Therapeutic Community Counselor

The Ivy Street School is a small, year-round private residential special education school committed to advancing equity and access for young people living with disabilities. We serve neurodiverse adolescents ages 13-22. We support the whole child through a student-first model that is driven by collaboration, a willingness to think big, and a commitment to knowing our students well. 

We believe that every student is exceptional, and at Ivy Street, we work tirelessly to create the educational and therapeutic conditions for our students to thrive. As a community, we are focused on the immediate needs of our scholars with an unwavering eye on their future needs and the concrete plans to achieve them. Our multidisciplinary team works to create rich and meaningful experiences that nurture learning and prepare our students for their transition into adulthood and independent living. While our classrooms have four walls, we consider Boston our second classroom, and our students often engage in deep learning throughout the city. 

Job Description: 

We are seeking a Therapeutic Community Counselor to join our team. Therapeutic Community Counselors are creative, flexible, and energized by our “whatever it takes” approach. You will work closely with our residential treatment team to provide supportive learning and leisure opportunities to our neurodiverse students. The position involves supporting students in activities of daily living, engaging individuals and groups in leisure activities, facilitating community involvement, and implementing our therapeutic frameworks. The role focuses on driving outcomes and helping young people develop the skills and tools needed to transition into adulthood. 

Responsibilities include: 

• Maintain a safe and therapeutic learning environment and provide individualized support to students based on their learning and treatment needs.
• Support students with daily stressors using therapeutic frameworks such as CPI, PBIS, and the ARC Framework of Trauma-Informed Care.
• Engage with students during all daily activities and lessons, supporting them in accessing residential programming—make learning fun and joyful. Help strengthen students’ relationships with skill building and academic success.
• Provide one-on-one support to students to encourage their engagement in ADLs and community activities.
• With support, become familiar with residential students’ treatment goals and crisis plans.
• Complete program communication and documentation, including daily student progress summaries and incident reports.
• Assist in facilitating off-campus school trips to enhance community skills.
• Develop positive relationships with families and communicate effectively.
• Participate in crisis intervention as needed.
• Support students in building afternoon and evening routines to foster independence.
• Plan and implement scheduled programming during shifts to provide structure and learning opportunities.
• Assist in activities of daily living in both the residence and the community.
• Maintain a therapeutic residential environment by ensuring high health and safety standards and implementing school-wide therapeutic frameworks.
• Work closely with the residential team to provide milieu support and engage students in enrichment- and learning-based activities.
• Believe in the potential of every person to build a life of joy and purpose, and help students develop the skills to achieve this.

Supervision, support, and professional learning are provided. Ivy Street School is driven by trauma-informed care principles and uses Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Restorative Justice to foster positive behavior development and deepen character. Our organization is committed to anti-racism and seeks team members who share that commitment. 

Competencies & Skills: 

• Demonstrates a foundational understanding of appropriate student/staff relationships and professional boundaries.
• Passionate about working with students who present with trauma histories and diverse learning needs.
• Eager to learn and develop skills related to the implementation of CPI, PBIS, and ARC models of treatment.
• Ability to work collaboratively on a team.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Previous experience in residential programming preferred but not required.

Benefits: 

The Ivy Street School offers a competitive benefits package, including a generous earned time package, health, dental, short and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, retirement savings plan, and employee discount programs. Free parking is available at the school. Meals are provided during the shift by our culinary team. School employees enjoy a supportive environment and the opportunity to work, learn, and grow alongside an expert multidisciplinary team.