About Western Kentucky University:

Western Kentucky University (WKU): Founded in 1906, WKU is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, an ethnically and racially diverse city of 61,500 people, about 110 miles south of Louisville and 65 miles north of Nashville. More than 50 different languages are spoken in and around Bowling Green and people from 35 nationalities call the area home. We seek to attract research- and teaching-active faculty, as well as staff members, from academically and culturally diverse backgrounds. The university's population of approximately 20,000 students includes 35% first generation university/college, 15% underrepresented minority and 6% international students. A regional comprehensive university, WKU is student-centered and focuses on applied research that expands knowledge; improves learning; and serves the region, state and nation.

Please view our current openings to see how you can be a part of the Western Kentucky University community. We offer a very attractive benefits package including health, dental, life and long-term-disability insurance; retirement; flexible spending accounts; EAP services; and generous vacation, medical and holiday paid time off. We also offer an outstanding tuition remission policy for employees, their spouses and dependents.

About the Counseling Center

We believe that the university experience should be challenging, not overwhelming, and universities have a duty to support students as they are being challenged. To this end, the WKU Counseling Center (CC) is committed to promoting the academic mission of the university by providing a variety of counseling and psychological services to students that will augment retention and graduation by strengthening students' capacity to tolerate distress, form healthy relationships, and seek healthy expressions of their ideals and values. The CC also advances the university's mission by providing educational programming, training, and consultation to the students, faculty, staff, and constituents of WKU.

The Counseling Center functions as a collaborative partner in the University's mission to nurture student success and prepare a diverse student population to embark on meaningful life endeavors. The CC is committed to inclusive excellence, welcoming a wide range of clients for psychological services and those seeking consultation.  The diverse staff of CC strives to serve students in ways that respect and affirm all of their identities and life experiences.  We welcome candidates who will continue to expand our reach to marginalized and under-represented students, including but not limited to persons of color, international and first-generation students, veterans, those with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community.  Current CC initiatives include active engagement activities that foster support for new students, first generation, and non-traditional students, and extensive outreach to the university community.

Job Description:

Western Kentucky University, Counseling Center, is seeking applicants for a Mental Health Therapist. This position provides clinical services for students in the Counseling Center (CC). This is a 10-month position.

This staff member reports to the Director and Associate Director of the CC and is a member of the Division of Enrollment & Student Experience.  Duties of the position include short-term individual, group, and couples therapy; assessment; consultation; outreach and psychoeducational workshops (sometimes after hours); liaison/consultant relationships with university partners.  All clinical staff positions involve some administrative duties and roles.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

The following duties are customary for this position, but are not to be construed as all-inclusive.  Duties may be added, deleted and assigned based on management discretion and institutional needs.

Clinical Services

• Provide culturally competent counseling for individuals, groups, and/or couples (caseload expectations 15-20 clinical hours/week). 
• Provide on-call crisis and walk-in services.
• Clinical experience addressing suicide risk assessment and intervention, crisis response intervention, care coordination, and working with high risk/high acuity clients.
• Participation in campus-wide educational and outreach activities (some may be evening hours).
• Utilize a proactive student development perspective involving an active relationship with the campus community.
• Utilize broad "generalist" clinical skills in assessing and intervening with a wide range of disorders, concerns, and degrees of pathology in treatment utilizing a short-term model of care.

Outreach, Consultation, and Liaison Services

• Engage in third-party consultation with faculty, staff, families, students, and others about mental health concerns impacting students.
• Create and participate in outreach and psychoeducational programming in classrooms, programs (some evening and weekends), and within the university community.
• Perform liaison activities and work collaboratively with staff in offices outside the Counseling Center to identify student needs and develop, provide, and/or coordinate mental health services to meet those needs. May be assigned to specific functional areas.

Administration and Support

• Coordinate or oversee various activities and/or functions in the Center (e.g., group services, outreach programming, electronic record-keeping systems/Titanium®).
• Maintain accurate client records within legal and ethical guidelines of the profession; complete documentation and case management in a timely manner; familiarity with Titanium® software.
• Provide service to the Counseling Center, Division of Enrollment & Student Experience, and University by participating in committee work.
• Engage in professional development activities within the department, division, and university, such as seminars, conferences, retreats, and in-services.
• Be knowledgeable of and support CC policies and procedures, as well as divisional & WKU goals and objectives.
• Consult with Director and/or Associate Director regarding all major decisions which affect the CC. 

Knowledge and Skills Considered Essential for Success:

• Knowledge of brief/short-term treatment modalities, developmental theory, psychiatric medications, crisis intervention and suicide assessment helpful.
• Experience within a college or university counseling center; background treating late adolescents and young adults is preferred.
• Candidates should have a demonstrated history of collegial working relationships and a collaborative style.
• Candidates should be self-motivated, self-directed, and a demonstrated commitment to high professional ideals.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Problem solve, work independently on tasks, create team cohesion, and meet deadlines.
• A collaborative spirit of warmth, acceptance, respect, and trust towards colleagues.

Requirements:

• Master's degree in Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Clinical Social Work.
• Minimum of two years extensive clinical experience in a university or college counseling center or similar setting.
• Licensed as LPCC, LCSW, LMFT, or licensed psychologist, licensed psychological associate or practitioner.

In addition, candidates should be generalist clinicians with training and experience in a wide range of student mental health and presenting concerns, and have specific interest and experience in providing counseling to traditional college-age as well as non-traditional students. Collegial and collaborative relationships within and beyond the Center and a commitment to equity and inclusivity are expectations of the position and essential to our mission.  We are especially interested in applications from candidates who will significantly enhance the diversity of our staff.

Additional Information:

Salary Grade:  109     Salary:  $38,400

Kentucky state law requires all public institutions of postsecondary education to conduct pre-employment criminal background checks to determine suitability for employment.

Western Kentucky University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, age, uniformed services, veteran status, or physical or mental disability in admission to career and technical education programs and/or activities, or employment practices in accordance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Revised 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Persons with disabilities, who need reasonable accommodations to participate in the application and/or selection process, should notify the office of Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action/University ADA Services (EEO) at (270) 745- 5121, a minimum of five working days in advance.

Application Instructions:

The following items must be submitted by visiting http://wku.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=105824:  

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Statement of philosophy and theoretical approach to working with clients in a university college counseling center (one page, please)

You will receive email confirmation that your submission has been received. The candidate review process will generally begin as materials are received. The expected hire date is on or about February 4, 2019.