Student-Athlete Mental Health Counselor

Department:

UCF Athletics

The student-athlete mental health counselor serves in a leadership capacity relative to the mental health / wellness of student-athletes representing 16 NCAA Division I sports within UCF, Conference and NCAA rules and regulations. In this capacity, the recommended candidate will use their knowledge / skills / abilities to offer guidance to individuals, coaches and groups dealing with issues that affect their mental health and well-being.
 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• In collaboration / consultation with university medical professionals and student-health partners, position observes, identifies / assesses, diagnoses, advocates, and develops / implements treatment strategies (including referrals where appropriate) for student-athletes counseling working with individuals and groups to improve mental health
• Encourage clients to discuss emotions and experiences
• Examine issues including substance abuse, anger management careers, depression, relations, self-image, stress, and suicide
• Help clients define goals, plan action and gain insight
• Serve as an active responder to individuals in crisis situations and provides intervention where appropriate
• In collaboration with coaches and student-athlete care team, position researches best practices / protocols and develops / implements educational programming towards the advancement of mental health and wellness initiatives impacting student-athletes

Department:

UCF Athletics

The student-athlete mental health counselor serves in a leadership capacity relative to the mental health / wellness of student-athletes representing 16 NCAA Division I sports within UCF, Conference and NCAA rules and regulations. In this capacity, the recommended candidate will use their knowledge / skills / abilities to offer guidance to individuals, coaches and groups dealing with issues that affect their mental health and well-being.
 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• In collaboration / consultation with university medical professionals and student-health partners, position observes, identifies / assesses, diagnoses, advocates, and develops / implements treatment strategies (including referrals where appropriate) for student-athletes counseling working with individuals and groups to improve mental health
• Encourage clients to discuss emotions and experiences
• Examine issues including substance abuse, anger management careers, depression, relations, self-image, stress, and suicide
• Help clients define goals, plan action and gain insight
• Serve as an active responder to individuals in crisis situations and provides intervention where appropriate
• In collaboration with coaches and student-athlete care team, position researches best practices / protocols and develops / implements educational programming towards the advancement of mental health and wellness initiatives impacting student-athletes
• In collaboration with sports coaches and sports performance coaches, meets with student-athletes / teams in the development and implementation of mental training activities / strategies towards performance enhancement
   

Minimum qualifications: 

• Master’s Degree in in Mental Health Counseling from a program accredited institution in a mental health related field
• Licensed or license-eligible in the State of Florida as a Mental Health provider (e.g., LMHC, LPC, LCSW), or the ability to obtain licensure in Florida within 3-6 months
• Three years of relevant work experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

Preferred qualifications:

• Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Counseling or Clinical Psychology from an APA-accredited program or a related field
• Training (e.g., degree or specialization) in sport psychology or a related field and 2-4 years of experience in providing sport psychology/mental performance services
• Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC)
• Prior experience working with student-athlete populations
• Effective written and verbal communication skills; multi-tasking skills; experience of managing staff and budget management

Due to the nature / scope of athletics and athletics events, position often requires work on evenings, weekends, and holidays, in addition to occasional travel. 

Salary:

Negotiable

Please note that UCF Athletics operates as a Direct Support Organization (DSO) of the University of Central Florida, with different payroll and benefits than university employees. If interested in positions with the university, please click Here to visit their website.

As a proud member of the Big 12 Conference, our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the university. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as “Orlando's Hometown Team.”
 

UCF Athletics values our employees and working for us has its perks, including:  

• Benefit packages: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Supplemental Insurances, Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts, and Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness initiatives: UCF Athletics is recognized by Cigna Healthcare with the silver level Healthy Workforce Designation for our commitment to employee well-being and vitality through our benefits offerings, wellness platform and programming
• Paid time off for applicable positions, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays  
• Retirement savings options   
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions   
• Tickets to UCF sporting events
• Education assistance   

To learn more about UCF and the Knights, visit our websites at ucf.edu and ucfknights.com.

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