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Affiliate Therapist - W9 Position​

 

 

Affiliate therapists are self-employed therapists, not employees, whom the practice pays to provide therapy services to our clients. In return, the practice provides services to the affiliate as listed under "Benefits" below. This page lists base details and further terms are indicated in our fee-for-service agreement. Potential affiliates are within their right to negotiate terms of the agreement.

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We are open to contracting with fully licensed mental health clinicians (LMHCA, LMFTA, LICSWA, LMHC, LMFT, LCISW). The right affiliate for our team will be systemic-minded, neurodiversity-affirming, understand wellness from HAES, and committed to a high standard of trauma-informed and non-shaming approaches to therapeutic care.

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What We're Seeking​​

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We might be a good fit for you if:​

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• You align with our values! We uphold a humanistic, nurturing, and compassionate working environment that emphasizes sustainable practice and collaboration.

• You want the freedom of private practice without the administrative burden of running everything by yourself. We're clinician-run and therapist wellbeing is integral to the way we operate. Focus on providing therapy in an environment that creates sustainability and support for therapists without the compassion fatigue and burnout!

• We provide consistent support for all aspects of practice such as consultation for clinical concerns, managing progress notes, maintaining sustainable boundaries, access to trainings, and expanding your skill set.

• We are active in helping you develop a trauma-informed approach across all aspects of practice - from the intake process to conceptualization, facilitation, and documentation.

• Most of our client inquiries are still requesting telehealth appointments so this position can be remote or hybrid remote/in-person. Work from the comfort of your own home, our office space in Edmonds or Everett, or a pre-existing work space that you love.

• Our administrative team will handle all of the marketing, intake inquiries, scheduling, self-pay and insurance billing, and any other busy work you don't want to deal with!

 

 

What you'll be doing:​

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• Managing a customized caseload with clients that are a good fit for you!

• Conducting trauma-sensitive intake assessments and ongoing therapy with your clients.

• Providing individual therapy to clients on a weekly basis and/or as needed.

• Developing trauma- and/or neurodiversity-informed conceptualizations, treatment plans, and, when needed, safety support plans.

• Upholding excellent standards of HIPAA compliance and other areas of clinical practice so as to privilege both client safety and clinician wellbeing.

• Maintaining professional licensure status, competency, and skills via self-directed learning, practice-led learning, and continued education opportunities.

• Adhering to all current federal and state laws, regulatory requirements, and ethical codes.

 

 

What you need:​

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• Master's degree in clinical psychology, mental health counseling, social work, or equivalent.

• Active and unrestricted mental health counselor license (or equivalent) in Washington State or be able to provide proof of forthcoming licensure.

• Particular desire to focus on trauma care and possess, at least, foundational knowledge of key areas such as developmental/attachment trauma, shock trauma, complex trauma, and relational trauma.

• Basic competency in trauma-focused treatment planning, case conceptualization, and overarching trajectory for the therapeutic processes.

• If limited history of working with trauma, then a strong willingness to learn about and adopt trauma-focused approaches to care.

• Ability to view clients and their world through a neurodivergent- and disability-affirming lens.

 

 

What would be ideal:​

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• Knowledge of additional co-occurring issues such as anxiety, depression, OCD, dissociative and somatoform experiences, and personality "disorders."

• Knowledge of contemporary trauma theories that incorporate concepts such as attachment and safety-seeking, developmental psychology, affective neuroscience, psychophysiology, systemic/social-environmental factors, and grief in the context of trauma.

• Knowledge of specific trauma experiences such as intimate partner violence, sexual assault, childhood abuse, religious abuse, bullying, and neglect.

• Training and/or certification in one or more trauma treatment approaches such as EMDR, Narrative Exposure, Written Exposure, IFS/Parts/Ego States, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, NARM, CPT, etc.

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Fees for Service and Opt-In Benefits

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This is a W9, hourly, flexible schedule, fee split position and the affiliate therapist chooses how many hours they would like to work (please note that Acorn Therapy should not be considered the primary place of work).

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Fee-for-service agreement model:

​The practice offers a fee split per clinical hour. Time for completing general admin is included in the clinical hour fee split (e.g., progress notes, treatment plans, assessments). 

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The actual amounts received from the fee split vary depending on whether a client is private pay or insurance-based; the reimbursement rate of the insurance plan; and time-based billing (e.g., 90834 vs. 90837). Private pay rates are set by the affiliate. The practice does not take a cut of sliding scale, late cancellation, and no-show receipts.

 

The percentage splits for affiliates are as follows, with the larger percentage paid to the affiliate:

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• Associate-level providers: 65/45 

• Independently licensed providers: 70/30

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Benefits:

• CEUs via Online CE Credits

• Individual insurance credentialing for eligible clinicians

• HIPAA-compliant EHR, phone, fax, email, telehealth platform

• Access to clinical supervision, consultation meetings, and office space

• Access to other tools such as Note Designer, bilateralbase, and other clinical and administrative tools

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Plus receipt of the following services:

 

• Marketing, referrals, and outreach

• Intake coordination and general scheduling

• Accounting and billing

• Other client coordination needs

• Insurance credentialing, if desired

• Supervision and consultation

• Internal trainings

• Legal services, if needed

• Compliance oversight and support

• Other administrative services as needed.

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W9 Compliance​

 

Business formation and registration

If you are interested in W9, Acorn Therapy only contracts with clinicians who have (or plan to have) a business registered in Washington State. Here's why:

 

• WA Labor & Industries requires independent contractors (W9) to prove they have an established business outside of any other establishment where they're providing contracted services (here's some info).

• Independent contractors are considered self-employed. Under the Revised Codes of Washington, all contractors/self-employed individuals must have a unique business identifier number with the state (which is what you get when you register your business) and must be registered with WA Department of Revenue.

• Our practice is aware there are places that overlook these W9 requirements but we value protecting the legal wellbeing of our colleagues and so we're diligent about following these regulations. 

• Guidance on how to complete these steps can be provided by the practice, whether you're registering a new business in WA or expanding a business you already have in another state. While it may sound complicated, it's a pretty straight forward process!

 

Taxes

Unlike W2 positions, the practice does not withhold taxes from W9 contractors. Therefore, affiliates are responsible for paying any estimated federal and state taxes on their income.

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Applicants who meet requirements will be invited to either an in-person or remote interview.