Group Facilitator + Outpatient Child Therapist (SEL & Therapeutic Groups) Empower Family Therapy Oak Park, IL Job Details Full-time $53,000
- $91,000 a year 1 day ago Benefits Travel reimbursement Continuing education credits Mileage reimbursement Disability insurance Health insurance Dental insurance Paid time off Parental leave Vision insurance Professional development assistance Opportunities for advancement Life insurance Retirement plan Qualifications Early childhood education center experience Licensed Clinical Social Worker Outpatient Master's degree Play therapy Telehealth therapy Social Work Full Job Description
EMPOWER FAMILY THERAPY
Oak Park + Chicago
- Hybrid & Virtual
- Illinois & Florida Group Facilitator + Outpatient Child Therapist
- Full-Time You know you're a great clinician.
But a career in private practice doesn't feel sustainable. It's the paycheck. Splits and percentages that leave you doing the math just to figure out what you actually made. Getting paid for sessions that happened last quarter — or not at all, because a claim got denied and you had no way to chase it down. Slow seasons and inconsistencies that you can't afford. It's the caseload. You were promised referrals — and the pipeline never materialized. You're sitting with a half-full schedule, no clear way to fill it, and zero input into who actually comes through the door. General intake clients who don't match your niche. No tools to market yourself. No control over building the caseload you actually want. It's the mismatch. You love working with kids and families — and you love meeting them where they are. In schools, daycares, community settings, and doctors' offices, not just the therapy room. But you've been stuck behind a desk in a practice that doesn't understand community-based work, doesn't support it, and doesn't value the clinical thinking it takes to do it well. It's the lack of a clear path forward. No way to grow into leadership, diversify what you offer, or build something that feels like yours. You're not burned out on the work. You just haven't found the right practice. At Empower We offer a salary — consistent, biweekly, no surprises. No scavenger hunt to figure out what you actually made. A full referral pipeline from day one and a Marketing Bootcamp that gives you the tools to actively build a caseload refined to your own niche. A strong leadership team, full-service admin support, and a close-knit team of like-minded clinicians who genuinely show up for each other. A forward-thinking team that actively supports income diversification — groups, workshops, community partnerships, intensives, continuing education, and more. And a clear path into supervision and leadership for clinicians who want it. This is what a sustainable private practice career actually looks like. We're building it — and we're looking for the right clinician to grow with us. At a Glance Position Group Facilitator + Outpatient Child Therapist (Full-Time) Location Community sites (Oak Park area schools, daycares, medical settings) Empower Oak Park office + Virtual as appropriate Start Date Rolling Schedule Full-Time
- Evenings and/or weekend availability required Compensation W-2
- Salaried
- Base $53,000
- 63,000
- Total comp potential $107,500+ Bonuses Performance + productivity + client transfer bonus available What This Role Actually Looks Like This is a full-time position for a clinician who loves working with kids and wants to do it in the community — not just behind a desk.
You'll split your time between facilitating SEL and therapeutic groups at community sites (schools, daycares, early childhood settings, medical offices) and carrying an outpatient child therapy caseload out of our Oak Park office. You'll work closely with our Director of Programming on curriculum and group design, and you'll bring your own clinical thinking to every population you serve. Play-based and developmentally informed approaches are not just welcome here — they're expected. We measure productivity annually — 1,200 sessions per year — and track metrics on a regular basis so you always know where you stand. No one is standing over your shoulder counting weekly numbers or making you justify a slow Tuesday. You'll be part of a close-knit team of diversely trained clinicians who consult with each other and show up for each other. This isn't a practice where you show up, see clients, and disappear. Groups (SEL + Therapeutic): Facilitate SEL groups in schools, daycares, preschools, and early childhood settings in the Oak Park area Lead therapeutic groups for children, teens, adults, and parents onsite at Empower and/or virtually Collaborate with the Director of Programming to adapt curriculum based on developmental level and population needs Coordinate with community partners and clinical team members Track attendance and progress; complete documentation as required Communicate with parents/guardians of participants under 18 as appropriate Maintain a supportive, inclusive, trauma-informed group environment Attend supervision with the Director of Programming to report on group functioning and areas of support Outpatient Child Therapy (Oak Park): Carry an outpatient caseload of children, parents, families, and your own niche — seen in-person in Oak Park and virtually as appropriate Provide play-based, developmentally informed individual therapy Integrate parent coaching, caregiver sessions, and family work as clinically appropriate Coordinate care with schools, outside providers, and community supports Complete clinical documentation within 48 hours Respond to clinical correspondence within 24 hours Participate in weekly team supervision and case consultation Practice with an anti-racist, culturally responsive lens Who We're Looking For You're a clinician who lights up in community settings. You're comfortable in a school hallway, a daycare common room, or a medical office — and you bring the same clinical intentionality to those spaces as you do to the therapy room. You understand that helping a child means supporting the whole system around them, and you bring families and caregivers into the work naturally. You'll thrive here if you work hard, take initiative, and don't need someone looking over your shoulder to do great work — but you genuinely want to be part of a team.
Minimum qualifications:
Master's degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or a related field Licensed or license-eligible in Illinois (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC, or working toward licensure) Experience working with children, teens, and/or families Strong understanding of SEL, emotional regulation, and behavioral supports Comfortable working in schools, daycares, and community settings Play-based and developmentally informed clinical approach Evening and/or weekend availability required Alignment with Empower's mission, values, and commitment to culturally responsive care
Preferred:
Background in school-based or early childhood settings Experience leading groups or providing group-based intervention Familiarity with parent coaching and/or parent support groups Experience coordinating care with schools, medical providers, or community partners What We're Offering One of our core values as a practice is building sustainable clinician careers — not just sustainable client care. Everything below reflects that commitment. A salary that makes sense. Base salary $53,000
- 63,000 — consistent, biweekly, no splits, no mysteries.
Your paycheck is the same number every pay period regardless of slow seasons, insurance delays, or claim denials. We also zoomed out on how we measure productivity — 1,200 sessions annually, not a weekly session count. When your clients take time off for the holidays, you can actually enjoy it too. Bonuses that reward consistency and growth. Performance bonus up to $7,000/year for clinicians who show up with quality and consistency — excellent documentation, strong client retention, and engagement in marketing and networking. Productivity bonus up to $18,000/year for clinicians ready to scale their caseload. Client transfer bonus of $100/client (after their 3rd session) for clients you bring to the practice. A benefits package valued at $12,000
Health insurance —
BCBS PPO
($2,400/year employer contribution) Dental & Vision — Delta ($600/year employer contribution) Retirement —
SIMPLE IRA
with 3% employer match Liability insurance $1M/$3M — fully employer funded (~$1,000
- 1,500/year value) Long-term disability — fully employer funded CEUs, licensure renewal, and professional development — employer funded + reimbursement available Paid individual and group supervision (~$2,000
- 4,000/year value) Full-service admin support — so you can focus on the clinical work Marketing Bootcamp — niche marketing training, included Total compensation potential: $107,500+ Base salary + performance bonus + productivity bonus + client transfer bonus + benefits package.
We send all candidates our full Compensation Philosophy document before the first interview so you have the complete picture before we meet — no surprises at the offer stage. A real referral pipeline — and the tools to build your own. We have an active marketing plan and a steady intake stream. Through our Marketing Bootcamp, you'll learn to market directly to your niche — so you're building the practice you actually want, not just filling general intake slots. Income that grows with you. Groups, workshops, community partnerships, continuing education offerings — our management team works with you directly to build those opportunities out and create a compensation structure around them. You're not building in a vacuum. High support. Zero micromanagement. We trust our clinicians. Clear expectations, real backup, and leadership that's available when you need them — not hovering when you don't. Real supervision. Real consultation. Weekly individual supervision with a relationally trained supervisor. Weekly group consultation. An actual intellectual community around the work. What We Ask of You We're a high-support practice — and we need clinicians who hold up their side of that. Documentation completed within 48 hours Clinical correspondence responded to within 24 hours Consistent presence for clients, colleagues, and the team Bringing concerns forward directly, not sideways Contributing to a culture the whole team works to protect What We Stand For Our work is grounded in commitments that shape everything we do — from how we treat clients to how we treat each other.
Social Justice & Cultural Competency:
We are a safe, affirming practice for all clients and staff.
Systemic Lens:
There is no "just an individual" in our work. We are always considering systemic impact.
Family Focused:
We don't just tolerate children and families in therapy — we embrace and encourage their involvement.
Whole-Family Care:
We love keeping clients "in the family" with warm handoffs when needs arise.
Sustainable Clinician Careers:
We build practices and policies around helping clinicians thrive long-term — not burn out fast. Forward-Thinking & Outside the
Box:
We explore new models, new modalities, and new ways to serve clients and support clinicians.
High Support, No Micromanagement:
We trust our clinicians. Real autonomy with real backup. How to Apply Send the following to Lauren Buroker at : Resume or CV Cover letter Two references — one professional, one personal — and a few sentences on why you chose each A 30-60 second video introduction. Phone or laptop is totally fine — we want to get a sense of your personality! Applications missing any of these items won't be reviewed. Empower Family Therapy Oak Park + Chicago
Pay:
$53,000.00
00 per year
Benefits:
Continuing education credits Dental insurance Disability insurance Health insurance Life insurance Mileage reimbursement Opportunities for advancement Paid time off Parental leave Professional development assistance Retirement plan Travel reimbursement Vision insurance Application Question(s): Do you have consistent & reliable transportation for a community & office-based role?
Education:
Master's (Required)
Experience:
group facilitation/SEL curriculum: 1 year (Required)
Work Location:
In person
