Child and Family Mental Health Therapist - River Forest

Job Description

Job Description

Join Our Team: Child and Family Therapist Individual & Family Connection |Part to Full Time | Employee with Benefits

River Forest, IL

7357 W North Ave

River Forest, Illinois

60305

Looking to apply at our Bucktown location? 
You may apply to our Chicago location here.   

Help families heal. Grow as a clinician.

Individual & Family Connection (IFC) is a group private practice in Bucktown and River Forest, IL, specializing in children, families, and young adults. Our signature approach — Through the Eyes of the Child — guides everything we do, as we strive to see the world from the child's perspective.

Individual and Family Connection is a pediatric mental health community committed to developing exceptional child therapists and transforming the way children and families experience care. Through comprehensive training, mentorship, collaboration, and ongoing professional growth, we equip clinicians with the skills and confidence to provide compassionate, relationship-centered therapy.  Through the power of play and connection, we help children thrive and empower caregivers with hope and support. Our two-year IFC Training Institute certification helps clinicians grow from TEOC Fellow to Certified Clinician, with pathways into teaching and leadership.

We're a community of passionate, imperfect, deeply committed healing professionals who invest in each other's growth as much as our clients'. If you're looking for a long-term clinical home we'd love to meet you.

What We Offer

We take care of you so you can take care of your clients:

• Health insurance, dental, paid time off, and paid maternity leave
• Employer-matched retirement plan
• Paid CEUs and professional development
• Supervision toward Play Therapy Certification
• Liability insurance covered
• Dedicated play therapy office with fully stocked supplies
• All admin handled for you: intake coordination, insurance verification, billing, and accounting
• User-friendly electronic medical records
• We provide referral network access and administrative support, but this role requires initiative. You'll be expected to build and maintain a full caseload through internal referrals, community outreach, and client engagement. 
• Ongoing peer consultation and supervision

Grow Your Career: The IFC Training Institute

Every IFC clinician is invited into our two-year certification program through the IFC Training Institute, built on our signature Through the Eyes of the Child (TEOC) framework and grounded in attachment theory, trauma-informed care, and play therapy.

Your pathway:
TEOC Fellow: Begin structured training, mentorship, and case consultation in the TEOC approach.
TEOC Certified Clinician: Complete the two-year program and earn your certification.
TEOC Faculty: Take the next step into teaching, mentoring, and helping shape the next generation of child and family therapists.

This isn't a one-off training. It's a long-term investment in your growth, from skilled clinician to recognized expert and leader.

The Role

You'll carry a caseload of 15–25 contact hours weekly, providing individual and family psychotherapy to pediatric clients and young adults. Beyond direct client work, you'll be a genuine contributor to our clinical community — collaborating, consulting, and growing alongside your peers.

Day-to-day, you'll:

• Deliver individual and family psychotherapy
• Conduct thorough, empathic client assessments
• Develop and adapt treatment goals with clients and families
• Collaborate with schools, psychiatrists, and outside providers
• Provide parent coaching and behavior support
• Attend IEP meetings as needed (with parent consent)
• Participate in staff meetings, case consultations, and supervision
• Maintain clear, consistent communication with families and referral sources

Who We're Looking For

You must be licensed to practice in Illinois: LSW, LPC, LCSW, LCPC, LMFT, or Psy.D.

You also have experience with — or a demonstrated commitment to — working with pediatric clients (18 months to young adult) and presentations including anxiety, depression, trauma, attachment difficulties, ADHD, self-injury, and behavioral challenges. A trauma-informed, systemic lens and an anti-racist, anti-oppressive clinical framework are central to how we work.

Availability for evenings and a weekend shift is required.

Bonus if you have expertise in any of the following: Theraplay, DDP, CPP, DBT, EMDR, TBRI, PCIT, ACT, Somatic Experiencing, Narrative Therapy, or Synergetic Play Therapy. Experience with LGBTQ+ affirmative practice and gender-expansive clients is also a plus.

A Note on Fit

We're looking for someone who wants a long-term clinical home and genuinely thrives as part of a team. The right person finds energy in peer consultation, is open to feedback, and sees personal growth and clinical growth as inseparable.

This likely isn't the right fit if you're planning to eventually build your own solo practice or prefer to work independently without team accountability — and that's okay. We just want to be upfront so we both find the right match.

Ready to apply?

We'd love to hear about your experience and your approach to working with children and families. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.