Child Therapist / Advocate

Lutheran Settlement House is part of a movement rooted in radical compassion and focused on making lasting, meaningful change in people’s lives and in our community. The voices of our clients guide our work, telling us what supports they need and what needs to change in our city. Our staff shares deeply held values that make us a welcoming, responsive, and reliable safe haven for some of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable populations. We accompany our clients in times of crisis, we are catalysts for building community, and we joyfully celebrate the strength of those we serve. If this sounds like you, if you’re looking for a workplace where you can live out your values and a workplace that values your growth and development, we invite you to apply.

Scope of Position:

Under the supervision of the Counseling Supervisor, the Child Therapist/Advocate is responsible for the counseling of children who have experienced emotional trauma because of witnessing domestic violence. Specifically, the Child Therapist/Advocate will provide individual and group counseling informed by the evidence-based model of TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to children who experienced trauma as a result of domestic violence. Other modalities such as Empowerment Counseling, Safety Planning, and Family Therapies will be utilized as well. The Child Therapist/Advocate will actively engage with caregivers and family members of the child when appropriate. The Child Therapist/Advocate will oversee an intern as needed. The Child Therapist will also assist with assessments and program evaluation. Individual supervision toward Clinical Licensure will be provided.

Functions and Duties:

• Provide individual counseling to children and their caregivers who are survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence.
• Complete required trainings in TF-CBT
• Attend conferences and trainings
• Assist with managing and following up on the client waitlist
• Screen clients to determine eligibility for services
• Develop counseling curriculum/materials specific to domestic violence
• Assist in development and/or revising of session and program evaluations
• Maintain accurate client records, including assessment of client progress and Parent Satisfaction Surveys
• Refers clients to outside specialists or agencies when necessary
• Assist in research and development of counseling internship program in collaboration with colleges and appropriate facilities
• Train and provide supervision of intern(s)
• Provide scheduled hotline and walk-in coverage
• Collaborate with the Adult Counseling team and Child Counseling Team, including attending Counseling Peer Review Meetings, Youth Meetings, and Staff Meetings
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Master’s level social work degree with license or license pending
• Experience counseling children or adults, preferably for children of domestic violence
• Expected to demonstrate understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence, knowledge of community resources, and sensitivity to the needs of domestic violence victims and their families
• Completion of a state mandated 40-hour domestic violence training and 5 hours of double staffing is required; can be completed upon hiring
• Be familiar and/or have used TF-CBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
• Ability to work as a member of a team, flexible, open-minded
• Experience with supervision of trainees and/or interns
• Strong organizational skills and computer skills
• Ability to work with people from a wide variety of ethnic, racial, socio-economic, and religious backgrounds. Familiarity with Philadelphia agencies/resources
• Candidates who are Bilingual Spanish/English are highly preferred

LSH is committed to creating an inclusive experience for all and we firmly believe that we serve our communities best when everyone feels free to be their most authentic self.

We value diversity and are committed to promoting it! We are an equal opportunity employer and applicants from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Our benefits include low cost medical, free dental and vision insurance, as well as agency-funded life and disability insurances.
• Individual supervision toward Clinical Licensure will be provided.
• We offer 8-weeks paid parental leave for staff (eligible after one year of service) who give birth, adopt, or foster a new child in their home.
• Our paid time off package includes an annual 3-4 weeks of vacation, 12 days of paid sick time, and 5 personal days to use at your discretion.
• We observe 16 organization-wide holidays, and an early close on Fridays during the Summer.
• Our 401k retirement savings program offers a 1% match, and we offer pre-tax flexible spending accounts for health, travel, and dependent care.
• We value growth and learning, and offer trainings and conference participation whenever possible. We value the voices of our staff, and we offer mini-grants for staff to pilot new ideas in their work.
• We are offer flexibility for classes, internship possibilities within our organization, and the availability for social work licensure supervision.
• We understand that employees are people first and foremost, and are committed to an overall supportive and flexible organizational culture.
• Our work is critical but we know it’s not easy, so we aim to infuse joy wherever possible. Whether we are offering free yoga and exercise classes, ending all-staff meetings with Karaoke or Bingo, or committing steadfast to a snack-based meeting culture – we aim to balance the weight of our work with laughter and levity as often as we can.

Proficient in English (reading/writing/verbal communication), Bilingual English and Spanish preferred, and compensated commensurately.