Psychotherapy CBT Program Director
The Psychotherapy Program Director provides strategic and operational leadership for psychotherapy services across Hightop Health, including traditional psychotherapy and other psychotherapy-related service offerings as applicable. This role is responsible for program performance, clinical and administrative oversight of psychotherapy staff and trainees, and day-to-day coordination of systems and workflows that support high-quality, patient-centered care.
The Psychotherapy Program Director supervises psychotherapists and interns, supports recruitment and onboarding, leads consultation and training activities, and serves as a key liaison between psychotherapy providers and organizational leadership. The role also supports program growth through relationship-building with community and academic partners, service promotion, and data-driven performance improvement.
All responsibilities are carried out in alignment with Hightop Health policies and procedures; applicable laws and regulations; payer requirements; and accreditation standards (including those of the Joint Commission, as applicable), with particular attention to documentation standards, patient safety, supervision requirements, competencies, and continuous quality improvement.
Primary Objectives and Essential Duties:
Core Role Responsibilities
Provide program leadership for psychotherapy services across Hightop Health, ensuring consistent standards of care, operational effectiveness, and an excellent patient experience.
Supervise psychotherapy clinicians and trainees through a combination of clinical oversight, administrative leadership, coaching, and performance management.
Partner with operational and clinical leadership to align psychotherapy services with organizational priorities, quality expectations, and growth plans.
Support a culture of professionalism, ethical practice, continuous learning, and patient safety within the psychotherapy program.
Clinical Supervision, Clinical Excellence & Staff Development
Provide clinical supervision consistent with licensure rules, scope-of-practice requirements, and Hightop Health supervision policies, including oversight of documentation quality and clinical decision-making.
Ensure psychotherapy providers deliver evidence-informed, patient-centered care and adhere to clinical policies, safety protocols, and professional standards.
Develop and maintain structured supervision processes (e.g., supervision schedules, documentation templates, competency tracking) that support quality, consistency, and accreditation readiness.
Identify training needs and facilitate skill development through coaching, observation, feedback, and remediation planning when appropriate.
Organize and lead regular consultation groups and case discussions to support clinical quality, collaboration, and professional development.
Program Operations, Workflow Optimization & Patient Access
Coordinate workflows that support timely patient access, appropriate level-of-care routing, and efficient scheduling practices in collaboration with operations and patient access teams.
Partner with operational leaders to design, implement, and continuously improve administrative processes and tools that support high-quality care and therapist retention.
Serve as an escalation point for operational issues affecting psychotherapy services; implement solutions and escalate risks appropriately.
Support integration of psychotherapy services into broader practice operations, including communication pathways, documentation standards, and care coordination processes.
Recruitment, Onboarding & Pipeline Development
Recruit, onboard, and train psychotherapists and interns in collaboration with operational leadership and Human Resources.
Develop and maintain relationships with academic institutions, training programs, and community organizations to support a strong pipeline of high-quality interns and clinicians.
Establish and maintain structured onboarding processes for psychotherapy staff and trainees, including orientation to policies, documentation standards, safety procedures, and required trainings.
Support ongoing staff engagement and retention through mentorship, recognition, and responsive leadership practices.
Community Relationships, Growth & Service Promotion
Promote psychotherapy services internally and externally to support access, appropriate referrals, and program growth.
Serve as a key relationship-builder with community partners and referral sources; support education about psychotherapy services and appropriate utilization.
Provide input into service design, program offerings, and growth initiatives based on patient needs, market trends, and operational performance.
Patient Experience, Service Recovery & Support
Serve as a point of contact for patients requiring additional administrative support related to psychotherapy services; coordinate timely resolution with compassion and clarity.
Support service recovery workflows, ensuring concerns are addressed promptly, documented appropriately, and trended for improvement opportunities.
Promote an environment where patients feel respected, supported, and informed throughout their care experience.
Performance Measurement, Reporting & Continuous Improvement
Track, analyze, and report key psychotherapy program metrics on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis (e.g., access, utilization, clinician capacity, retention, documentation quality indicators as applicable).
Identify trends and risks; develop actionable improvement plans and monitor outcomes in partnership with leadership.
Support continuous improvement initiatives aligned with organizational quality priorities, patient experience goals, and accreditation readiness requirements.
Compliance, Safety, Documentation & Accreditation Support
Ensure psychotherapy program practices align with applicable laws and regulations, ethical standards, payer requirements, and Hightop Health policies.
Promote high-quality documentation practices (e.g., timely completion, required elements, appropriate use of templates and measures as applicable).
Support survey readiness and accreditation efforts by maintaining supervision records, training documentation, competency tracking, and program policies/procedures consistent with Joint Commission expectations.
Escalate concerns related to patient safety, clinician conduct, documentation, or quality of care through appropriate channels and participate in corrective action planning as needed.
Direct Clinical Service (Role-Dependent)
Provide direct clinical service as needed to support patient access, program stability, and clinical leadership, within the scope of licensure and organizational expectations.
Maintain appropriate scheduling and productivity expectations for clinical hours as established by leadership and program needs.
Note: Hightop Health reserves the right to change or assign other duties to this position.
Competencies:
The Psychotherapy Program Director must demonstrate:
Clinical Leadership & Supervision: Provides high-quality supervision and develops clinicians and trainees through structured coaching and feedback.
Program Management & Operational Ownership: Maintains reliable oversight of workflows, access, and daily program needs; drives consistency and accountability.
Patient-Centered Communication: Addresses patient concerns with compassion, clarity, and professionalism; supports service recovery.
Collaboration & Influence: Partners effectively with operations, leadership, and clinicians; influences outcomes without relying solely on authority.
Quality & Safety Mindset: Promotes patient safety, ethical practice, documentation standards, and continuous improvement.
Data-Informed Decision-Making: Uses metrics to assess program health, identify trends, and prioritize improvements.
Change Management: Leads teams through evolving needs, workflows, and program growth with transparency and support.
Organization & Follow-Through: Manages multiple priorities, deadlines, and responsibilities with strong attention to detail.
Confidentiality & Integrity: Handles sensitive clinical and personnel information with discretion and professionalism.
Cultural Competence: Supports inclusive, respectful care and a welcoming clinical environment for patients and staff.
Education/Licensure:
Master’s degree (or higher) in counseling, psychotherapy, social work, marriage and family therapy, psychology, or a related behavioral health field required.
Active, unrestricted clinical license in good standing required (e.g., LCSW, LPC, LMFT, Psychologist or equivalent), as applicable to the discipline.
Completion of all required Hightop Health compliance, privacy (HIPAA), safety, and role-specific training within designated timeframes.
Meets requirements to provide clinical supervision per applicable licensure board rules and Hightop Health policy, where applicable.
Skills and Work Experience Requirements:
3+ years of experience providing clinical supervision and/or leading psychotherapy teams, including experience supporting documentation quality and clinical standards.
Demonstrated experience recruiting, onboarding, training, and supporting clinicians and/or trainees (interns) preferred.
Experience operating in a fast-paced clinical environment with strong organizational and prioritization skills.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to communicate effectively with clinicians, patients, leadership, and external partners.
Familiarity with common healthcare technology platforms (e.g., EHR systems, scheduling tools, secure messaging platforms, collaboration tools).
Demonstrated ability to analyze program performance and develop practical, actionable improvements.
About Hightop Health
Hightop Health is the premier outpatient mental health group, committed to setting the standard for superior patient care. Our Centers of Excellence combine cutting-edge research, advanced treatment options, and industry-leading expertise to deliver evidence-based, integrative psychiatry that treats the whole person. Care is provided by top-tier clinicians who truly care, and each treatment plan is as unique as the patient receiving it, blending traditional and novel interventions, biological and psychological approaches, and personalized strategies informed by real-world outcomes.
We are a clinician-centric practice, supported by an interdisciplinary team and robust infrastructure, allowing providers to focus on delivering the highest quality care while we manage operational and administrative details.
Learn more:
Hightop Health is committed to the principle of equal employment and creating an inclusive environment for the benefit of our employees, our patients, and our communities. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome job applications from qualified individuals without regard to race, creed, color, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, parental status, genetic information or any other legally protected characteristics or conduct. Please refer to the links below for information regarding your rights under certain federal laws:
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/fmlaen.pdf
https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppac.pdf