Child and Family Therapist - Bridging Families; Smoky Region

Child and Family Therapist - Bridging Families (Smoky Region)

Location/

Schedule:

Smoky Mountain Region, North Carolina (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, and Transylvania counties). Full‑time. Bridging Families homes located in Murphy, NC. Travel to community agencies and families’ homes within the assigned region will be required.

Your Impact: As a Child and Family Therapist serving the Bridging Families and Bridging Futures programs, you will guide children, young adults, and families through therapeutic interventions rooted in evidence‑based practices and trauma‑informed care. For Bridging Families clients, you will work as part of a small team—including foster parents, a case manager, and a supervisor—to provide intensive, family‑centered services focused on reunification and healing for youth ages 18 and under and their families.

Each team partners with no more than three families at a time, allowing for deep, individualized therapeutic engagement. For Bridging Futures clients, you will support young adults ages 17–21 who are transitioning out of foster care, providing individualized, trauma‑informed therapy to promote emotional regulation, healthy relationships, and adaptive coping.

Hiring Range: $53,000 – $68,000 annually.
Sign‑On Bonus: $3,000 (eligible based on qualifications).

Benefits:

• Defined Contribution Benefits Plan (health/dental/vision insurance with $0 copay for mental‑health visits; life, short‑term and long‑term disability; critical illness and accident coverage; flexible spending plan)
• 401(k) with employer match (up to 6%)
• Paid parental leave (based on tenure)
• Ongoing training
• 20 days PTO, 11 paid holidays

Education / Experience / Licensure:

• Valid, active license as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Fully licensed preferred; provisional or associate license acceptable.
• Experience working with children and families in foster care is preferred.

Skills and

Competencies:

• Expertise in family systems theory, attachment parenting, and trauma‑informed therapy
• Knowledge of evidence‑based therapeutic practices
• Strong interpersonal skills for building and maintaining effective relationships with families, coworkers, and community partners
• Ability to work collaboratively on diverse teams and navigate cultural dynamics in care
• Proficiency in documentation and compliance with health‑record standards
• Flexibility, creativity, and resilience to face the challenges of the role

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide services and support to the entire treatment team (Bridge parents, reunifying caregivers, and youth), focusing on permanency through reunification.
• Learn and implement the Bridging Families treatment approach; conduct comprehensive assessments, develop treatment plans, and deliver therapy in alignment with evidence‑based practices.
• Lead client staffing, attend treatment team meetings, and provide clinical oversight to ensure quality services.
• Collaborate with other therapists and participate in clinical supervision.
• Provide crisis support and be available for on‑call rotations to support families during emergencies.
• Engage in committee work and community projects to enhance programs that meet the needs of children and families; serve as a referral source for additional agency or community services.
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of services, including billing, reauthorizations, and session notes, adhering to licensing and accreditation standards.
• Foster positive, problem‑solving relationships with clients, colleagues, and community partners; demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Work with the Clinical Director to evaluate staff training needs and provide education on mental‑health diagnoses and treatments.
• May involve contact with clients and/or family members who are hostile, resistant, or violent.

This position requires a flexible work schedule, including evenings, weekends, and on‑call duties as needed to meet family needs.

Note:

This job ad is a summary of the position and its requirements. For a full list of responsibilities and qualifications, please refer to the detailed job description, which can be sent upon request.