OPT Licensed Professional Counselor Jobs
Licensed Professional Counselor jobs on OPT require active state licensure, which typically takes 2 to 3 years of supervised post-graduation hours. Most employers sponsor H-1B visa or O-1 visas for licensed candidates. Your F-1 OPT authorization covers full-time counseling roles in clinical, school, or community settings.
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Get Access To All JobsSeeking a U.S. Veteran, Guardsman, Reservist, and/or Military Spouse highly preferred for a full-time Licensed Mental Health Clinician supporting The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic for the National Capital Area.
Location: Hybrid
- 3 days onsite in Silver Spring, MD
- Fridays plus 1 day remote
Hours:
- Must work two evenings per week
Pay:
- Competitive Salary: $70,000–$80,000
- Fantastic Benefits Package
- Professional Growth Opportunities
Essential Duties & Accountabilities:
Administration, Management & Operations:
- Collaborate with caregivers, physicians, case management, and clinical leadership.
- Maintain a full caseload of veterans and family members; complete accurate, timely EHR documentation.
- Participate in weekly clinical, supervision, and administrative meetings.
Clinical Care:
- Provide evidence-based, short-term, CBT-informed mental health services.
- Conduct client screenings, clinical intakes, psychosocial assessments, and referrals.
- Deliver individual, couples, and family therapy using evidence-based models.
- Schedule approx. 30 hours/week of face-to-face client time.
- Ensure compliance with state, federal, and clinic protocols.
Training Opportunities:
Full-time staff have access to extensive, high-quality training programs, including:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) – 6-month certification.
- Prolonged Exposure (PE) – 6-month certification.
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Levels I & II).
- Emotionally Focused Family Therapy.
- CBT-I (Insomnia) Certification Track.
- CBT training via Beck Institute.
- CAMS (Suicide Risk) training.
- Group/Layered supervision and licensure support (MD + nearby states).
Requirements
- U.S. Veteran, Guardsman, Reservist, and/or Military Spouse highly preferred
- Master’s in Social Work, Counseling, or Marriage and Family Therapy with independent licensure (LCSW-C, LCPC, LMFT, LPC, etc.) OR Ph.D./Psy.D. in Psychology.
- Must be licensed in MD, VA, DC, or WV.
- Minimum 3 years post-graduate outpatient clinical experience.
- Experience treating adults, children, couples, and families.
- Knowledge of DSM-IV/DSM-V.
- Experience in PTSD diagnosis & treatment.
- Background in CBT required; short-term targeted therapy preferred.
- Experience working with military populations required.
- Understanding of HIPAA and PHI guidelines.
- Proficiency in Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Team-oriented, multidisciplinary collaboration.
- Ability to assess high-risk clients and provide acute interventions.
- Comfort using electronic health records.
- Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Commitment to a mission-driven, nonprofit environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) a strong plus.
Easterseals DC MD VA is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Silver Spring, MD 20997
Seeking a U.S. Veteran, Guardsman, Reservist, and/or Military Spouse highly preferred for a full-time Licensed Mental Health Clinician supporting The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic for the National Capital Area.
Location: Hybrid
- 3 days onsite in Silver Spring, MD
- Fridays plus 1 day remote
Hours:
- Must work two evenings per week
Pay:
- Competitive Salary: $70,000–$80,000
- Fantastic Benefits Package
- Professional Growth Opportunities
Essential Duties & Accountabilities:
Administration, Management & Operations:
- Collaborate with caregivers, physicians, case management, and clinical leadership.
- Maintain a full caseload of veterans and family members; complete accurate, timely EHR documentation.
- Participate in weekly clinical, supervision, and administrative meetings.
Clinical Care:
- Provide evidence-based, short-term, CBT-informed mental health services.
- Conduct client screenings, clinical intakes, psychosocial assessments, and referrals.
- Deliver individual, couples, and family therapy using evidence-based models.
- Schedule approx. 30 hours/week of face-to-face client time.
- Ensure compliance with state, federal, and clinic protocols.
Training Opportunities:
Full-time staff have access to extensive, high-quality training programs, including:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) – 6-month certification.
- Prolonged Exposure (PE) – 6-month certification.
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Levels I & II).
- Emotionally Focused Family Therapy.
- CBT-I (Insomnia) Certification Track.
- CBT training via Beck Institute.
- CAMS (Suicide Risk) training.
- Group/Layered supervision and licensure support (MD + nearby states).
Requirements
- U.S. Veteran, Guardsman, Reservist, and/or Military Spouse highly preferred
- Master’s in Social Work, Counseling, or Marriage and Family Therapy with independent licensure (LCSW-C, LCPC, LMFT, LPC, etc.) OR Ph.D./Psy.D. in Psychology.
- Must be licensed in MD, VA, DC, or WV.
- Minimum 3 years post-graduate outpatient clinical experience.
- Experience treating adults, children, couples, and families.
- Knowledge of DSM-IV/DSM-V.
- Experience in PTSD diagnosis & treatment.
- Background in CBT required; short-term targeted therapy preferred.
- Experience working with military populations required.
- Understanding of HIPAA and PHI guidelines.
- Proficiency in Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Team-oriented, multidisciplinary collaboration.
- Ability to assess high-risk clients and provide acute interventions.
- Comfort using electronic health records.
- Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Commitment to a mission-driven, nonprofit environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) a strong plus.
Easterseals DC MD VA is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Silver Spring, MD 20997
See all 180+ OPT Licensed Professional Counselor Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Licensed Professional Counselor Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Licensed Professional Counselor
Prioritize licensure before your OPT clock runs out
Many states require 2,000 to 4,000 supervised hours for LPC licensure. Start your provisional or associate license application immediately after graduation so you're fully licensed before employers need to begin visa sponsorship conversations.
Target employers with a track record of sponsoring counselors
Large hospital systems, university counseling centers, and federally funded community mental health centers have established HR processes for work authorization. Smaller private practices rarely have immigration infrastructure in place to support sponsorship.
Frame your STEM degree advantage if applicable
If your counseling program is STEM-designated, you qualify for 36 months of OPT instead of 12. Confirm your program's CIP code with your DSO and lead with this in employer conversations. It significantly reduces urgency around the sponsorship timeline.
Address your work authorization proactively during interviews
Don't wait for employers to raise the visa question. State your OPT authorization period clearly, mention H-1B visa eligibility, and explain what sponsorship actually requires from them. Informed employers are far more likely to engage seriously with the process.
Research state licensure reciprocity before targeting roles
LPC licenses don't transfer automatically across state lines. If you're considering relocating for a sponsored role, confirm the new state accepts reciprocity or endorsement from your licensing state. Relicensing delays can complicate visa petition timelines significantly.
Connect with professional associations that support international counselors
Organizations like the American Counseling Association maintain active professional networks. Many employer contacts at counseling centers and health systems come through these channels, where your credentials and OPT status are already understood in context by hiring managers.
Licensed Professional Counselor OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Licensed Professional Counselor on F-1 OPT?
Yes, F-1 OPT authorizes full-time employment in roles directly related to your degree field. For counseling graduates, this includes clinical counselor, mental health counselor, and therapist positions. Your work must be in a counseling-related capacity, not a general administrative or unrelated support role, to remain compliant with OPT employment requirements.
Do Licensed Professional Counselor jobs typically offer H-1B visa sponsorship?
Sponsorship availability varies significantly by employer type. Large healthcare systems, university counseling centers, Veterans Affairs facilities, and federally qualified health centers sponsor H-1B visas more regularly than private practices. The H-1B specialty occupation standard is generally met for LPC roles requiring a master's degree in counseling or a closely related field.
How does state licensure affect my OPT employment options as a counselor?
Most employers require at minimum a provisional or associate license before hiring. Without it, you can't legally provide counseling services in most states. Since OPT is time-limited, prioritizing your supervised hours and licensure application immediately after graduation is critical. Some states offer temporary licenses for new graduates that allow you to begin accruing hours while your application is pending.
Where can I find Licensed Professional Counselor jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate lists counseling and mental health roles from employers familiar with sponsoring international candidates on OPT. Filtering by role type and sponsorship history helps you avoid applying to positions where OPT authorization will be an immediate barrier. Start your search on Migrate Mate to focus your time on employers already equipped to hire you.
Does a STEM OPT extension apply to Licensed Professional Counselor programs?
It depends on your specific program's CIP code classification. Most traditional counseling programs are not STEM-designated, which means standard 12-month OPT applies. However, some counseling programs with a research or quantitative focus have received STEM designation. Confirm your program's status with your designated school official before relying on a 36-month OPT timeline in your job search planning.