Looking for jobs in mental health services? Working with us can be a life-changing chance to further our mission of helping people to heal from the worst moments in their lives. Every member of our team plays a critical role in making healing possible. See if there’s an opportunity for you!
The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a non-discriminatory work environment. The Wendt Center does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Please see below for more information on each role.
Open Positions
Part-Time Child and Teen Grief and Trauma Psychotherapist (active DC LICSW or LPC only)
Position Overview
- Position: Part Time Therapist
- Compensation: $55 per session held
- Location: Washington, DC (combination of in person and telehealth offerings)
- Role Type: Part time. Paid per session, with some option for paid administrative time
- Reports to: Clinical Director
- Degree: Graduate level degree in mental health required
- License: Must have and maintain an independent District of Columbia mental health license (LICSW or LPC only) and be eligible to acquire Virginia and Maryland licensure
- Experience: 2 years of experience treating children and teens at the independent clinical level
About the Wendt Center
The Wendt Center helps children, youth, and adults rebuild their emotional lives after loss, illness, violence and trauma. Since 1975, the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing has helped people in the Greater Washington area rebuild a sense of safety and hope after experiencing a loss, life-threatening illness, violence or other trauma. Nationally recognized for expertise in grief, trauma, and mental health, they provide an array of holistic services for children, teens, adults, families, and the local community.
At the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing, we believe that healing from life’s most challenging moments is not only possible – it’s a journey we embark on together. Through office and community-based service sites across metropolitan Washington, DC, and with a focus on the needs of the underserved, the Wendt Center is a unique and critical resource for thousands of children, adults, and families each year. Services are provided primarily via private or public insurance, or free under grants for those who qualify.
The Wendt Center Purpose is: We offer a pathway to healing.
The Wendt Center Values are:
- We believe that healing from life’s worst moments is possible.
- We express kindness to all. Caring and compassion are at the heart of all we do.
- We practice collaboration and teamwork, recognizing that none of us can do it alone.
- We strive to be lifelong learners, and actively seek opportunities to expand our personal and professional knowledge.
About the Position
Join our team of mental health professionals who combine their expertise in grief and trauma with their passion for providing high quality services to all. The Wendt Center offers a hybrid work environment, ongoing CE trainings and professional development, peer support and supervision to support its commitment to our highly valued therapists.
You would provide psychotherapy to diverse child and teen clients who have experienced a death related loss or traumatic event. Children aged 5-8 are seen in our offices, and children 9-18 have the option to engage in teletherapy or office visits, depending on the assessment of the therapist.
Key Responsibilities
- Works between 7-15 hours per week and sees between 6 and 13 clients as assigned (schedule is flexible)
- Provides individual grief and trauma counseling services to children and teens
- Provides in-person services at least one day per week at our office
- Provides therapy services between 4 and 8pm or teletherapy services on weekends
- Completes a clinical assessment, treatment plan, and diagnosis within a week of a client’s initial session
- Maintains current clinical case records and provides reports as needed, completes notes, updates, etc. according to agency standards and timelines
- Maintains therapy rooms and materials to professional standards
- Contacts collateral professionals and others in the community regarding cases when appropriate
- Meets with supervisor regarding caseload and clinical and aministrative concerns when appropriate
- Maintains updated, current client schedule via online EHR system
- Provides caseload information to Director and other colleagues for statistical, program, and grant development purposes
- Completes online insurance panel credentialing process in a timely manner according to provided instructions
- Uses email regularly to remain informed of Wendt Center business
Qualifications
- Graduate level degree in mental health
- MUST have and maintain an independent District of Columbia mental health license (LICSW or LPC only) and be eligible to acquire Virginia and Maryland licensure
- Minimum of 2 years of experience providing individual therapy to children and teens at the Independent Clinical level
- Proven professional background working in trauma, grief, and loss
- Must have ability to provide teletherapy services from home in a confidential space, or come to the office to provide them
Compensation and Benefits
Competitive salary of $55.00 per session held. Also compensated for administrative time (documentation and meetings attended) at $18.00/hour. Eligible for professional development stipend, state license renewal fees, and free continuing education training within the center (with CEs awarded).
How to Apply
Please apply by submitting your resume, a letter of interest (cover letter), and by providing your DC license number using the application below:
Clinical Fellowship Program
The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing Fellowship Program provides specialized training and supervision to clinicians interested in increasing their knowledge and skills of grief and trauma focused psychotherapy. For the 2026 fellowship cohort, the Wendt Center is accepting applications for new Master of Social Work graduates who have completed their degree between December 2025 and June 2026.
Fellows will obtain advanced competencies and core expertise and skills beyond those attained through completion of a master’s degree program. The Fellowship Program will develop highly trained grief and trauma therapists to provide the highest quality of services to Wendt Center clients. The two-year fellowship will follow a comprehensive curriculum of theory, skill development, and practice related to grief and trauma counseling services. The Fellow will be exposed to and contribute to the work of various departments within the agency for a comprehensive training experience. To ensure a robust learning experience, participants will have a slightly smaller client caseload during the fellowship.
Wendt Center Fellows will be considered full-time employees and will be compensated at a full-time new graduate level salary of $65,000 with benefits. In addition to the salary and benefits, Wendt Center Fellows will benefit from agency sponsored trainings, consultation with experienced clinical colleagues, and the ethos of a mission driven agency dedicated to providing the highest of clinical services to those in need. Wendt Center Fellows are expected to endorse and live into the Center’s values of healing, kindness, collaboration, and learning.
Year One:
- Provide individual therapy services to 15 clients per week through the Wendt Center’s office-based outpatient counseling program (in-person and teletherapy). Fellow will follow the office-based policies regarding in-person and evening hour requirements.
- Engage in community-based clinical work 1-2 days a week, dependent on grant-funding. This could potentially include school-based work or other opportunities.
- Co-facilitate one group per week with an experienced clinician.
- Conduct a needs assessment and create a proposal for an independent learning project focusing on a specialized clinical interest which will benefit both the Fellow and Wendt Center.
- Refine skills related to assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, psychotherapy, and crisis response.
- Participate in weekly individual supervision with clinical supervisor and monthly case consultation group with Clinical Director.
- Engage in a monthly learning group with fellows and fellowship supervisors, a space for discussing relevant journal articles and exploring fellowship projects and experiences.
- Develop a learning plan with clinical supervisor to assess progress toward clinical competencies.
- Enroll in a specialized training course (allowed by licensure) identified by fellow and approved by supervisor (lasting 3 days – 6 mos.) to be used with the Wendt Center population.
Year Two:
Year two will include all the activities listed in year one, as well as the following:
- Increase caseload to 18 clients/week for office-based program.
- Facilitate a weekly group independently which can be funded by grants or applicable payers.
- Revisit and enhance learning plan with supervisor to assess progress toward clinical competencies and implement supervisory feedback.
- Develop and implement an independent learning project focusing on a specialized clinical interest which will benefit both the Fellow and Wendt Center. Present project to relevant staff and stakeholders.
- Develop and present a training to Wendt Center interns, sharing learnings and insights into post-graduate experience.
- Enroll in a specialized training course (allowed by licensure) identified by fellow and approved by supervisor (3 days – 6 mos.) to be used with the Wendt Center population.
Sample Schedule
| Individual Therapy | 11-15 appointments/week* (18 appointments/week, year 2) |
| Group Therapy | 2 hours/week |
| Community-Based Clinical Work | 1-2 days/week* |
| All Staff Meeting | 2 hours/month |
| Clinical Staff Meeting | 2 hours/month |
| Peer Supervision | 1.5 hours/month |
| Clinical CEU Training | 2 hours/month |
| Fellow Case Consultation Group | 1 hour/month |
| Clinical 1:1 Supervision | 1 hour/week |
| Fellowship Learning Group | 1 hour/month |
| Special Project/Training | 5 hours/week |
| Administrative Paperwork | 5 hours/week |
*exact caseload numbers and schedule to be determined based on participation in various programs.
Employee Benefits:
Benefits include paid holiday, vacation and sick leave, agency bonus leave days including winter holiday week closure, flexible schedule; 403b; health insurance; life insurance, clinical supervision, professional development funds, and ongoing continuing education.
Application Information:
Applications for the 2026 Wendt Center Clinical Fellowship Program are due by Monday, April 20th. All applications will be reviewed, and interviews will be conducted in late April/early May. Applicants must be eligible and able to apply for their DC Social Work license and sit for the licensing examination before June 1st. All fellowship offers will be contingent on applicants being licensed by July 1st.
Any questions can be directed to Claire Bernstein at cbernstein@wendtcenter.org
The link to the application is below. You will be asked to upload a single PDF including the following:
- Resume/CV
- Three professional letters of recommendations, at least one of which must be a recent clinical supervisor
- Graduate school transcript
- A personal statement (not to exceed 3 pages) that includes:
- Describe who you are and why you are interested in grief and trauma therapy services.
- Describe your clinical interests and what you hope to gain during the Fellowship.
- How has your past experience prepared you for the Fellowship?
- Describe your understanding about the delivery of grief and trauma services to a diverse population.
- How will participation in the Fellowship relate to your long-term career goals?
- Describe your understanding of how diversity impacts the delivery of therapy services.
- Describe why you want to work in a non-profit setting, particularly at the Wendt Center.
- Describe any specialized training or experience you have with certain populations.
- Please provide a de-identified clinical summary (not to exceed 3 pages) in narrative form to include the presenting problem, history, current presentation, diagnostic formation, treatment goals and recommended intervention approaches based on your previous experience.