Residential Behavioral Health Counselor (Weekend)

Reports To: Residential Operations Director
Status: Part-Time, 20 hours per week; Weekend Position 

Compensation: $40-$70 per hour, depending on qualifications, licensure, and experience 

Position Summary 

Rimrock Trails is seeking a motivated and experienced behavioral health professional to provide clinical leadership and therapeutic support within our adolescent residential treatment program on weekends. This position plays a critical role in maintaining a safe, structured, and treatment-focused environment while providing therapeutic groups, crisis intervention, family support, and guidance to residential staff. 

Unlike traditional outpatient counseling positions, this role functions as a key clinical presence within the residential milieu, helping youth practice recovery skills, emotional regulation, healthy communication, and behavioral management in real-time. 

The ideal candidate will bring experience working with adolescents in residential, milieu-based, inpatient, or other intensive behavioral health settings and possess the confidence to lead during complex situations while maintaining a calm, supportive, and trauma-informed approach. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

Therapeutic Programming 

• Facilitate social-emotional learning, emotional regulation, communication, and skills based, psychoeducational groups. 
• Lead SMART Recovery and recovery-oriented programming. 
• Support implementation of the residential treatment curriculum. 
• Reinforce treatment goals throughout daily programming. 
• Assist youth in applying therapeutic skills in real-world situations. 

Milieu Leadership 

• Serve as the primary clinical resource during weekend shifts. 
• Maintain a structured, therapeutic, and engaging treatment environment. 
• Provide coaching and guidance to youth during behavioral challenges and interpersonal conflicts. 
• Help youth develop accountability, problem-solving skills, emotional regulation, and healthy communication. 
• Promote a positive peer culture and therapeutic community. 

Crisis Intervention 

• Respond to behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal crises. 
• Assess situations and provide appropriate therapeutic intervention. 
• Offer clinical guidance and support to residential staff during critical incidents. 
• Assist with de-escalation while maintaining treatment expectations and safety standards. 
• Support for continuity-of-care planning and community transitions for unplanned discharges on the weekends.  

Family Engagement 

• Support family involvement in the treatment process. 
• Facilitate family/parent education and skill-building activities as assigned. 
• May facilitate a weekly parent support or educational group. 
• Assist in supporting communication between youth, families, and treatment providers. 

Residential Activities 

• Support therapeutic recreational activities and community outings. 
• Assist with implementation of Collaborative Problem Solving and Positive Reinforcement Behavior Management systems.  
• Encourage youth participation in treatment, activities, and community responsibilities. 
• Promote healthy relationship-building and prosocial behavior. 

Team Collaboration 

• Communicate significant clinical concerns to treatment team members. 
• Participate in treatment planning and clinical consultation as requested. 
• Document services provided in accordance with agency and regulatory requirements. 
• Collaborate effectively with counselors, treatment aides, nursing staff, and leadership. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

Successful candidates will demonstrate: 

• Strong therapeutic boundaries. 
• Excellent crisis management skills. 
• Ability to build rapport with adolescents and Families
• Leadership and decision-making abilities. 
• Confidence directing staff and managing complex situations. 
• Ability to balance empathy with accountability. 
• Commitment to trauma-informed and strength-based care. 
• Ability to maintain professionalism under pressure. 
• Strong written documentation skills. 

Physical and Environmental Requirements 

• Ability to actively engage with youth throughout a residential setting. 
• Ability to participate in recreational activities and community outings. 
• Ability to respond appropriately during behavioral crises and emergency situations. 
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. 

 What We Offer

• 401(k) with employer match
• Sick leave accrual

 Minimum Required Qualifications 

• CADC II or higher certification. 
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience working with adolescents, behavioral health populations, or substance use treatment clients. 
• Experience working in residential, inpatient, or other milieu-based treatment settings. 
• Experience facilitating groups and family programming. 
• Knowledge of adolescent development, trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, and behavioral health treatment. 
• Ability to lead effectively during high stress situations. 
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master's degree in counseling, Social Work, Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, or related fields. Licensed or licensed-eligible behavioral health professional. 
• 5+ years in related experience. 
• Experience implementing evidence-based practices including:  
• Motivational Interviewing 
• CBT 
• DBT-informed interventions 
• Relapse Prevention 
• SMART Recovery