Lead Child and Adolescent Therapist - Sterling, Virginia - LCSW, LPC, LMFT

About Blackbird Health

Blackbird Health is clinician-founded, owned, and operated by dedicated professionals. We believe that providing the best care for children starts with building the best possible team. We deliver virtual and in-person mental health services across Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey—and we’re growing into new markets in 2026.

At Blackbird, we take a whole-child approach, looking at how the brain, body, and behavior interact to address the root causes of challenges, not just the symptoms. Every role matters here, and you’ll join a collaborative, supportive, and innovative team that’s shaping the future of pediatric mental health care. If you’re passionate about helping children and families while growing your career, Blackbird is the place to make an impact.

Join us and help change mental health care for children for the better!

Position Summary

Blackbird Health is looking for a Lead Child and Adolescent Therapist to join our team as we launch our Sterling, VA clinic. This is not just a clinical role, it's a chance to be a founding member of a brand new market, help shape how Blackbird shows up in the Sterling community, and grow into a leadership position as the team scales. We are offering a sign on bonus for our founding providers.

You'll carry a clinical caseload while also serving as an on-the-ground leader for the Sterling location, supporting the clinical culture, collaborating closely with leadership, and helping ensure our patients receive the highest quality of care from day one.

Why You'll Love This Role

This role is a great fit for clinicians who want:

• A leadership opportunity in a growing, mission-driven startup
• The chance to be a founding clinical voice in a brand new market
• A full-time W-2 position with full benefits and a competitive base salary
• The ability to grow with Blackbird as Virginia expands
• A hybrid model with flexibility built in
• The chance to make a real difference for children, adolescents, and families through integrated, whole-child care

Employment Details

Full-Time W-2 | 40 hours/week

• Schedule: Flexible within business needs, with emphasis on after 3pm weekdays and weekends to serve our patient population
• Work Model: Hybrid — minimum clinical hours onsite at our Sterling location, with remaining hours remote
• Direct Care Hours: Competitive direct care expectations with dedicated time for leadership, collaboration, and administrative responsibilities

Benefits

• Benefits: Full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and 401K with employer match
• Paid Time Off: Generous PTO plus 11 company holidays
• Development: Ongoing clinical support, leadership development, and professional growth opportunities

What Makes You, You

• Experienced clinician with a passion for working with children, adolescents, young adults and their families using evidence-based practices
• A natural leader who is energized by the opportunity to help build and shape a new clinical team
• Excited to be part of something new, comfortable with some ambiguity and motivated by the opportunity to create structure and culture
• Skilled in facilitating both in-person and virtual telehealth sessions with strong technical proficiency
• Proactive problem-solver with strong clinical judgment and excellent communication and documentation abilities
• Dedicated to high-touch, comprehensive care a true partnership with families and caregivers, not just clinical sessions
• Collaborative team player who values clinical consultation, feedback, and professional growth

How You'll Make an Impact

• Launch Sterling: Serve as a founding clinical leader for Blackbird's Sterling location, help us show up strong in a new community and build something meaningful from the ground up
• Deliver High-Quality Therapy: Provide individual evidence-based therapy to children, adolescents, and young adults (ages 2–26), building strong therapeutic relationships through consistent, high-quality care
• Lead Clinically: Support the clinical culture of the Sterling team, model best practices, and serve as a collaborative resource for other clinicians as the team grows
• Drive Patient Progress: Develop and adjust individualized treatment plans based on ongoing assessment of patient progress
• Collaborate for Integrated Care: Work closely with PMHNPs, OT, SLP, and other specialty providers to deliver whole-child care
• Maintain Clinical Excellence: Maintain thorough, timely clinical documentation and patient records
• Partner with Families: Involve and advise family members and outside specialists when appropriate

The Basics You'll Need

• Independently licensed as a LCSW, LPC, or LMFT in Virginia
• Minimum of 2 years of experience providing individual, direct care therapy to children and adolescent patients
• Experience in a telehealth or virtual setting
• Flexibility to work during Blackbird's core after-school hours: after 3pm ET during the week and/or weekends
• Enthusiasm for being part of a new market launch — this is a unique opportunity for the right person

Salary Range

$95,000—$115,000 USD

Join us!

To raise the standard of pediatric mental health care through accurate understanding and precise treatment that reflect how each child’s brain, body, and behavior work together.

“It's so rare to find comprehensive care like this---from testing to therapy to med management (and more)--all in one place. In addition, the school advocacy support we receive is unprecedented. We no longer feel like we are managing things alone.”

Fostering an inclusive environment:

Blackbird is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and belonging. We are able to grow and learn better together with a diverse team of employees. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs. Blackbird provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at View email address on aiapply.co so we can support you.

Our patient support team is busy helping children and families, please do not call or email them about your application — this helps us process your application more efficiently.