Psychotherapist - PRN

Psychotherapist 

Nexus Children’s Hospital – Houston, TX

About Nexus Children’s Hospital – Houston

Nexus Children’s Hospital – Houston provides structured inpatient care for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Located in Houston’s Westchase District, our bright, home-like environment offers a safe, supportive setting where children can stabilize, grow, and build the skills needed for long-term success.

Our program focuses on behavioral stabilization, communication development, and daily living skills. Through a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary approach, our team partners with patients and families to reduce aggressive behaviors, improve social functioning, and support successful reintegration into the community—because at Nexus, we’re mending minds.

Position Summary

The Psychotherapist serves as a key member of the interdisciplinary treatment team, providing comprehensive assessment and therapeutic intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and co-occurring psychiatric and medical conditions.

This role is ideal for a clinician who is comfortable working with a clinically complex and diverse population, including individuals who may be minimally verbal, have trauma histories, and experience significant mood and behavioral dysregulation.

The Psychotherapist utilizes a range of evidence-based modalities including play therapy when clinically appropriate and adapts interventions to meet each patient’s cognitive, behavioral, and communication needs within a structured inpatient environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, monitor, and document individualized mental health treatment goals as part of the interdisciplinary care plan
• Provide evidence-based individual, group, milieu, and family psychotherapy, incorporating play therapy techniques when appropriate
• Facilitate 1–2 individual therapy sessions per week and weekly family sessions, as clinically indicated
• Lead structured therapeutic groupsfocused on:
  • Social skills development
  • Coping strategies
  • Emotional regulation
• Adapt therapeutic approaches to meet a wide range of communication abilities, including minimally verbal patients
• Collaborate with the Program Director to manage caseload and group coverage
• Maintain timely, accurate, and compliant documentation
• Provide staff with de-escalation techniques, psychoeducation, and behavioral strategies
• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and case conferences
• Conduct ongoing behavioral assessments to address barriers to treatment progress
• Coordinate care across disciplines to ensure cohesive and effective treatment delivery
• Communicate clinical updates and recommendations to program leadership
• Participate in discharge planning and transition of care
• Contribute to program development and continuous quality improvement initiatives
• Stay current with best practices in autism, IDD, trauma-informed care, and play therapy interventions

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or related field (required)

Experience:

• Experience developing and implementing behavioral programs
• Minimum of 2 years in an inpatient, residential, or rehabilitation setting preferred
• Experience working with:
  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
  • Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)
  • Trauma-informed care
  • Behavioral dysregulation in children or adolescents
• Experience with play therapy or expressive therapy modalities preferred

Licensure/Certification:

• Active Texas licensure: LPC, LMSW, or LCSW
• BLS certification required
• Must maintain all credentials in good standing