Expressive Activity Therapist (BA) – PRN

Responsibilities

Make a Meaningful Impact on Behavioral Healthcare. Psychiatric Institute of Washington (PIW) is seeking a compassionate and engaging Expressive Activity Therapist to join our Behavioral Health team on a PRN basis. In this role, you will provide recreational and expressive therapy services designed to support the emotional, social, and therapeutic needs of children, adolescents, and adults receiving psychiatric care. Working as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team, you will assess individual patient needs, develop appropriate therapeutic interventions, facilitate structured activities, and help create a safe and supportive environment that promotes recovery.

What You Will Do

• Plan, facilitate, and evaluate recreational and expressive therapy activities based on individual patient needs and treatment goals.
• Complete therapeutic assessments and identify appropriate interventions for children, adolescents, and adults.
• Establish supportive and professional therapeutic relationships with patients.
• Facilitate therapeutic groups while maintaining a structured, engaging, and emotionally safe environment.
• Observe, assess, and document patient participation, response to treatment, and progress toward therapeutic goals.
• Communicate relevant clinical observations and recommendations to the multidisciplinary treatment team.
• Serve as a therapeutic recreation resource and liaison to assigned treatment teams.
• Apply knowledge of group dynamics and therapeutic recreation standards of practice when planning and delivering services.
• Support a safe treatment environment and participate in behavioral crisis prevention and intervention processes in accordance with facility requirements.
• Maintain appropriate clinical documentation and professional standards of practice.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy or a related field.
• Current certification as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS).
• Current District of Columbia license or eligibility to obtain the applicable D.C. license.
• At least one year of experience as a Recreational Therapist.
• Knowledge of therapeutic recreation standards of practice, group dynamics, patient assessment, and clinical documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Recreational Therapy or related field.
• Previous experience providing recreational or expressive therapy services in a psychiatric, behavioral health, or similar clinical setting.

What Will Help You Succeed

You’ll succeed in this role by bringing empathy and therapeutic presence, strong communication and group facilitation skills, adaptability, and sound clinical judgment. The ability to build rapport, maintain appropriate boundaries, collaborate effectively with a multidisciplinary team, and remain composed in a fast-paced behavioral health environment will be essential.