First Responder Program Lead

Evergreen Counseling; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) plan with a 4% match

Long-term disability insurance

Life insurance

Continuing education stipend

One month of unpaid time off annually

Job summary

Evergreen Counseling in Berkeley seeks a trauma-informed therapist to lead the First Responder Program, delivering clinical care while developing initiatives for first responders. This role combines approximately 15-20 client sessions per week with responsibilities such as training, outreach, and program leadership.

The ideal candidate is a licensed clinician with five years of experience and a strong background with first responders, ensuring meaningful, supportive mental health services. Compensation ranges from $100,000 to $150,000 per year depending on experience.

Qualifications

• Must be a fully licensed clinician in California.
• Experience with high-stress professional groups is essential.
• Warm and emotionally attuned clinician with a focus on client care.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical expertise for first responder programs.
• Clinical consultation for leadership and partners.
• Maintain a caseload of 15-20 client sessions weekly.

Skills

Experience with first responders

Clinical consultation

Training and outreach

Crisis response

Program development

Education

Licensed LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, or Clinical Psychologist

5+ years post-graduate clinical experience

Job description

Founded by a trauma therapist and First Responder experienced clinician, Evergreen Counseling was created to provide deeply trauma-informed, relational care in a warm and human-centered environment.

We center our clients at Evergreen, providing exceptional, professional, warm, and humanistic care. Each staff member is trauma-informed and possesses advanced training in trauma treatment modalities to serve clients presenting with single-incident traumas or relational traumas.

At Evergreen, we also center our staff by providing a comprehensive benefits package, ongoing training and consultation, advanced education opportunities, and exceptionally responsive leadership and administrative support. Fully licensed clinicians also have the flexibility to build schedules that work for them, assuming a typical caseload of approximately 25 client sessions per week.

We aim to create an environment where clinicians can do meaningful, sustainable work without feeling isolated or overwhelmed. We value authenticity, collaboration, warmth, and clinical integrity, and strive to build a practice culture that feels grounded, supportive, and genuinely human.

As part of our commitment to providing high-quality, trauma-informed care, Evergreen Counseling is proud to support the Oakland Fire Department (OFD). Evergreen has supported OFD members since 2024 and recently expanded our partnership to provide comprehensive mental health services and training to their team of over 500. Our work with Oakland is deeply rewarding and meaningful, and is just the beginning of the broader First Responder Program we hope to build at Evergreen Counseling.

About The Role

We are currently seeking a trauma-informed therapist to serve as First Responder Program Lead, supporting Evergreen Counseling’s partnership with the Oakland Fire Department and anticipated future first responder partnerships.

This role combines direct clinical care with leadership responsibilities, including program development, training, outreach, consultation, and support for first responder mental health initiatives. The position is expected to include approximately 5-15 hours per week dedicated to administrative, training, outreach, and program leadership responsibilities, alongside a clinical caseload of approximately 15–20 client sessions per week.

The ideal clinician has extensive experience working with first responders (firefighters, EMS personnel, law enforcement, military populations, or similarly high-stress professional groups) and understands the unique clinical considerations associated with repeated trauma exposure, critical incidents, PTSD, burnout, grief, moral injury, crisis response, and occupational stress.

• Provide clinical expertise to support and refine Evergreen Counseling’s first responder programming
• Serve as a clinical consultant to Evergreen leadership, organizational partners, and program stakeholders
• Provide consultation and training related to mental health crisis recognition, trauma, referral protocols, and clinical support for first responder populations
• Provide consultation, crisis response support, and follow-up psychotherapy related to critical incidents when appropriate
• Support program implementation, evaluation, and ongoing refinement
• Analyze clinical trends and identify opportunities for program improvement
• Coordinate or facilitate clinical consultation and team meetings as needed
• Maintain a direct clinical caseload of at least 15 sessions per week
• Complete timely documentation and treatment planning
• Conduct consultation calls and collaborate with external providers when appropriate

In-person presence in Berkeley or Oakland is preferred. For those seeking a remote position, occasional travel to Oakland would be required.

About You

• You are a fully licensed LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, or Clinical Psychologist (Ph.D. or PsyD) licensed to practice in California. You have at least five years of post‑graduate clinical experience and demonstrated experience working with first responders (firefighters, EMS personnel, law enforcement, military populations, or similarly high-stress professions).
• Experience providing consultation, training, outreach, program development, leadership, or organizational support is strongly preferred.
• You are a warm, grounded, and emotionally attuned clinician who values both excellent client care and meaningful connections with colleagues. You are excited by the opportunity to combine clinical work with leadership, program development, and support for first responder mental health initiatives.

Compensation for this role includes a combination of base pay and variable compensation tied to clinical services provided. The anticipated annual compensation range for this position is $100,000 – $150,000, depending on experience and clinical caseload.

Benefits include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family
• 401(k) plan with a 4% match
• Long‑term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Continuing education stipend
• One month of unpaid time off annually
• A meaningful caseload of engaged, diverse, and motivated clients