; level of experience required may vary based on program needs. Preference given to candidates with experience or a degree in play therapy, and/or creative arts therapy (dance, drama, music, and art). Bilingual Spanish/English therapeutic proficiency is desired but not required.

Physical: The ability to move throughout the workday and office spaces while providing therapy, completing documentation, and performing other job duties; use a computer and other standard office equipment; and occasionally lift or carry materials weighing up to 20 pounds.

Salary and Benefits:

$50,000 - $65,000  annually based on qualifications. Paid vacation, holiday, and sick time. Health insurance, with single coverage paid 90% by the agency. Long-term disability and life insurance policy premiums paid in full by the agency. SIMPLE IRA enrollment available with agency match of 3%. A full Benefits Summary is provided on our website.

To Apply:

Fill out the online Employment Application on the Careers page of the Canopy Center website, https://canopycenter.org/how-to-help/careers.html, including a cover letter and resume with submission. Questions regarding the position or your application can be sent to [email protected].

The position will be posted until filled.

Canopy Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to fostering a diverse work environment. We firmly believe that teams thrive when composed of individuals with varied perspectives and experiences. Accordingly, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and presentation, sexual orientation, religion, color, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Every member of the Canopy Center team—whether employee, volunteer, or board member—shares the responsibility of upholding a culture free from discrimination and harassment, and of treating others with kindness and respect.