Primary Therapist

Job Description

Job Description

About Forward Recovery

Forward Recovery is an outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment center serving adults with co-occurring (dual diagnosis) presentations. Our PHP/IOP/OP tracks combine individual therapy, process and skills-based groups, case management, and behavioral health technician support so clients get a coordinated level of care rather than isolated services. We run daytime and evening tracks with both in-person and virtual group options.

Position Summary

The Primary Therapist carries a caseload of dual-diagnosis outpatient clients and is the clinical owner of each assigned client's course of treatment—from biopsychosocial assessment through individualized treatment planning, weekly individual therapy, group facilitation, coordination with the treatment team, and discharge/aftercare planning. This is a hands-on clinical role in a fast-moving program where documentation timeliness and team communication matter as much as strong therapeutic skill.

Key Responsibilities

• Complete comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments (BPS) for newly admitted clients, generally within 24 hours of admission.
• Carry a primary caseload of 10-20 clients, providing a minimum of one individual therapy session per client per week.
• Develop, review, and update individualized treatment plans with measurable objectives; complete required updates on schedule and with client participation.
• Facilitate approximately 5-10 process and curriculum-based groups per week (90 minutes each), across in-person and virtual tracks.
  
• Provide crisis intervention, risk assessment, and safety planning; escalate to the Clinical Director per policy.
• Deliver evidence-based, co-occurring-competent interventions: CBT, DBT skills, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, trauma-informed care, and harm-reduction-informed approaches.

Coordination and documentation

• Serve as the clinical point of contact for assigned clients, coordinating with case managers, behavioral health technicians, prescribers/medical staff, and utilization review.
• Participate in treatment team meetings, daily standups, and clinical supervision.
• Document all sessions, groups, assessments, and contacts in the EMR [Kipu] accurately and within required timeframes.
• Support intake handoffs, level-of-care changes, discharge summaries, and aftercare/continuing care plans.
• Coordinate collateral contacts, family sessions, and outside provider communication with appropriate consent.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology, or a closely related field.
• Active California license or registration: LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or PsyD/PhD — or registered associate (ASW, AMFT, APCC) in good standing with the BBS.
• Demonstrated experience treating co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Working knowledge of ASAM criteria, DSM-5-TR diagnosis, treatment planning, and medical necessity documentation.
• Strong clinical documentation skills and comfort working in an electronic medical record.
• Understanding of HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 confidentiality requirements.
• Ability to pass a background check and meet health screening requirements; [CPR/First Aid] certification or willingness to obtain.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years in a PHP/IOP/outpatient behavioral health setting.
• Group facilitation experience with adult dual diagnosis populations.
• Formal training in DBT, CBT, EMDR, Seeking Safety, or MI.
• Experience with Kipu or a comparable behavioral health EMR.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus.

What We Offer

• Health coverage
• Paid time off and paid holidays
  
• Clinical supervision toward licensure hours for registered associates at no cost
• CEU/professional development support
• Manageable caseloads with dedicated case management and BHT support so therapists can focus on clinical work
• A collaborative treatment team with clear operational structure and defined role boundaries

To Apply

Submit a resume and brief cover letter to View email address on ziprecruiter.com with the subject line "Primary Therapist." Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Forward Recovery is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities.

Pay transparency: the posted range reflects the good-faith salary range for this position at the time of posting, as required by California law.