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Psychiatric Counselor Behavioral Health Part-time Days

Northwestern Medicine · Winfield, IL · Part time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 21, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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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

Part time days at Winfield. How does that fit your life?

What they are checking: Honest fit with the schedule and location the posting states.

What do you do after a shift where something frightening happened?

What they are checking: Whether they have a way of carrying this work.

What would you do

How does your approach change between an adolescent group and a geriatric one?

What they are checking: The posting names adolescent, adult and geriatric populations explicitly.

A patient is escalating on the unit. What do you do?

What they are checking: The event this setting turns on, and de-escalation comes before anything else.

Something happens that could compromise unit safety. Who do you tell and when?

What they are checking: The posting names communicating incidents to the manager and charge nurse.

How do you help a patient with personal care while keeping their dignity?

What they are checking: The posting names assisting with activities of daily living under the charge nurse.

About the work

Walk me through conducting an intake and a pre-admission assessment.

What they are checking: The posting names the BHS pre-admission assessment, admission forms and voluntary forms first.

How do you explain patient rights and voluntary status to someone in distress?

What they are checking: The posting names orienting the patient to their rights, which is a legal requirement done under pressure.

Tell me about facilitating a group.

What they are checking: The posting names community, wrap-up and expressive therapy groups as regular duties.

How do you contribute to a master treatment plan?

What they are checking: The posting says they begin and add to the master treatment plan.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

The Psychiatric Counselor reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. • A Psychiatric Counselor, under the direction of the Patient Care Manager, Charge or Staff Nurse, delivers direct care to the psychiatric patient. Effectively interacts with the patient, their support network, and other members of the multi-disciplinary treatment team to rapidly identify and treat the crisis that is occurring. Responsibilities: • Conducts intake's consisting of the BHS Pre-Admission Assessment, all admission forms, Voluntary forms along with patient rights. Orient's patient to unit and conducts body and belongings search under the direction of the Charge RN. • Plans and implements care in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team. Able to begin and add to the Master Treatment Plan. • Facilitates groups, educational, and focus to Adolescent, Adult and Geriatric population. Conducts Community and Wrap- Up and Expressive Therapy Groups along with milieu management. • Under the direction of the Charge RN assists with ADL's. • Serves on BHS and unit work groups when requested. • Communicates to Manager and Charge Nurse any incidents regarding patients and staff that may compromise unit safety. • Conducts telephone screenings (inquiry calls) in a fashion resulting in appropriate disposition based on the phone contact. Minimum Requirements: Education: • Bachelor’s degree Certification: • CPR – Basic Life Support • De-escalation training within six months of hire Experience: • One year experience in a behavioral health unit or one completed semester of internship in a behavioral health field. Preferred: • Bachelor’s degree in a behavioral health science field • Experience in mental health substance abuse Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

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