Current Opening for Adventure Therapist
Status: Full-time Exempt
Reports to: Director of Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare
Mission: Established in 1992, ChildSafe is a nonprofit organization created to combat child abuse in our community. Serving as Bexar County’s only Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), we provide a continuum of care – including crisis management, case management, clinical therapy, and victim services – to child abuse survivors and their non-offending family members. In 2012, ChildSafe expanded its services to reach all child victims of abuse and neglect.
Basic Functions: Provides Adventure Therapy counseling services, in indoor and outdoor settings, to survivors of child abuse and/or neglect and their families. Works with and provides consultation to all members of the multidisciplinary team. Participates in multidisciplinary case staffings. Makes referrals to, and consults with, outside agencies as necessary.
Essential Job Functions:
- Provides Adventure Therapy counseling services to children and adolescents who are victims of sexual or physical abuse or neglect, and their families, in primarily outdoor settings.
- Facilitates single family and multi-family group therapy sessions.
- Provide TF-CBT group therapy services, in indoor and outdoor settings, to survivors of child abuse and/or neglect, and their non offending caregiver and maintain small case load of these client for individual therapy.
- Facilitates relationship building workshops with adults in various professional, working, and community groups.
- Facilitates Secondary Traumatic Stress workshops with adults in various professional, working and community groups.
- Schedules and coordinates adventure therapy sessions with clients.
- Prepares for adventure therapy sessions by setting-up and inspecting equipment before use with clients, evaluating surroundings for safety, reviewing emergency procedures, and consulting with supervisor about questions and concerns regarding client care.
- Will be required to participate in on-going training related to the adventure therapy field to help ensure the safe, ethical, and responsible use of equipment and techniques in adventure therapy programming.
- Consults with supervisor about any concerns regarding the well-being or safety of clients, staff, or volunteers before the start of any adventure therapy session.
- Administers pre and post assessments to evaluate client progress towards goals.
- Assists in the evaluation and enhancement of adventure therapy programming by, among other tasks, conducting focus groups and surveys with clients.
- Prepares and maintains records, reports, and statistics related to client care and workload.
- Works as a member of a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals, Child Protective Services workers, law enforcement personnel, and members of the judicial system. Also participates in court proceedings as needed.
- Contributes to the ongoing enhancement and development of a trauma-informed adventure therapy best practices curriculum.
- Avails self for training opportunities either at the agency or at workshops and conferences to remain adept in facilitating adventure therapy activities with clients.
- Remains in good standing as a licensed mental health professional in Texas.
- Completes documentation within 48 hours of service.
- Other duties as assigned.
Experience/Education Requirements:
- Bilingual Spanish/English preferred but not required.
- Master’s Degree in a mental health field is required with current or provisional Texas licensure as an LPC, LMFT, or LCSW.
- Certification as a Ropes Challenge Course Facilitator (high/low) is required but can be earned during employment.
- Preference with be given to counselors currently trained in a trauma specific modality or will be required to:
- be trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy within one year of employment.
- participate in on-going trauma specific services training with the CAC of Texas and travel to Austin for these trainings.
- Confident with relating to children and adolescents in a nurturing, supportive manner and to parents and caregivers in a non-judgmental, empathic, compassionate, and encouraging manner.
- Able to manage crisis situations.
- Interacts with other professionals and co-workers in a spirit of cooperation and mutual commitment to the goals of delivering the best possible services to children and their caregivers affected by physical abuse, sexual abuse, and/or neglect.
- Driver’s license, liability insurance, and reliable transportation required.
- Certification in CPR and First Aid is required but can be earned during employment.
- Ability to pass a criminal background check and CPS registry check.
Working Conditions/Physical Demands:
- Outdoor settings and environments in various weather conditions (rain, shine, heat or cold) to include, but not limited to, ChildSafe’s Challenge Course, state, and local campgrounds, hiking trails, and bodies of water such as free flowing rivers.
- Must be able to stand for long periods of time, climb to set up high level adventure therapy equipment on a ropes course or natural rock surface, and swim.
- Carry up to 60 lbs. to transport outdoor gear such as camping and climbing equipment, kayaks, ladders, and backpacks; reaching, bending, and climbing; walking and hiking great distances of at least three miles or more over uneven terrain likely.
- General office environment and needs to move about the office to access cabinets, files, office machinery including computers, copiers, and printers; and seldom ascend/descend ladder to retrieve client files.
- Must be able to remain in a stationary and/or standing position 50% of the time.
- Must be able to assess and respond appropriately to changing settings and circumstances to help ensure clients’ physical and emotional safety.
- Must be able to use personal, reliable vehicle to travel to adventure therapy programming sites to include, but not limited to those listed above.
Hours/Shifts:
ChildSafe is open Monday-Thursday 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. This position is 40 hours/week position and will require evening and two weekend commitments per month for adventure therapy programming or training. Bi-annual overnight camping is required for training and counseling services.
Benefits: Paid holidays, paid vacation, sick days, and mental health days, major medical, dental, vision, 401(k)-retirement plan, CEUs towards licensure requirements, and reimbursement for license renewals
Salary: Commensurate with experience.
ChildSafe is an Equal Opportunity employer. Personnel are chosen on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.
To Apply
Qualified candidates will email a resume and cover letter to . Due to the volume of applicants ChildSafe receives, we are unable to respond to each candidate individually regarding the status of his or her application.