LGBTQ Therapist - Lakewood

ROLE SUMMARY

Reports directly to the Vice President of affirming care or designated supervisor. Provides direct therapy services to young people, aged 14-17, and their families, within agency policies, including home visits, transportation of young people in agency or personal vehicle, etc. The LGBTQ Therapist caries a caseload of 6 or more LGBTQ identified youth residing in or transitioning from the Lakewood Group Home.

Utilization of good verbal and written communication with employees, referring agencies, community resources and young people/families.

Lawrence Hall fosters a culture built upon four core values:
Respect, Empowerment, Safety, and Teamwork. These values are deeply embedded within our organization's philosophy of trauma-informed care and directly influence every position.

• Carries a selected load of young people, aged 14-17, and families as assigned from the Lakewood-LGBTQ Group Home, focusing on the use of individual, group or family treatment modalities, including the YAP model to support family reunification.
• Engage youth, offering creative approach to encourage youth participation in therapy
• Formulates and frequently reviews treatment plans with supervisor
• Develops and implements treatment plans
• Collaborates with LGBTQ Site Coordinator to ensure delivery of services
• Participates in evaluation and planning of conferences/staffing
• Provides data, information and the treatment goals to treatment team. Works with treatment team, collaterals, and families in completing assessments and developing the treatment plan
• Requires knowledge of typical child and adolescent development and an understanding of trauma exposure and traumatic stress signs and symptoms.
• Requires knowledge of minority stress models, providing therapeutic support to children and young people who are coming out, gender exploration and identity, sexual orientation, and relationship dynamics.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the intersectional identities and experiences of LGBTQIA+ young people, including those related to race, disability, and neurodivergence
• Practice will include using strategies that support healing, recovery, and that resist re-traumatization
• Engage caregivers, parents, family members and others by sharing strengths and challenges experienced by program participants
• Interprets agency's services to assigned young people
• Attends Agency and other professional seminars and conferences to increase professional knowledge and skills
• When necessary, liaison to DCFS or other agency (courts, school districts, etc.), communicating goals and progress toward their accomplishment
• Works with the team on meeting needs of young people for community programs (schools, recreation, jobs, vocational opportunities, medical, etc.)
• Documents contact with young people and family (clinical documentation requirements)
• Participates in psychotropic medication reviews
• Handles psychiatric hospitalization and attending all required staffing meetings
• Uses active and reflective listening skills and affirmations to demonstrate respect and empathy, avoiding negative and derogatory labels that foster disrespect
• Understand that behaviors, responses, attitudes, and emotions are a collection of survival skills often developed in response to traumatic experiences
• Maintain confidentiality of employees, volunteers, and program participants to provide a safe environment
• Attend at least two trainings related to being trauma informed in a twelve-month period
• Ability to work effectively with program participants and family members, employees and vendors in a culturally diverse environment to support healing and recovery
• Performs the above tasks under close weekly support, supervision, training, and direction of the…