Senior Mental Health Counselor

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences; Yakima (WA); On-site; USD 67,200 - 107,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Benefits

Paid Time Off

403(b) with Roth Option

Paid Holidays

Job summary

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Washington state seeks a Senior Mental Health Counselor to deliver comprehensive psychological services to students, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, assessment, psychoeducation, and referrals.

The role requires independent clinical judgment, caseload management, supervision of associates and students, and contribution to a student-focused culture within the university.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in counseling or related field required.
• Current WA State licensure to practice independently.
• Five+ years of clinical counseling experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual and group counseling to enrolled students and manage crises.
• Offer clinical supervision, consultation, and feedback to associates and practicum students.
• Develop outreach, prevention, and psychoeducational programming for student success.
• Consult with faculty, staff, students, and professionals to support students.
• Coordinate referrals to psychiatric and medical resources as needed.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date clinical files and reports.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Clinical supervision

Psychoeducation

Therapy modalities

Public speaking

FERPA/HIPAA knowledge

Interdepartmental collaboration

Documentation/records

Education

Master’s degree in counseling or related field

Washington State licensure (LMHC/LICSW/LASW/LMFT/Psychologist)

Doctoral degree (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic records

Job description

Job Overview

Recruitment Period: 07/15/2026 - Until Filled. Job Type: Full-time, 40 hours/week. Salary: $67,200 - $107,500 annually. Hiring Rate: $32.31 - $46.83 per hour. Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Pro-rated based on hours per week. Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) does not sponsor employment visas. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

General Summary

The Senior Mental Health Counselor provides comprehensive psychological services to PNWU students, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, assessment, psychoeducation, and referral. The role involves independent clinical judgment, caseload management, supervision of associates and students, building relationships, and contributing to a student-focused culture.

Essential Job Functions

• Provide individual and group counseling to currently enrolled students, identifying and addressing personal, developmental, and clinical concerns that impact wellbeing and education, and manage emotional dynamics during crisis and transition periods.
• Offer clinical supervision, consultation, and developmental feedback to counseling associates, practicum students, and trainees; mentor peers and newer clinicians to enhance their skills and provide clear clinical guidance.
• Develop and implement outreach, prevention, and psychoeducational programming that promotes student success and addresses the needs of students from rural and underserved communities.
• Consult with faculty, staff, students, and other professionals to support students; build trust-based relationships across departments and resolve interpersonal concerns constructively with compassion.
• Maintain relationships with community referral resources and coordinate referrals to psychiatric and other medical resources as needed.
• Maintain accurate, complete, and up-to-date clinical files, written reports, and job‑related data in accordance with current professional and disciplinary standards.
• Understand and comply with FERPA, HIPAA, and confidentiality standards, and model ethical practice for students, peers, and supervisees.

Marginal Job Functions

• Represent counseling services on departmental, student affairs, or university committees and working groups.
• Contribute to program review, accreditation activities, and continuous improvement of counseling services.
• Additional duties consistent with the scope, level, and primary responsibilities of the position may be assigned.

Standard Institutional Requirements

• Perform job duties in accordance with safety, legal, and regulatory requirements; University policy and procedures; and accepted business practices.
• Act with the highest level of professional ethical standards in all aspects of job performance, in accordance with the mission and values of PNWU.
• Understand and adhere to accreditation standards and expectations specific to the department.

Requirements

Education: Required: A master’s degree in counseling, clinical or counseling psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, or a related mental health field, AND current Washington State licensure that authorizes independent counseling or therapy practice (e.g., LMHC, LICSW, LASW, LMFT, or licensed Psychologist), AND five or more years of relevant clinical counseling experience with adults, including experience mentoring, supervising, or providing clinical consultation to other clinicians, OR an equivalent combination of education and experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential functions of the position. Preferred: Doctoral degree in psychology, counseling, social work, or a related field, qualified to independently provide counseling or therapy in Washington State. Current status as a Washington State approved clinical supervisor, and prior experience providing formal clinical supervision.

Experience: Required: Experience with high-achieving graduate students in professional health sciences programs.

Desired Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities: Skill in applying varied therapeutic and psychoeducational modalities, program development and implementation; coaching, developing, and clinical supervision; independent clinical decision-making, problem solving, and exercising sound judgment in ambiguous or high-stakes situations; maintaining professional composure and managing emotional dynamics in emergent and crisis situations; building and maintaining trust-based relationships; communicating and resolving interpersonal conflict with compassion; adapting to differences in culture, communication style, and lived experience; creating inclusive environments; collaborating across departments and disciplines; knowledge of FERPA and HIPAA; knowledge of local social services and referral resources; effective written and oral communication, including public speaking; proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic records; data and records management; and reporting to assess counseling services effectiveness.

Application Materials

• A letter of introduction outlining background and qualifications for the position
• Detailed resume
• Contact information for three professional references

Benefit Package

Benefit eligible is at least .5 FTE

• Health Benefits – Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• 403(b) with Roth Option
• Paid Holidays

Equal Opportunity Statement

PNWU is a drug-free workplace, equal opportunity employer and educational institution. To request this publication in an alternative format, or to apply in an alternative format, please call Human Resources, 509.452.5100.