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Are you looking for a position that helps create positive change? Join our thriving private practice  and help Next Step Counseling make a difference in our community!


About Us

Next Step Counseling is a boutique multi-niche group therapy practice dedicated to helping adults and couples cope with life’s toughest transitions. Based in Chicago, we partner with our clients through our therapy services to help them navigate difficulties such as break-ups, anxiety/stress, grief & loss, depression, trauma, self-esteem, identity as well as relational discord. 

Next Step Counseling was founded in 2011 by Ilene Kastel, who wanted to provide a niche-based therapy practice to help clients grow, change, and thrive. The motto for the practice is “Our life’s work is to improve yours” and we stand by that commitment every day. As a practice, we maintain a warm, inviting and collaborative culture that embodies learning, growth, support, and inclusivity for everyone on the team. 


We encourage POC and /or folks who identify as LGBTQ+ to apply.

W2 Licensed Psychotherapist + Supervisor
Position Available
Executive Assistant/Office Manager
Filled

We are excited to expand our Clinical Team and are looking to hire a fully licensed counselor (Psy.D., LCPC, LCSW, LMFT) immediately for this full-time hybrid position.

Full-time therapists will be scheduled for 30 hours of work per week over 5 days, with the expectation that they see an average of 24 clients per week for 48 weeks a year. Supervisors see a caseload of 20-22 clients on average a week plus Supervision hours. Remaining hours will be dedicated to consultation, team meetings, trainings, and other non-client activities as needed.

Job Duties

We are seeking a highly-skilled Licensed Clinical Therapist, ideally with prior experience in a private practice setting or conducting long-term therapy with adults and couples and providing supervision. POC are strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals should be comfortable working with diverse staff and clients including LGBTQ+.

Responsibilities of a Licensed Clinical Therapist:

  • Provide individual and couples therapy services to adult clients with a variety of diagnoses. Couples counseling and training is also available.
  • Participate in practice-wide professional development trainings to develop or strengthen clinical skills in areas of trauma and couples/relationship therapy.
  • Complete session notes, current treatment plan and obtain client payments in a timely fashion.
  • Formulate DSM 5 diagnoses, as needed and appropriate.
  • Consult with other providers, psychiatrists, and other professionals as needed.
  • Contribute to and engage in the supportive positive team culture.

Responsibilities of Supervisor:

  • Conduct weekly supervision meetings
  • Provide consistent, direct and supportive feedback in real time.
  • Support supervisees to maintain employment and clinical hours.
  • Review, sign off on, and submit supervisees’ chart notes, diagnoses and treatment plans within 1 business day.
  • Complete and participate in supervisee’s annual employment review
  • Meeting with the Executive Director for role transition and on-going support.

Benefits of Joining NSC

Next Step Counseling is an inclusive and growth-oriented practice with a positive, supportive and healthy team culture. At this time, we offer the following to our Licensed Clinical Therapists:

  • Full-time W2 position which comes with several benefits, including health insurance, stipend for continuing education, in-house continuing education, sick pay, administration compensation, unlimited time off, and flexibility with schedule to accommodate vacations. Additionally, we offer a 401K after your first 90 days and a company match after the first year of employment.
  • Competitive insurance reimbursement and, thus, competitive compensation.
  • Profit sharing opportunities $300 – $3,000
  • A close and collaborative team that offers ongoing opportunities for support, growth, and development through individual and group consultation.
  • A safe environment that values authenticity, vulnerability and communication.
  • Administrative support to take care of all billing, benefit checks, credentialing with insurance panels for you and marketing.
  • Hybrid Work Schedule with a great location downtown by all L lines.
  • Nicely decorated offices with vaulted ceilings and windows.
  • Developed referral flow to build and maintain a full caseload.

Competencies

Candidates for the Licensed Clinical Therapist position must:

  • Hold current licensed in IL as LCPC, LMFT, LCSW, Ph.D. or Psy.D.
  • Commit to 2 years, have day and evening availability and maintain a caseload of 24 clinical hours weekly. Supervisors see between 20 -22 clinical hours a week.
  • Demonstrate an interest in learning or experience with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Couples work, Trauma informed, mindfulness, breathing techniques or mind-body connection.
  • Have prior experience with adults providing long-term therapy with moderate to high functioning clients, or private practice experience will be considered.
  • Special consideration will be given to applicants:
    • have couples counseling experience and training.
    • special certifications in couples work, EMDR or Somatic Experience certifications.
    • Already paneled with BCBS and/or United.

Relationship

The Licensed Clinical Therapist will work closely with and report to Next Step Counseling’s Executive Director.

Compensation

Compensation structure for the Clinical Therapist position is %-based and is commensurate with experience. We expect Clinical Therapists to make an annual salary of $69,120 – $78,000, depending on caseload.

Executive Assistant/Office Manager Job Details

We are excited to bring on an Executive Assistant/Office Manager (EA/OM) and are looking to hire immediately. This is a new position for our practice and it is designed to play a critical role in the operations of the business. 

The EA/OM will oversee many of the day-to-day operations of the practice, managing processes methodically and strategically, maximizing productivity for the team, and supporting practice leadership.The EA/OM will be responsible for responding to new client inquiries, managing new client intake processes, overseeing billing and insurance verifications for new and current clients, daily client accounting reviews, and handling data/spreadsheets to track business metrics. The EA/OM will also provide administrative and operations support to Next Step Counseling’s Founder (Ilene) and Clinical Manager (Sandra).

The EA/OM position will start with a minimum of 20 to 25 hours per week during afternoons and evenings, with the potential to evolve into a full-time position with input from the new hire. Currently, hours are remote and allow for some flexibility (specific hours TBD). Post-covid, the position will include remote and on-site work. 

Job Duties

We are seeking a warm, motivated, engaged, and detail-oriented person who is comfortable overseeing and handing daily operations, intake processes, and billing processes for the practice. At this time, the primary responsibilities of the EA/OM include:

  • Intake coordination and client scheduling
  • Phone and email support for potential clients
  • Medical insurance billing, benefit lookups and patient accounting
  • Tracking referral sources, follow up, and retention of clients using spreadsheets
  • Carries out bi-monthly 401K wage contributions
  • Managing employee onboarding and termination paperwork
  • Updating the website and creating and sending out bi-monthly Mail Chimp e-newsletter
  • Creating internal documents or updates as needed, such as Policies & Procedures and Handbooks or PDFfiller documents
  • Offline and online marketing support 
  • Occasionally running errands 
  • Other clerical and administrative back-up support as needed
  • Maintenance of office space – ordering supplies, light cleaning as needed, watering plants, etc.
  • Direct assistance to the CEO of Next Step Counseling
  • Additional duties to be determined as the position develops

Competencies

The EA/OP position is ideal for a self-starter who works well independently and is also comfortable reporting to leadership. The perfect candidate for this position will enjoy taking initiative, problem-solving, and managing operations with little oversight while also collaborating with practice leadership to improve systems and processes. They will also have a unique talent in anticipating the practice’s needs in advance and will embrace and contribute to the warm and inclusive culture of the practice.

Candidates for the EA/OM position must:

  • Have excellent professional communication skills, on the phone and in writing
  • Have excellent customer service and sales skills
  • Be proficient in insurance billing and accounting
  • Be highly organized
  • Be proficient at Excel and G-Suite apps (Google docs, spreadsheets, forms, etc.)
  • Have working knowledge of the mental health field, confidentiality for patient health information, and HIPAA-compliance
  • Be resourceful, a self-starter, proactive communicator, and team-oriented

Extra consideration for candidates who:

  • Are tech-savvy and familiar with online marketing strategies, such as social media, Google AdWords, and SEO
  • Enjoy being creative and can create written and visual promotional material, such as flyers, rack cards, social media posts etc.

Relationship

The EA/OM will work closely with and report to the Founder/CEO. They will also work closely with the Clinical Manager.

Compensation

The EA/OM position is an hourly position. Compensation is commensurate with experience.

 

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Ilene@nextstepcounselingchicago.com, as well as your desired hourly rate or range. Desired hourly rate or range must be included to be considered for this position.