BLOOM Cohort Counselor (Individual and/or Family)

Job Title: BLOOM Cohort Counselor (Individual, Family, and/or both)

Quantity: 3 openings for counselors

Organization: The Free Root Operation, Inc.

Location: Chicago, IL

Job Type: Hybrid, Part-Time Contractor (recurring weekend and evening availability)

Compensation: $42/hr, up to 20 hrs a week

Timeline: Immediately-11/31/26

To Apply

For more information about this position or to apply, please send your cover letter, resume, and two professional references to: Director of Operations, Arianne at [email protected].

Job Description

We are hiring three BLOOM Cohort Counselors to join our team immediately and provide consistent, supportive counseling throughout our seven-month cohort cycles. We are looking for individual and family counselors, with priority given to professionals who can offer both services . The goal of the BLOOM Cohort Counselor(s) is to support participants in developing habits to address present stressors, improve behavioral health, improve communication patterns, and address system-level dynamics to support family healing and align family systems with the participant’s growth through BLOOM. Ideal candidates bring a passion to support survivors of gun violence, clinical and community-based health experience, strong interpersonal skills, cultural competency, and a steady presence to coach participants toward success.

Mission & Programming

Free Root Operation is a budding nonprofit that empowers families to disrupt cycles of violence by cultivating their healing, power, and capacity for generational change. We serve single mothers and women, often erased from gun violence advocacy, as a public safety infrastructure. Our work helps participants to heal from harm, break generational cycles of violence, harness their influence as community leaders, and shift the trajectory of their families.

Our flagship initiative, The BLOOM Network, is a fleet of several wellness programs designed to meet our constituents at different levels of their wellness journeys. Our Network currently has over 1,800 registrants in the Chicagoland area. The deepest level of care in the Network is the BLOOM Cohort: a seven-month intensive community violence intervention program that combines individual and family mental health counseling, educational and experiential wellness workshops, healing and wellness education, and community leadership training to produce measurable improvements in participants' hope, energy, mood, and self-worth levels.

Role Responsibilities

Counseling & Clinical Oversight

• Learn and implement the BLOOM Curriculum Counseling structure, providing structured individual and/or family counseling for a caseload of at least 15 women.
• Conduct at least 7 hours of individual counseling and/or at least 3 hours of family counseling per participant over seven months, grounded in Non-Diagnostic Behavioral Health, Trauma-Informed Care, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.
• Facilitate 60-minute individual counseling sessions with each participant, either in-person or via TeleHealth, based on accessibility needs.
• Gather and interpret participants' social history, family dynamics, economic realities, and community context to develop an Individual Wellness Treatment Plan for each participant in the caseload that details BLOOM Cohort programmatic support recommendations for participant success during and after the program.
• Support a caseload of cohort members in setting and pursuing SMART Goals within the program’s seven-month timeline.
• Maintain communication with the Clinical Team, including Case Managers, Fellow Counselors, and Clinical Consultant, to relay any relevant information learned during individual sessions that may impact holistic care and service delivery.
• Communicate with the Program Manager and Executive Leadership regarding participant success, systemic barriers, and opportunities for the organization to further support participant well-being and goal achievement, based on information learned during individual sessions.

SMART Goal Process

• During select counseling sessions, guide participants in making progress toward their SMART goal projects, designed to help participants channel trauma into increased agency and self-determination so they can accomplish a goal despite barriers.
• Assist with the execution and accountability of goal-related assignments during select counseling sessions.

Reporting & Administrative Duties

• Participate in recurring Free Root Operation training and staff wellness days on community violence intervention, trauma-informed care, social work, and wellness to support the delivery of services.
• Submit weekly written reports to Executive Leadership summarizing participant progress, clinical insights, participant conflicts, and high-level roadblocks.
• Conduct and store session notes for all participants in the organization’s Electronic Health Record system.
• Schedule and track participant sessions, cancellations, no-shows, and completion rate.
• Participate in weekly Full Team meetings to provide pertinent updates on caseload.
• Participate in bi-weekly meetings with the Clinical Oversight Consultant and occasional check-ins with the Director of Operations to discuss caseload and performance.
• Collaborate regularly with the Program Manager to ensure counseling services are aligned with broader programming goals.
• Attend at least 4 cohort workshops per 7-month cycle to support relational rapport-building and cohesion between programming and clinical program elements. Workshops are held on weekday evenings or Saturdays.
• Support interdepartmental care coordination to ensure clients receive holistic support across the organization.

Typical Schedule & Time Commitment

• 2026 Cohort Cycle: March–November
• 15 hours/week for counseling sessions
• 5 hours/week for internal meetings and administrative duties
• Schedule may fluctuate due to trainings, cohort workshops attendance, and administrative duties
• Weekday Evening availability required
• Minimum of two Saturdays per month for individual counseling sessions
• In-person counseling hours may be conducted at our Bronzeville office during agreed-upon windows
• On-site presence required at 4 cohort workshops per cohort (Weekday evening or Saturdays)
• Attendance at the 2026 BLOOM Cohort Graduation, slated for November 2026

Qualifications:

• Illinois State Licensure as a Licensed Social Worker (LSW), with a minimum of 3 years of experience in counseling and community support.
• Commitment to the mission and values of Free Root Operation, with a passion for community violence intervention and community empowerment.
• Experience in community violence intervention, trauma-informed counseling, goal coaching, and interdisciplinary wellness programming.
• Ability to collect and analyze social and behavioral data to inform care plans and interventions.
• Strong group and individual counseling experience, with a focus on empowering individuals to achieve their goals.
• Experience working with diverse populations, particularly women from disenfranchised backgrounds.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively.
• Familiarity with community resources and services for referral purposes.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to build rapport and trust with participants and fellow staff members.

Pay: $42.00 per hour

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chicago, IL 60653