The Associates Program at Second Growth is a 15-month training journey towards licensure for board-registered mental health associates. It combines clinical supervision, consultation, mentoring, experiential practice, and topical training on over 60 relevant themes to professional practice. Each cohort receives support and guidance from a dedicated clinical and administrative team to nurture high quality client care and professional practices for developing sustainability in the field. 

The design of the program is built around the intentional priorities of competency, confidence, contribution, and collaboration. The ability to pace with participants over 15-months through consistent training touchpoints allows for new clinicians to experience supportive navigation through the challenges they face as they grow into the fullness of their therapeutic presence.

– Weekly individual supervision – 
– Weekly training modules on over 60 topics – 
– Monthly group supervision & consultations –
– Monthly affirming-accountability check-ins – 
– In-depth documentation training to OHA/Medicaid standards – 
– Development & facilitation of group therapy – 
– Create and lead psychoeducation presentations – 

We know that Associates face unique challenges as they get started in this field. Our team has taken what we’ve learned from both our new and seasoned providers to build a program where Associates gain competence and confidence with opportunities to contribute and experience collaboration. The goals of this program are to deliver a supportive learning environment where clinicians can grow into the therapists they want to be and the field needs by deepening the application of theoretical orientations into practice, finding clarity in their professional voice, and exploring the richness that their self-of-the-therapist brings to their work.

Employment Details

Position: Experienced Associate Mental Health Clinician – Cohort Program
Location: 3 options: Hybrid in-person & telehealth / In-person in PDX, inner SE and outer SE / Fully telehealth with availability to be on-site for team gatherings multiple times per year.
Status: Full-time, flat-fee hourly employee (weekly: 23 kept sessions at 25 scheduled openings)
Compensation: Expected annual compensation between $67,500 – $75,000, dependent on training, experience, and kept sessions.

Qualifications

• Enthusiastically align with Second Growth Counseling’s mission, vision, and values with a desire to embody this with client, colleagues, and the community.
• Master’s Degree in clinical counseling, mental health, marriage and family therapy, art therapy, expressive cultural therapy, or other clinical mental health area accepted for Oregon state licensure.
• Active, board-registered Associates license (LPC, LCSW, or LMFT tracks) in the State of Oregon. Additional corresponding license in Washington state preferred.
• 1 year post-graduation experience in providing full-time evidence-based and culturally-specific therapy. We are not an internship site and do not have positions for students. We work only with board-approved Associates who have post-graduate clinical experience in the field. 
• Commitment to inclusion, intersectionality, and best practices from ACA Code of Ethics, WPATH Standards of Care, and ACA competencies including Multicultual & Social Justice, ALGBTIC, ASERVIC, and Advocacy to advance quality care with underserved populations.
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check prior to seeing clients.
• Evidence and experience to conduct a minimum of 23 kept client sessions per week with full availability for 25 scheduled openings. 1-2 evenings (3 clinical sessions starting between 5-7pm) or availability on a weekend (4-6 hours). Can be telehealth, in-person, or a hybrid combination.
• Fluent at the clinical level in the spoken and written English language with preference to those with Spanish language fluency, also at the clinical level.
• Interest and commitment to develop at least one specialty/niche market for counseling services (i.e., grief, trauma, perinatal, EMDR, etc.) with specialized training or commitment to pursue.  
• Prior experience in either a community agency, healthcare facility, or group practice setting.

Employment Benefits

*Associates are considered full-time at 23-kept sessions a week and eligible for full benefits.
(Licensed providers are full-time at 25-kept sessions a week.)

• 90% covered Employee Health Insurance through MODA’s abundant and accessible network
• Retirement plan with up to 4% match
• Malpractice & Liability Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Personalized advancement opportunities for leading groups, trainings, events, partnerships with local organizations, and advocacy efforts
• Workplace flexibility, including working remotely and/or in-person as well
• Recurring Team case consultation
• Administrative, networking, and marketing support
• Billing specialist to coordinate insurance, benefits, eligibility, payments, and claim submissions
• Client Care Coordinator specialist to triage inquiries, set-up clients, and manage scheduling.
• Training and development opportunities for advancing your skillset
• Flexible work hours and paid time off
• Additional compensation bonuses shared annually
• Additional benefits added with company growth

Here’s HOW tO APPLY for our next Cohort in 2027:

We recognize that great talent comes in many forms and our team is stronger because of our diverse perspectives, skill sets, and histories. If what we’re doing and who we’re trying to be together resonates strongly with the kind of team you want to contribute with, don’t worry about ‘checking every box’ or meeting every single requirement. We encourage you not to let imposter syndrome creep in to take away an opportunity that could work out in some pretty awesome ways.

If you’re excited about our values and believe you’re a good fit for this role, we encourage you to apply!!
You may be just who we’ve been searching for!

Complete and submit the form using the link below.

While we appreciate a good cover letter, this is not required! Find any way to tell us a little about yourself, what makes you a good fit for this team, your therapeutic approach (posture, theories, clinical orientation), and more details about your specialty niche/corresponding training. We welcome the submission of a brief, informal, intro video (about 3-minutes) to hear you share about yourself in this way.

We reply to every candidate to confirm we received your materials. We are delighted by your follow-through to confirm receipt of your materials, too. We don’t want to miss you! 

Review the following timeline. 

Applications will re-open for review in March of 2027. Interviews will be scheduled shortly after and onboarding will progress through July with first clients seen in August 2027. 

We’re with you and for you each step of the way! 

For candidates who advance to the next round in the hiring process, you may receive a detailed questionnaire to complete prior to scheduling an interview. In preparation for your interview, we will also provide you with a significant list of our interview questions. We hope this allows you to feel more comfortable and prepared to share. We also find it a better experience rather than attempting to discern candidates through anxiety or uncertainty in the experience.

For candidates who may not advance, we believe in supporting all those in this field get to the right fit, even if it’s not with us. We’re connected to a wonderful and diverse network of other local practices who each specialize and operate in unique ways. Let’s look at options and make some introductions. We believe we can all benefit – clients, clinicians, and clinics – when we’re able to prioritize community over competition. 

We look forward to a supportive process together!