Athlete Mental Health & Sport Performance Counselor

Summary

Position Title

Athlete Mental Health and Sport Performance Counselor

Department

Student Counseling Center - Student Affairs

Position Reports to 

Director, Athlete Mental Health and Sport Performance

Effective Date

July 1, 2026

Summary

Position Title

Athlete Mental Health and Sport Performance Counselor

Department

Student Counseling Center - Student Affairs

Position Reports to 

Director, Athlete Mental Health and Sport Performance

Effective Date

July 1, 2026

Status

Full Time, Exempt, Primary Position

Job Summary

The Athlete Mental Health and Sport Performance Counselor works with student-athletes, coaches, and athletic training staff through consultation, counseling, and psychoeducational outreach. Areas of emphasis include Division 1, varsity and club sports. In addition, this position works within integrative care teams in coordination with the Student Health Center and/or sports medicine staff. The position may include clinical supervision of graduate students in mental health counseling. The Jacksonville University Student Counseling Center is committed to designing an experience to meet individual professional goals with access to coursework, professional development, and specialized supervision in psychological care of athletes if desired to meet criteria for field specific certifications. Supervision towards licensure in the State of Florida as either a mental health counselor or psychologist is available.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Graduate and post-graduate trainees as needed. 

Duties/Responsibilities

• Provide confidential, culturally competent clinical counseling and psychotherapy services to student-athletes dealing with a range of personal, emotional, and psychological challenges • 
• Provide individual/team-based mental performance training sessions focused on skills critical for athletic performance success 
• Provide crisis management, thorough risk assessments, and consultation services to the entire campus community;
• Provide psycho-educational in-person as well as web-based and/or social media outreach programming to the campus community; 
• Consult and collaborate with Sports Medicine and Student Health Center staff to ensure holistic student athlete care;  
• Collaborate with JU Athletics to provide needed mental-health related programming and trainings; 
•  Maintain ethical and compliant clinical documentation, adhering to confidentiality standards (e.g., HIPPA, FERPA) and professional practice guidelines 
• Ability to attend athletic team practices to increase visibility and foster relationships with coaching staffs/student-athletes

Required Skills/Abilities

• Extensive knowledge and good judgment in the application of complex principles of human behavior and student development theories;
• Ability to develop and maintain a strong therapeutic alliance with clients;
• Ability to provide clinical assessments of danger to self and others and make treatment decisions on the basis of such assessments;
• Ability to provide appropriate clinical supervision and consultation;
• Good oral, nonverbal, written, and listening communication skills;
• Ability to understand and apply ethical and legal considerations relevant to mental health work;
• An understanding of the use of technology to enhance community engagement within the mental health fields ethical guidelines;
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills;
• Ability to work in a multi-faceted environment with crisis situations and with people with emotional problems;
• Ability to work within integrative care teams. 

Education, Certificates, Licenses, & Experience

• Minimum Education Requirement: 

  • Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from a CACREP accredited program or equivalent training that is eligible for mental health licensure in the state of Florida;
  • License eligible in the State of Florida in a mental health provision field.

• Preferred Education Requirement: 

  • Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Clinical or Counseling Psychology from an APA-accredited academic program. 
  • Completion of a doctoral internship at an APA-accredited site. 
  • License eligible as a psychologist in the State of Florida.
    

• Minimum Work Experience :

  • Demonstrated ability to work with diverse student groups;
  • Required to successfully pass a background check as a condition of employment. 

• Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience providing mental health services to college student athletes or serving as a consultant to a collegiate athletic department;
  • Previous experience working in a comprehensive university counseling center, including partnering effectively and collegially on an interdisciplinary team with campus partners; 
  • Academic or training experiences that meets criteria for application as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant;
  • Previous experience working as part of an interdisciplinary health care team.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift and carry equipment or supplies weighing up to 40 pounds;
• Must be able to sit for long periods of time;
• Adequate hearing to communicate effectively in person or by phone. 

Important Note

This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required for this position. The University reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs.

To Apply 

Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume, cover letter and list of references with this application. 

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