How to hire a group therapist

How to hire a group therapist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step group 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 group therapist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new group therapist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a group therapist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a group therapist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a group therapist that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of group therapists.

   Type of Group Therapist	Description	Hourly rate
   Group Therapist	Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists help people manage and overcome mental and emotional disorders and problems with family and other relationships. They listen to clients and ask questions to help the clients understand their problems and develop strategies to improve their lives.	$19-40
   Clinician	A clinician specializes in providing diagnosis, treatment, and direct care to patients with different illnesses. A clinician's duties mainly revolve around conducting extensive research and analysis, providing medical care through various therapies, and improving one's overall health condition... Show more	$16-49
   Clinical Social Worker	A clinical social worker is a professional in social work, which provides help to individuals in need of improving their lives and their well-being. Clinical social workers must work with different individuals to help them address difficulties that they are trying to overcome... Show more	$20-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Social Work
   • Patients
   • Group Therapy Sessions
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Substance Abuse
   • Eating Disorders
   • Discharge Planning
   • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
   • IOP
   • Individual Therapy Sessions
   • Mental Health Issues
   • Mental Illness
   • DBT
   • Community Resources

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Demonstrate working knowledge of community mental health services identify in the Medicaid guidelines and attain contractual outcomes within designate time frames.
   • Provide group psychotherapy to adult patients diagnose with a chronic mental illness at a partial hospitalization program on Saturday mornings.
   • Participate in weekly DBT consultation team.
   • Complete DUI evaluations that focuse on past and current alcohol and drug use, specifically as it relates to driving history.
   • Facilitate and provide psycho educational services to mandate DUI offenders.
   • Evaluate patients for competency and criminal responsibility on forensic cases refer by state courts; provide judicial testimony in guardianship cases.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your group therapist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A group therapist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, group therapists' average salary in new hampshire is 56% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level group therapists earn 53% less than senior-level group therapists.
   • Certifications. A group therapist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a group therapist's salary.

   Average group therapist salary

   $58,892yearly

   $28.31 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level group therapist salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a group therapist job description

   A group 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 group therapist job description:

   Group therapist job description example

   Are you a therapist who wants to get into private practice but you aren't sure where to start? Are you dedicated to clinical work and are excited to be in a position that values continuing education and high-quality clinicians while making a great living so you can enjoy your home life?
   
   Evolution Wellness is looking for a fully licensed clinician (LCSW, LCMHC, or LMFT) who specializes in trauma therapy and is trained in EMDR. If you love working with children, we are NOT the practice for you. We have individuals and couples who need a compassionate therapist.
   
   Our model is the best fit for therapists who believe in helping clients make big changes. We take care of the business side (billing, marketing, credentialing, etc.) so that you can focus on doing therapy!
   
   Evolution Wellness places a high value on its staff members that is shown through our support for you. We have cultivated a workplace culture of collaboration, mutual respect, open communication, independence, and a structure that encourages work/life balance.
   What We Offer: A robust benefits package ( health insurance benefits, paid time off, paid holidays and money towards continuing education) A beautiful furnished office A team of staff who are supportive and drama free who want you to succeed! TONS of referrals Administrative support including billing/credentialing done for you Great work/home balance: we believe you work to live, not live to work NO on call Pick your own schedule An opportunity to grow in your career depending on strengths and interests: creativity, leadership, team building, etc. Team social events Down to earth team environment. We are people helping people. Uptight people need not apply ;)
   As a way to say thanks for joining our team, you could be eligible for up to $3,000 as a sign-on bonus! Your eligibility and amount received will be determined and shared with you if you receive a job offer.
   For more information about our office and the services we offer, check out our website: www.evolutionwellnessnc.com
   EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling or related field, plus two years or 4,000 hours of supervised clinical experience, required. Licensed in the state of North Carolina and from an Accredited Program (LPMHC, LCSW, LMFT, etc.).
   PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS Prolonged periods sitting, listening, and observing or working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right group 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 group therapists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit group 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 group therapist job on Zippia to find and recruit group therapist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting group 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 group therapist

   Once you've found the group therapist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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