College Mental Health Counselor

Kenyon College is conducting a search for a qualified candidate to fill the position of College Mental Health Counselor. The College Mental Health Counselor supports the emotional, psychological, and developmental well-being of Kenyon College students through the provision of direct clinical services, crisis intervention, consultation, outreach, and collaborative care. Consistent with the mission of the Cox Health and Counseling Center, the counselor provides services that promote wellness and empower students. 

The counselor provides culturally responsive, evidence-based services to a diverse student population and works collaboratively with health services providers, campus partners, faculty, staff, families (when appropriate), and community providers to support student well-being and retention. All professional activities align with applicable ethical standards, legal requirements, and best practices in college mental health.

The College Mental Health Counselor reports administratively and clinically to the Associate Director of Counseling, with support provided by the Senior Director of Wellness. This position is a full-time, 10 month position.

Essential Functions

Clinical Services

• Conduct comprehensive mental health assessments and provide short-term individual counseling for students experiencing psychological, emotional, interpersonal, academic, developmental, or behavioral concerns.
• Develop plans for treatment and interventions utilizing evidence-based and culturally responsive practices appropriate for college-aged populations.
• Facilitate psychoeducational, therapeutic, and support groups that address student needs and promote resilience, coping, and personal development as needed and as applicable.
• Maintain timely and accurate clinical documentation in accordance with professional standards, state regulations, agency policies, and legal requirements.

Crisis Intervention and Risk Management

• Provide crisis assessment, intervention, safety planning, and stabilization services for students experiencing acute psychological distress.
• Participate in the counseling center's on-call rotation and collaborate with campus partners in responding to student behavioral health emergencies.
• Assess and manage risk related to suicide, self-harm, violence, substance use, and other behavioral health concerns in accordance with established protocols.

Consultation and Collaboration

• Serve as a mental health consultant to faculty, staff, student organizations, and campus partners regarding student well-being and behavioral concerns.
• Collaborate closely with Health Services providers and other members of the Cox Center to support integrated and holistic student care.
• Participate in multidisciplinary case consultation and care coordination activities.
• Coordinate referrals and continuity of care with community mental health providers, psychiatric providers, hospitals, and other treatment resources, obtaining appropriate releases of information as required.

Outreach, Prevention, and Education

• Develop and deliver outreach programming, workshops, training, and educational initiatives that promote mental health awareness, help-seeking behaviors, resilience, and student well-being.
• Participate in campus-wide prevention efforts addressing topics such as stress management, suicide prevention, substance use, interpersonal violence, adjustment concerns, and other emerging student wellness needs.
• Support institutional efforts to reduce stigma associated with mental health concerns and increase access to care.

Student Advocacy and Inclusive Excellence

• Demonstrate cultural humility and provide affirming care to students from diverse backgrounds, identities, experiences, and abilities.
• Advocate for equitable access to mental health services and support systems for all students.
• Maintain awareness of emerging trends and mental health concerns affecting college student populations, including domestic and international students.

Professional Responsibilities

• Maintain current licensure and adhere to ethical standards established by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, applicable professional organizations, FERPA, HIPAA (where applicable), and College policies.
• Engage in ongoing professional development and continuing education to maintain clinical competence and knowledge of best practices in college mental health.
• Attend departmental, divisional, and campus meetings as assigned.
• Contribute to quality improvement initiatives, program evaluation efforts, and assessment activities that support the effectiveness of counseling services.

Preferred Qualifications

• Current independent Ohio licensure (LISW, LISW-S, LPCC, LPCC-S, PhD).
• Experience providing counseling services within a college or university setting.
• Experience providing substance use disorder (SUD) assessment, intervention, and counseling.
• Experience facilitating groups and psychoeducational programming.
• Experience working with diverse student populations, including international students, first-generation students, LGBTQ+ students, and students from historically marginalized communities.
• Training and experience in brief therapy, solution-focused therapy, CBT, DBT-informed interventions, motivational interviewing, or other evidence-based approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary healthcare team.

Minimum Qualifications

Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Counseling Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, or a closely related field, and a minimum of two years of post-graduate counseling experience.

Candidates must possess Ohio licensure appropriate to their discipline and be eligible to obtain independent licensure within two years of employment. Demonstrated commitment to cultural humility, inclusive excellence, ethical practice, and the mental health needs of diverse college student populations is required.

Kenyon College is a nationally prominent, private liberal arts college where academic excellence goes hand in hand with a strong sense of community and close relationships among students and professors.

Compensation and Benefits

Salaries at Kenyon are competitive and commensurate with experience. In addition to an attractive salary, Kenyon offers benefits for employees and their family members. Children of employees are eligible for 100% tuition waivers at Kenyon, and through the Great Lakes Colleges Association, children of employees are eligible for 90% tuition waivers at twenty-three other of the nation's finest liberal arts colleges.

We also offer health, dental and vision insurance, TIAA retirement, and many other benefits, including provisions for a spouse, families, and domestic partners. Details about benefits as well as conditions of employment are described more fully in our Staff Handbook.

Kenyon is a unique place to live and work. To discover why it should be your next home, click here.

Kenyon College is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applications from all qualified individuals. It is the College's policy to evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical and/or mental disability, age, religion, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by institutional policy or state, local, or federal law. Kenyon College has a strong commitment to an inclusive environment that welcomes all voices and perspectives.