About the role
Child & Play Therapist (LPC/LCSW/LMFT)
Mindful Communication Group (MCG) is a therapist-owned, multidisciplinary private practice providing holistic, client-centered mental health, speech-language therapy, and Early Intervention services to children, adolescents, adults, and families.
As our referrals for young children continue to grow, we're expanding our mental-health services for children and are looking for a Child & Play Therapist to join our Newport News team.
The Opportunity
This is more than an opportunity to build a caseload. We are looking for a licensed clinician who is excited about working with young children. The ideal clinician will provide developmentally appropriate, play-based outpatient therapy primarily to children ages 3–10, with an emphasis on ages 3–6, while partnering with parents and caregivers as part of the treatment process.
What You'll Do
- Conduct thorough mental health assessments and diagnostic evaluations for children.
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans utilizing evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy, applied behavior analysis, and art therapy.
- Provide individual, group, and family counseling sessions focused on mental health and behavioral care.
- Engage in case management activities, including intake procedures, client communication, progress documentation, and medical record maintenance in compliance with HIPAA and clinical ethical guidelines.
- Collaborate with families, schools, and community agencies to coordinate care plans that support child development and address behavioral challenges.
- Utilize data collection methods to monitor treatment effectiveness and adjust interventions accordingly.
- Collaborate with MCG's multidisciplinary team when appropriate
What We're Looking For
- Master's degree or higher in Counseling, Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, Psychology, or related field
- Current, unrestricted Virginia independent clinical license (LPC, LCSW, LMFT, or other qualifying license)
- At least 2 years of clinical experience working with children, adolescents, or youth populations in mental health or community care settings.
- Demonstrated expertise in child & family counseling, behavioral therapy, play therapy, and trauma-specific interventions.
- Familiarity with medical terminology, clinical documentation standards, and medical records management aligned with HIPAA regulations.
- Experience working with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and those with developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorder is highly preferred.
- Knowledge of evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), applied behavior analysis (ABA), motivational interviewing, and crisis management techniques.
- Strong skills in data collection for clinical assessments, progress tracking, and outcome measurement.
Preferred
- Registered Play Therapist (RPT) or RPT in progress
- Formal play therapy training
- Experience working with children ages 3–6
- Early childhood mental-health experience
- Trauma-focused training or experience
Why You'll Like Working With MCG
We know therapists have options, so we're focused on creating a practice environment where you can do good clinical work without unnecessary headaches.
- Competitive hourly compensation, paid twice a month
- Flexible scheduling that works with your availability
- Part-time to start, with room to grow
- A growing pediatric caseload—you won't have to spend your time trying to find your own clients
- Administrative support for scheduling, intake, insurance, and day-to-day client coordination
- Electronic documentation system (EMR) for clinical documentation and practice management
- A therapist-owned practice where your clinical voice matters
- Multidisciplinary collaboration with our mental-health, speech-language, and early intervention professionals
- Clinical autonomy without being on an island—you have independence, with a team available for collaboration and consultation
- Professional development support for relevant continuing education and specialized training
- Support for professional growth, including opportunities to pursue specialized training in play therapy and early childhood mental health
- Opportunity to help build something new and grow into a leadership role as our Early Childhood Mental Health & Play Therapy program develops
- A welcoming, child-friendly clinical environment designed to support developmentally appropriate therapy
Most importantly, we want you to have the space to focus on your clients and your clinical work—not chase referrals, manage scheduling problems, or spend your evenings trying to keep up with administrative tasks.
If you're passionate about helping young children communicate, regulate, connect, and thrive, and you're ready to help build something, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply with your resume and tell us about your experience working with young children and play-based therapy.
Pay: From $70.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Professional development assistance
Application Question(s):
- Please specify your license type (e.g., LPC, LCSW, LMFT) and confirm that it is active and unrestricted.
- Tell us about your clinical experience working with children, particularly ages 3–6.
- What training or experience do you have with play therapy or other developmentally appropriate therapeutic approaches for young children?
Education:
- Master's (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Newport News, VA 23606 (Required)
Work Location: In person