About this role
POSITION SUMMARY
The Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) provides trauma-informed, recovery-oriented group services at a peer recovery community outreach center. Reporting to the Program Coordinator for Holistic Wellness, the LCAT designs and facilitates creative arts and accessible physical wellness activities that foster self-expression, strengthen coping skills, build social connections, support resilience, and advance participants’ recovery goals. In partnership with peer staff and community members, the LCAT creates an inclusive, strengths-based environment in which participants can explore wellness at their own pace.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Plan and facilitate recurring therapeutic and wellness groups using visual art, music, movement, drama, writing, mindfulness, and other creative modalities within the therapist’s training and scope of practice.
- Lead accessible physical wellness activities such as stretching, gentle movement, breathwork, body awareness, and relaxation practices; adapt activities to varied abilities and obtain appropriate program approval for higher-intensity activities.
- Create a welcoming, culturally responsive, trauma-informed group environment grounded in choice, dignity, mutuality, and participant strengths.
- Collaborate with peer recovery specialists, program staff, and community partners to develop activities that reflect participant interests and recovery goals.
- Develop and manage community partnerships to increase program participation, expand access to services, and support programming needs.
- Conduct appropriate screening and ongoing observation to support safe participation, identify accommodations, and connect individuals with clinical or emergency resources when indicated.
- Develop group curricula, session plans, supply lists, and seasonal wellness programming aligned with the center’s mission.
- Document attendance, interventions, participation, progress, referrals, and notable incidents accurately and on time in accordance with organizational policy and applicable requirements.
- Maintain professional boundaries, informed consent, confidentiality, and ethical standards while working in a peer-led, community-based setting.
- Support outreach events, workshops, open studios, wellness fairs, and other community engagement activities.
- Maintain art, movement, and wellness materials in a clean, organized, accessible, and safe condition; monitor inventory and recommend purchases within budget.
- Participate in supervision, interdisciplinary meetings, training, quality-improvement activities, and program evaluation.
- Follow all safety, mandated-reporting, crisis-response, infection-control, and incident-reporting procedures.
- Supervise LCAT or other qualified health professional interns as needed
Qualifications
COMPETENCIES
- Knowledge of trauma-informed care, recovery-oriented practice, harm reduction, cultural humility, and person-centered engagement.
- Ability to recognize and respond appropriately to behavioral health concerns, escalating risk, and medical emergencies within organizational protocols.
- Strong communication, group facilitation, documentation, collaboration, and organizational skills.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Master’s degree in creative arts therapy or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
- Training and demonstrated skill in at least one creative arts therapy discipline, with the ability to integrate additional expressive and wellness approaches appropriately.
- Experience facilitating groups in behavioral health, substance use recovery, community mental health, social services, or a related setting.
- Ability to maintain required professional license including continuing education.
LICENSE/CERTIFICATIONS
- Current, unrestricted license or permit qualifying the individual to practice creative arts therapy in the jurisdiction of employment.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
This job operates in an indoor office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and photocopiers.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
This role requires travel to establish and maintain community partnerships and to deliver programming at community-based locations.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- Regularly required to sit, use hands to type, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach hands and arms, talk and hear.
- Frequently required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel or crouch and lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
Phoenix House of NY| LI is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities without discrimination based on any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.