Senior Mental Health Counselor

Recruitment Period: 07/15/2026 - Until Filled

Status:
Full-Time, 40 hours/week

Salary Information:
Annual Minimum Salary- $67,200 - Annual Maximum Salary- $107,500

Hiring Rate: $32.31 - $46.83

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Pro-rated based on hours/week.

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) does not sponsor employment visas. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and for the duration of their employment with PNWU. Employment eligibility will be verified in accordance with federal law.

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) was founded as a 501(c)(3) non‑profit medical institution in 2005 aimed at increasing access to health care in medically underserved areas of the Pacific Northwest.

The University currently offers the degrees of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Doctor of Dental Medicine, Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy enrolling over 550 students annually. Interprofessional education partnerships with other universities adds another 100 students to the population. The campus includes 300 employees with academic programming spread over a five-state region.

PNWU is located in Yakima, WA, a city of approximately 95,000 located in the south-central part of the state near the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in a major agricultural and outdoor recreation region. It is approximately 140 miles from Seattle, 170 miles from Portland, and 200 miles from Spokane. The Yakima Valley is a wonderful place to live, work and play.

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The Senior Mental Health Counselor provides comprehensive psychological services to PNWU students, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, assessment, psychoeducation, and referral, so that students can sustain the wellbeing needed to thrive in demanding health sciences programs and go on to serve rural and medically underserved communities.

Exercising independent clinical judgment within professional and ethical standards, the counselor manages a caseload with a high degree of autonomy and serves as a trusted consultant and educator to students, faculty, and staff.

As a senior member of the counseling team, this role coaches and develops counseling associates, practicum students, and peers through clinical supervision, consultation, and mentorship, and helps build a cohesive, psychologically safe clinical environment grounded in trust.

The counselor builds productive, trust‑based relationships across the university and with community partners, resolves conflict and navigates emotionally charged situations with directness and compassion, and contributes to a student‑focused culture that keeps student success and community health at the center of its work.

• Provide individual and group counseling to currently enrolled students, helping them identify and address personal, developmental, and clinical concerns affecting their wellbeing and education, including the appropriate use of assessment methods. Hold students to high expectations while providing the support needed to succeed and manage emotional dynamics through crisis and periods of transition.
• Provide clinical supervision, consultation, and developmental feedback to counseling associates, practicum students, and trainees; mentor peers and newer clinicians to grow their skills; and provide clear clinical guidance that advances the team’s collective capability.
• Develop and implement outreach, prevention, and psycho educational programming that fosters student success and addresses the needs of all students, including those from rural and underserved communities.
• Consult with faculty, staff, students, and other professionals to support students; build productive, trust‑based relationships across departments; and resolve interpersonal concerns constructively and with compassion.
• Develop and maintain a networking relationship with community referral resources, and coordinate referrals to psychiatric and other medical resources as needed.
• Maintain accurate,…