Careers

Working With Thrive

We’re always excited to connect with skilled, compassionate clinicians and professionals who want to be part of a supportive, high-quality team. Our compensation and benefits rank in the top 5% in New Mexico — but what truly sets us apart is our therapist-centric model.

We believe that when therapists thrive, clients thrive.

Why Thrive?

Thrive was founded by two therapists, Demian and Lindsey, in 2012 after years of seeing what didn’t work in traditional agencies - the “therapy factory” systems, heavy bureaucracy, and chaotic small-agency environments.

Their vision was simple:

Build an agency where therapists are respected, supported, and empowered - not micromanaged or burned out.

That vision became our foundation and continues to guide every decision we make.

Our Work Environment

Relational, Not Hierarchical

We function collaboratively, not top-down. We believe the agency works for the therapist just as much as the therapist works for the agency. Nearly half of our current team joined through employee referrals - a reflection of genuine satisfaction, not recruitment pitches.

True Flexibility

Your caseload is genuinely yours. You decide:

Where you work (either office or remote)
When you work
Which clients you accept
Whether you offer in-person sessions, telehealth, or both

Administrative Support That Actually Supports

We handle the logistics so you can focus on your clinical work. That includes:

Keeping your schedule full with steady referrals
Managing initial scheduling and client requests
Processing billing, claims, and copays
Providing a fully digital workflow - no paper, ever - through a solid EMR/EHR
Covering your professional liability insurance

You’re paid every two weeks, and if insurance denies a session, you still get paid.

Intentionally Small

We cap our agency at 20 therapists (we currently have ~17). Staying small allows us to maintain quality, stay connected, and ensure therapists get the attention and support they deserve. Our admin team and managing director are always accessible and actively involved in day-to-day operations.

Anonymous Reviews From Real Employees

Don't just take our word for it. We’re proud that our culture speaks for itself. Take a look at our anonymous Indeed reviews to see what it’s actually like to work at Thrive — written by current and former therapists in their own words.

Anonymous Reviews from Real Employees

Interested in joining Thrive?

We’d love to hear from you!
Check out our open positions below! Think you might be a good fit? Send your resume and a brief note about yourself to admin@thrivecounselingabq.com, and we will be in touch.

Apply Now

Positions at Thrive

At Thrive, we offer opportunities for both independently licensed clinicians and those still working toward independent licensure. Whether you’re an experienced therapist looking for autonomy and strong support, or a developing clinician seeking high-quality supervision and training, we have a place for you here.

Independently Licensed Clinicians

If you’ve read our origin story, you already know this: independent-level therapists are the heart of Thrive. Our entire agency and business model were built around supporting you - and if you check out our anonymous Indeed reviews, you’ll see exactly what that looks like in practice.

We believe any agency you work for should also work for you. Our mission is to bring real value, respect, and support to the therapists who make this agency what it is.

What We Offer Independent Clinicians

Competitive pay - $87,464/year (gross)
Based on 24 completed sessions per week at $68 per session (contractor equivalent). This total includes PTO and the wellness stipend. (This is fee-for-service, not salary.)
$400 monthly Wellness Stipend
Use it however you’d like - self-care days, health expenses, or putting it toward your personal insurance. We also have a great broker who can help you find a plan.
At least 2 weeks of PTO per year
Plus paid holidays, which bring your minimum paid time off to 3 weeks.
3% retirement match
Starts at 90 days and is yours to keep, no waiting to vest.
$400 annual CE/training stipend
Full-time = 26–30 hour workweeks
Even our admin team enjoys this schedule. You can also earn up to $5,000 in bonuses for sessions above the 24/week request.
A true minimum total package of $92,187 (gross)
Between wellness, PTO, holidays, CE reimbursement, and retirement match, full-time therapists cannot make less than this.

What We Expect From You

24 completed sessions per week
We are never punitive if this doesn’t happen - we respond with curiosity and respect, not pressure. (Your “boss” is a therapist, after all.)
Respect for our admin team
They’re the backbone of the agency.
Standard documentation and clinic protocols
In-person connection
Even with remote options, we value community. We have four in-person staff meetings per year to stay connected.

About W-2 Employment

We are a W-2 employer, not a contractor model.

The $87,464 figure represents the contractor equivalent gross pay.
As a W-2 employee (we pay half your taxes), the equivalent gross is $80,466 - but your take-home is the same.
With all benefits included, the W-2 minimum total is $84,812.

We encourage clinicians to choose real W-2 employment wherever they work - it offers more protections, stability, and far less tax-season stress than contractor setups.

Detailed calculation for transparency: $68/hour contractor equivalent, $62.56/hour W-2 equivalent. 24 sessions/week × 52 weeks = $84,862 (contractor) or $78,074 (W-2) for sessions alone (not including wellness stipend, holidays, PTO, CE stipend, or retirement match).

Thrive's Training Clinic (Non-Independents)

In 2024, Thrive launched its training clinic - inspired by the gaps our founders experienced early in their own careers. When Demian Rubalcaba, LCSW, finished grad school, he felt completely unprepared for the professional world. After collaborating with Dave Van Horn, LPCC, PhD (Counselor Education), we built the kind of program both of them wish had existed when they were new therapists.

Our training clinic is designed to give developing clinicians the skills, confidence, and support needed to step into independent practice feeling truly ready.

By the time you complete the program, you will:

Have all supervision hours and documentation required for independent licensure
Be trained and certified in gold-standard modalities (EMDR, EFT, CBT via Beck Institute, Motivational Interviewing - all fully paid for by the program)
Learn the practical, real-world skills graduate school rarely teaches (notes, no-shows, tricky clinical situations, and more)
Be well-prepared for independent practice
Have the option to stay at Thrive as an independently licensed clinician

Pay & Benefits

$62,100 total annual pay
Includes PTO and the wellness stipend.
Base salary is $57,300 (W-2, not contractor - we pay half your employment taxes).
$400 monthly Wellness Stipend
Use it for insurance, self-care, days off, gym membership, etc.
Adds $4,800 per year. Our broker can also help set up marketplace insurance.
2 weeks PTO
Bonus potential to bump total pay up to $67,000
Earned by completing three extra sessions per week (each paid at $65).
3% retirement match
Starts at 90 days and is yours to keep, no waiting to vest.

What It’s Like to Train
at Thrive

Thrive’s training clinic is personal, supportive, diverse, and genuinely fun. We take inclusivity seriously and foster a workplace built on trust and respect.

You’ll have real autonomy in your schedule - including when you see clients, what clients you take, and whether you choose in-person or hybrid sessions. (Fully remote isn’t recommended for training.)

Paychecks arrive every two weeks, and we provide your professional liability coverage.

Program Expectations

Weekly individual supervision (in-person)
Weekly group supervision (in-person)
One recorded session per week (you choose which client) to give supervisors an accurate, supportive view of your work
Respect for our admin team
Completion of standard outpatient paperwork and protocols