Jobs › Advocate Health

Mental Health Counselor - Inpatient Psych (Full Time Days)

Advocate Health · Hazel Crest, IL · $24.10–$36.15 an hour · Full time

Posted Sep 23, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Advocate Health

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you set a boundary with a client who was testing limits.

What they are checking: Whether they can stay firm and consistent without becoming punitive.

Tell me about a stressful situation with a patient and how you took care of yourself afterward.

What they are checking: Whether they can handle repeated stress without burning out or carrying it into the next interaction.

What would you do

A patient is getting louder and more agitated in the hallway at 2 a.m. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they use verbal de-escalation early and know when to call for help.

A patient tells you they are thinking about killing themselves. How do you respond?

What they are checking: Whether they stay calm, ask direct questions and report to the nurse immediately.

How do you manage the milieu on nights when most patients are asleep but a few are awake and restless?

What they are checking: Whether they stay alert and engaged overnight rather than treating it as downtime.

This unit treats patients across different age groups. How would you adjust your approach for an older adult versus a young adult?

What they are checking: Whether they can recognize different needs across the age groups the posting mentions.

About the work

The posting mentions keeping a safe, ligature-free environment. What do you look for during a safety check?

What they are checking: Whether they know the specific risks on a psych unit and check thoroughly every time.

Walk me through how you do a belongings check and unit tour for a new admission at night.

What they are checking: Whether they can search respectfully while catching unsafe items and help a scared patient feel oriented.

How do you write a note about a patient's behavior so it's useful to the next shift and meets documentation rules?

What they are checking: Whether they document observable behavior clearly and on time, following federal and state guidelines.

The role includes taking vitals, blood sugars and helping with daily living tasks. How comfortable are you with that?

What they are checking: Whether they are ready for the physical care parts of the job, not just counseling.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Advocate Health from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 34913 Advocate South Suburban Hospital - Behavioral Health: IU 3NS Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 36 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Three 12-hour shifts (36 hours weekly), 6a-630pm, every third weekend, assigned holidays Pay Range: $24.10 - $36.15 Major Responsibilities: • Provide various inpatient mental health services with the goal of patient recovery • Monitor individual, group and family therapies • Assist with admission and discharge process • Provide mental health assessments, counseling, referrals and intervention services • Complete and maintain documentation in a timely and accurate manner according to federal, state and AAH guidelines • Perform patient belong check, safety check and provide a tour of the unit for any new patients • Provide overall milieu management ensuring a safe and ligature free environment of care • Assist clinical staff in performing patient vital signs, blood sugar and ADLS Education/Experience Required: • Education Required: Bachelor's degree in Psychology or Sociology or related field. Experience: Two years experience Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Good communication skills. Organization planning and time management skills Computer Literacy This position needs to recognize the needs of a variety of age groups of patients treated (i.e.) understand child growth and development, normal patters of adolescents behavior and look for signs of normal aging, prior experience with various age groups is preferred Commitment to patient focused care Work under stressful and difficult decisions • License/Registration/Certification: Basic Life Support Certification (BLS) Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • • Ability to demonstrate a commitment to patient-focused care. • Ability to work under stressful and difficult situations. • May be exposed to hazardous materials and life threatening diseases. • Heavy lifting in accordance to DOL definition. • Ability to work rotating shifts any day of the week, including holidays. • If the job involves working with adolescent patients, this position needs to recognize needs and behavior; i.e., understand patterns of adolescent behavior. Prior experience with such age groups is recommended. • If the job involves working with adult patient, this position will to recognize needs and behaviors of geriatric patient; i.e., look for signs of normal aging. Prior experience with such ages groups is recommended. • If position has direct patient care or direct patient contact the following lifting requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 06/01/2015. Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

Apply at Advocate Health

More mental health counselor inpatient psych roles