Amherst College invites applications for the Staff Counselor position. The Staff Counselor is a full time, year round position, job group and level PT-5, that reports to the Director of the Counseling Center. The position relates to the College's mission by providing clinical services to students to help them manage or resolve personal difficulties that could lead them to struggle academically, drop out of school, or cause disruptions in other areas of their functioning. The Counseling Center provides a variety of services including individual and group counseling, psychiatry services, case management, mental health promotion and preventative services, consultation, and teaching. These services are designed to help students overcome mental illnesses or learn how to cope effectively with them, understand themselves better, create and maintain satisfying relationships, improve their academic performance and cognitive functioning, and make healthy and satisfying career and life choices.

The Staff Counselor, along with all the Counseling Center staff, works toward building and sustaining a center that meets the needs of both individual students and the College community as a whole. We recognize that all of our practitioners bring different gifts and try to assign work from a strengths-based perspective, thus allowing people to grow professionally in ways that best fit their talents and skills. Strong commitments to (1) holistic approaches to student development, (2) interdisciplinary treatment models, (3) the development of on-going, personal and professional multicultural competence, (4) collaboration across the College community and (5) a strong work ethic are necessary to succeed in the position. The Counseling Center operates within a developmental philosophy and a brief therapy model, and candidates must demonstrate an ability to work with a diverse student body within these two frames. Amherst College is a highly selective, small liberal arts college with a very diverse body — 45% of our students are students of color from the US; 10% are international; 40% come from very low income families; 15% identify as LBGTQ+; and 20% have registered disabilities with 2/3’s being mental health or learning disabilities. Consequently, this position provides a unique opportunity to develop and hone multicultural clinical skills and outreach skills related to social justice.

Responsibilities will include conducting evidenced-based, culturally responsive intakes and clinical assessments, individual and group counseling, urgent care, on-call services about 2 weeks/semester, and coordinating care with our psychiatric staff and case manager. In addition, this position provides consultation to Amherst community members, and preventative and educational outreach initiatives with an emphasis on working with one or more of our under-represented affinity groups to foster students’ academic and personal success, including our Latinx, African American, Asian-American and/or Asian Pacific Islander, Native American, and/or first-generation communities. This position works collaboratively and cooperatively with community and college departments, including case management in the Office of Student Affairs, Accessibility Services, Health Service Career Center, identity-based Resource Centers, Class Deans, Title IX, and other student service offices. We value wrap-around care, and candidates must be comfortable working across disciplines.

Key Responsibilities

Counseling

Provide appropriate individual, group, and couples counseling/psychotherapy to a culturally diverse student body, including assessment, diagnosis and brief treatment; provide urgent care, crisis intervention, and after-hours on-call; maintain up-to-date files, written reports and job-related communications commensurate with current standards of the profession.

Outreach and Mental Health Promotion

Design and implement mental health promotion activities, including workshops, outreach programs, and liaison relationships designed to foster student success. This position places special emphasis on outreach to affinity groups that experience specific challenges associated with systemic forms of oppression such as racism, transphobia, etc.

Consultation

Consult with members of the Amherst community — including faculty, administration, staff, parents and students —regarding mental health needs of students. Consult with on-and off-campus health care providers, including Student Health Services, Office of Student Affairs’ case management, Class Deans, Resource Center Directors, hospitals, community mental health agencies, and private practitioners, etc. to help coordinate care.

Training/Supervision

Provide training and supervision for Psychology Residents, Pre-doctoral interns, and/or Practicum Student by co-leading psychotherapy groups, teaching seminars, providing rotation training in area of interest and/or providing individual clinical supervision.

Administrative

Attend and participate in regular staff meetings, in-service training activities, committees, and case conferences. Participate in regular on-call rotations (about 2-3 weeks per semester). Maintain and promote the highest ethical and professional standards commensurate with training and licensure. Pursue professional development in service of the responsibilities of the position and the profession.

Required

• Doctorate in Counseling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, or other related field from an APA-accredited program and internship OR Masters of Social Work from an accredited program
• Currently licensed, or eligible for licensure in the state of MA as a Psychologist within 18 months of employment, or as a LICSW in the state of MA within 6 months of employment
• 3-5 years of professional experience
• Able to work in a brief treatment model in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and other various personnel/agencies for the effective delivery of services to student
• Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse student body
• Demonstrated commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity
• Demonstrated commitment to, and experience with, community development and/or mental health promotion
• Outstanding communication, collaboration, interpersonal and relationship skills
• Strong organizational and time-management skills
• Occasional work on weekends and evenings

Preferred

• Work experience in college or university settings and/or in community mental health
• AND one or more of the following:
• Expertise in working with African-American women
• Expertise in working with transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming and/or gender queer populations
• Expertise in group therapy

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information (email and/or telephone numbers) for three professional references. Review of applications will begin on January 11, 2019 and continue until position is filled.

ABOUT AMHERST COLLEGE

Amherst College, one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the nation, is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, a town of approximately 35,000 residents in the western part of the state. The college’s community is composed of about 1,800 students from 48 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and 54 countries around the world, and about 1,000 staff and faculty. The college’s scenic 1,000-acre campus includes a 500-acre wildlife sanctuary and the Book & Plow Farm; three museums: Emily Dickinson Museum, Beneski Museum of Natural History and Mead Art Museum; and multiple educational and cultural venues and resources through the Five College Consortium. The town of Amherst offers an amazing variety of coffee shops, restaurants and entertainment, and a very active outdoor life. Our vibrant campus, diverse community and beautiful surrounding, makes Amherst College and the Town of Amherst the perfect place to work, learn and live!