Licensed Therapist or Clinical Psychologist with Expertise in Autism

Seeking licensed therapist (Ph.D., Psy.D., MFT, LCSW) with autism experience

This is a part-time (8-20+ hour) W2 hybrid position. In-person availability is required at our Newport Beach location and can be consolidated into 2-3 afternoons/days combined with telehealth appointments.

Are you a clinician who is passionate about working with autistic individuals and their families? We’re looking for clinicians with experience in evidence-based treatment (e.g., CBT, social skills intervention) who want to work in a collaborative, supportive, energetic environment.

The Sterling Institute for Autism is a woman owned private group practice (outpatient) dedicated to providing collaborative, neurodiversity-affirming, evidence-based treatment and assessment for autistic children, teens, and adults. We offer diagnostic assessments for autism, individual therapy for youth and adults, family support, neurodivergent process groups, dating groups, parent training, medication consultation and management, and community outreach.

This is a specialized clinic of highly trained therapists, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists who focus primarily on autism and other neurodiversities, including autism and ADHD. We have academic backgrounds so we have published in our field and our approaches are rooted in science and research. We pride ourselves on being thorough and collaborating with each other to bring a multidisciplinary perspective to our cases. When people refer their patients to us, they are sending them to the “autism experts.”

Because this is a private practice, we can individualize our assessments and interventions to match the needs of each patient. This is a private pay clinic. Each family is making an emotional and financial investment and trusting us with their child’s- or their own- treatment, so we provide concierge-like care to each of them.

At The Sterling Institute for Autism, we take pride in maintaining a professional yet vibrant team culture that champions the highest quality care for our patients. Our workplace values your unique perspective and contributions, fostering an open, warm and collaborative atmosphere where your ideas are embraced. We also value ongoing professional development, providing opportunities for growth and skill enhancement. Team members work collaboratively to help clients and their families get diagnostic clarity, appropriate treatment recommendations, and supportive, neurodiversity-affirming care that helps empower them moving forward. Clients and their families appreciate the collaborative approach we provide, given that their care (e.g., assessment, therapy, and medication management) can be coordinated within one setting, facilitating continuity of care. This takes burden off of families to find neurodiversity experts across multiple settings.

We are currently looking to hire a part-time therapist or clinical psychologist licensed in California, with experience in autism and related conditions. The psychologist will have a caseload of individual therapy clients and be open to running one to two groups per week, for youth, teens, and/or young adults.

The therapist will work on a collaborative team of other psychologists, licensed therapist, and a psychiatrist. Applicants must have experience providing empirically supported interventions (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy) within a neurodiversity affirming context, with youth (ages 7+) and adults.

Our clinicians benefit from ‘internal referrals’ from each other as well as from the community. Most clients seeking therapy are children, adolescents, or adults who have a diagnosis of autism or ADHD and seek support for coexisting anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, social challenges, or related conditions.

YOU ARE RIGHT FOR THIS POSITION IF YOU:

● Have a doctorate (Ph.D., Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology) or have a Masters degree (e.g., LMFT; LCSW)

● Have a passion for autism and neurodiversity

● Enjoy working with a team and collaborating on cases

● Have experience in (or exposure to) autism research, have worked in an autism clinic or participated in a clinical rotation focusing on developmental disabilities and/or autism, and have specialized training in treatment.

ROLE OBJECTIVE

• The primary role of the clinical psychologist is to provide individual therapy to clients seeking support for challenges or differences that are often related to autism. Example targets for therapy may include (not are not limited to), social-communication, friendships/relationships, independent living skills, life transitions (e.g., from high school to college), specific phobias, anxiety, trauma, and other mood symptoms. Sessions are conducted via telehealth and/or in-person based on client preference and are typically held weekly.

• The secondary role of the clinical psychologist is to lead social skills groups, dating groups (manual is provided), neurodiversity process groups, parent support groups, and other interventions to meet the needs of our client and community. These needs change and grow over time and a role of the psychologist will be to help meet these needs as they arise and grow with the clinic.

Requirements

SKILLS AND EDUCATION

● · Graduate of an APA (or equivalent for your discipline) accredited graduate program, with all requirements (e.g., supervision, internship, thesis) completed, with specific training/experience in developmental disabilities and neurodiversity

● Ph.D. or Psy.D. (Clinical Psychologist); or LMFT/LCSW (therapist); Licensed in the state of California

● Supervised training in evidence-based interventions for anxiety, depression, and other conditions that frequently coexist with autism

● Understanding of confidentiality, HIPAA, and other legal and ethical guidelines affecting evaluation and compliance

● Ability to effectively present and discuss sensitive information

● Excellent organization and management skills

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Desire to work on a collaborative team in a multidisciplinary setting
• Passion for autism and neurodiversity

BENEFITS

• Flexible schedule

• Career growth

• Established referral sources from the community

• Referral sources from within the clinic

• Support from the clinic coordinator (i.e., all screening, paperwork/consenting, and scheduling is done by the coordinator)

• Overhead costs (e.g., office space, internet and other utilities, EHR, office materials and testing supplies are covered by the clinic)

• Administrative time, PTO, and sick time

• Being a member of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team of professionals and trainees- The

Job Types: Contract, Part-time

Pay: $115.00 - $155.00 per hour

Expected hours: 8.0 – 20.0 per week

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule

Experience:

• Psychologists: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• clinical license (e.g., MFT, LCSW, PhD, PsyD) (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Newport Beach, CA 92660