How to hire a counselor/art therapist

How to hire a counselor/art therapist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step counselor/art therapist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a counselor/art therapist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new counselor/art therapist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the counselor/art therapist you need to hire. Certain counselor/art therapist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A counselor/art therapist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, counselor/art therapists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of counselor/art therapists.

   Type of Counselor/Art Therapist	Description	Hourly rate
   Counselor/Art Therapist	Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses. Recreational therapists use a variety of modalities, including arts and crafts, drama, music, dance, sports, games, and community reintegration field trips to help maintain or improve a patient’s physical, social, and emotional well-being.	$26-52
   Psychiatric Technician	A psychiatric technician is responsible for supporting patients with mental issues and disabilities by administering treatment plans and quality therapeutic care. Psychiatric technicians assist the patients through counseling, observing their mental and social behaviors, and suggesting recreational activities to help them interact with others... Show more	$12-29
   Behavioral Health Technician	A behavioral health technician participates in treating patients with behavioral problems caused by mental health issues. They are primarily responsible for monitoring the behavior of the patient, following the guidelines of treatment from a mental health professional, and regularly reporting any progress or problems... Show more	$12-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Social Work
   • Patients
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Diagnosis
   • Community Resources
   • Family Therapy
   • Mental Health Issues
   • Behavioral Health
   • Individual Therapy
   • Patient Care
   • Substance Abuse Issues
   • Therapeutic Services
   • Art Projects
   • Individual Sessions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide clinical consultation to consumers and clients regarding manage care services and other benefits available to them through their EAP programs.
   • Facilitate DBT skills group comprise of high school students with mental health and chemical dependency issues
   • Provide individual therapy to patients who experience trauma, bereavement issues, and other issues requiring individualize therapy.
   • Bill Medicaid for sessions hold with clients.
   • Plan, implement and co-lead art therapy group for the women who utilize the program.
   • Follow Medicaid requirements for all documentation including assessments, treatment plans and progress notes.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your counselor/art therapist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A counselor/art therapist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, counselor/art therapists' average salary in indiana is 31% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level counselor/art therapists 49% less than senior-level counselor/art therapists.
   • Certifications. A counselor/art therapist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a counselor/art therapist's salary.

   Average counselor/art therapist salary

   $79,417yearly

   $38.18 hourly rate

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   Entry-level counselor/art therapist salary

   $56,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing a counselor/art therapist job description

   A counselor/art therapist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a counselor/art therapist job description:

   Counselor/art therapist job description example

   Other activities will include case staffings in a team environment, training's and connecting with some of the other people/agencies (customers) in a human service system that we work in. We encourage people to be active in the community. Documentation of your services is very important. However GMFS uses an advance electronic record system that make this part of the job go very well. Finally, because we really like to focus on the family system and meet them where they are at, we ask that you plan for some non-traditional hours, afternoons and early evenings (4-5).

   
   

   QUALIFICATIONS:

   
   

   Education: Counselor Level: High School Diploma with 4000 hours of working with children and families under the direct clinical supervision of a licensed mental health professional; Bachelor’s degree with 2000 hours of working with children and families under the direct clinical supervision of a licensed mental health professional or Bachelor's degree in behavioral health or related field and completed a practicum or internship that requires direct interaction with adults or children and is focused on behavioral sciences or related fields or; Master’s degree in human services related field.

   
   

   Therapist Level: Master’s degree in human services related field. Licensure candidate or a fully Licensed Mental Health Professional (LICSW, LPCC, LMFT, or LP) in Minnesota.

   
   

   Experience: Demonstrated ability to work with children and families experiencing mental health issues in a direct care/counseling role.

   
   

   Skills & Knowledge: Familiar with a variety of counseling techniques and theories to aid in the care and treatment of individuals with mental health needs such as: behavior modifications for children, child development education, communication, decision-making skills, anger management, social skills, leisure, self-esteem and basic home budgeting.

   
   

   GMFS has a competitive compensation and benefits package for fulltime including health insurance, paid leave time, 403b retirement plan with match after one year, employer paid basic life insurance, voluntary life insurance, long term disability, short term disability, vision, dental, wellness program, NICE Healthcare, EAP and paid parental leave. Clinical Supervision is offered with a board certified clinical supervisor as you work toward your own professional license as a Therapist (LICSW, LMFT, LPCC) which is a $4,000-$5,000 dollar benefit, Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, Adler Master Graduate School Partnership (up to 30% discounts) and much more. Part-time: Nice Healthcare, 403b retirement plan with prorated match after one year and EAP.

   
   

   GMFS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right counselor/art therapist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with counselor/art therapists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit counselor/art therapists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your counselor/art therapist job on Zippia to find and recruit counselor/art therapist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting counselor/art therapists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new counselor/art therapist

   Once you've decided on a perfect counselor/art therapist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new counselor/art therapist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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