Counselor Educator

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health; Hampstead (NH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health seeks a Counselor Educator to provide education, coaching, and skill-building across Psychiatric Units for patients aged 5–25. The role integrates trauma-informed, somatic, and mindfulness-based approaches to support safe, developmentally appropriate care.

You will develop training modules, model trauma-informed engagement, and collaborate with psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers to strengthen staff competency and prevent burnout.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years direct experience in psychiatric or residential treatment settings.
• Proficient in trauma-informed care, somatic interventions, and mindfulness-based practices.
• Experience in staff development, training, and mentoring.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver ongoing, evidence-informed training modules for milieu staff, counselors, and interdisciplinary team members.
• Provide in-the-moment coaching and modeling of trauma-informed engagement strategies.
• Teach practical mindfulness, grounding, and co-regulation techniques for staff use with patients.
• Consult with unit staff on implementing individualized intervention that are aligned with treatment goals.
• Support staff in applying somatic awareness and IFS-informed approaches to de-escalation, emotional regulation, and rapport-building.
• Facilitate reflective practice groups to strengthen clinical reasoning and prevent burnout.
• Collaborate with leadership to design and refine psychosocial programming that fosters safety, resilience, and skill-building for patients across developmental stages.
• Ensure consistency in milieu programming across all units while supporting counselors to adapt interventions for specific age groups and needs.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Mindfulness-based practices

Staff training & mentoring

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Communication across roles

Program development

Clinical reasoning

Education

Master’s degree in a relevant human services field

Bachelor’s degree + 5 years experience

Advanced trauma treatment/mindfulness certifications preferred

Tools

Job description

Overview

The Counselor Educator will provide direct educational, consultative, and skill-building support to the clinical and direct-care staff across all Psychiatric Units (ages 5–12, 12–16, 16–25, and long-term adolescent care). This position will integrate trauma-informed, somatic, and mindfulness-based approaches drawing from and integrating a variety of treatment modalities to enhance therapeutic milieu interventions, strengthen staff competency, and support consistent, developmentally appropriate care.

Responsibilities

• Staff Education & Training:
• Develop and deliver ongoing, evidence-informed training modules for milieu staff, counselors, and interdisciplinary team members.
• Provide in-the-moment coaching and modeling of trauma-informed engagement strategies.
• Teach practical mindfulness, grounding, and co-regulation techniques for staff use with patients.
• Therapeutic Skills Development:
• Consult with unit staff on implementing individualized intervention that are aligned with treatment goals.
• Support staff in applying somatic awareness and IFS-informed approaches to de-escalation, emotional regulation, and rapport-building.
• Facilitate reflective practice groups to strengthen clinical reasoning and prevent burnout.
• Program Development:
• Collaborate with leadership to design and refine psychosocial programming that fosters safety, resilience, and skill-building for patients across developmental stages.
• Ensure consistency in milieu programming across all units while supporting counselors to adapt interventions for specific age groups and needs.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
• Partner with psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and behavioral specialists to integrate trauma-informed care into all aspects of unit functioning.
• Participate in treatment team meetings, when engaged via consult, to provide insights on milieu interventions, management and engagement strategies.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years direct experience in psychiatric or residential treatment settings.
• Demonstrated proficiency in a variety of treatment modalities, trauma-informed care, somatic interventions, and mindfulness-based practices.
• Skilled in staff development, training, and mentoring.
• Ability to work effectively with interdisciplinary teams and communicate clearly across roles.
• Master’s degree in a relevant human services field or a Bachelor’s degree with an additional 5 years of experience is required; advanced training or certification in trauma treatment, mindfulness facilitation, or expressive therapies preferred.
• Experience working across multiple developmental stages in inpatient or residential settings.

Required Licensure/Certifications

• None