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Becoming a Lyra Therapist: Making the Most of Your Interview

One of Lyra’s core values is “Show Your Cards,” which means we infuse transparency into everything we do, starting from the moment someone considers applying for a job with us. We recognize that there’s been an explosion of telehealth opportunities in recent years for therapists. It’s hard to know how to navigate all the companies in this space and whether you can trust the tech sector to understand the complexities of delivering mental health treatment in a way that is ethical, culturally responsive, and effective for all seeking help. Lyra proudly has clinical leadership and expertise at every level, responsibly innovating how we deliver mental health care. 

We know that providing high-quality mental health treatment is impossible without significant, intentional, and ongoing investments in our therapists. The first is the choice we made years ago to offer full-time employment positions with benefits. Licensed mental health professionals should not be treated like they are gig economy workers. You deserve a workplace that’s committed to your well-being, sustainability, and ongoing professional development. We want to set you up for success from the start by living our values and demystifying our therapist interview process. From beginning to end, here’s what you can expect from us.

Stage 1: intro to Lyra

Your first point of contact will be with a dedicated recruiter who is your touchpoint throughout the process, available to answer the crucial questions we know you have about everything from company culture and what to expect in this role to the details on compensation and benefits. Our recruiters are former clinicians so they know the realities of what it means to provide direct care. For a lot of us in the mental health field, interacting with a recruiter might be brand new. Click here for a helpful breakdown of the key differences between a recruiter and a hiring manager. 

Your recruiter will set up a virtual meeting with you to learn more about your clinical background and experience as well as what you’re looking for next in your career. This is an opportunity to discuss what matters most to you and how our program could align with those professional goals. Here are some highlights for what you can expect:  

  • Learn about the necessary requirements and job duties of our full-time position, including an overview of our sustainable caseload expectations (approximately 60 to 65 percent of time spent in direct client care). 
  • Learn that we don’t believe in eeking out every last second of productivity from our therapists. At Lyra, you’re paid for both your clinical work and your administrative work with ample time carved out for you to think and consult about the treatment needs of your clients. Time to think is part of the job and you should be paid for it. 
  • Learn that we do not penalize therapists for behaviors outside their control. If your client is a no-show or cancels last minute, you still get credited for that session. You prepared for that client. You were ready. It’s disrespectful to treat you otherwise.
  • Learn more about our mission to transform access to care and how you can fit into that by joining our innovative therapy program. Our program combines live telehealth sessions with an ever-growing library of engaging digital tools at your fingertips built by our in-house clinical experts. These tools include psychoeducation videos, guides, and customizable exercises to help your clients build and apply skills between sessions, resulting in faster and lasting change and recovery. 
  • Learn about the diversity of our client population and clinical presentations as well as our unwavering commitment to making sure our therapists are equipped with the tools and training to provide highly effective, time-limited, evidence-based, and culturally responsive care. We’ve worked hard to make sure we’re fostering a feedback-rich environment where you can continue to enhance your own skills. 

Joining us at Lyra means becoming a member of our robust learning community of fellow clinicians who are all dedicated to ongoing growth. In addition to dedicated 1:1 time with your clinical manager, expect to take part in free top-notch training events delivered by experts in the field, small group case discussions, and specialty group consultations. 

Stage 2: clinical interview

Moving forward, your recruiter will schedule a remote video clinical interview with one of our clinical hiring managers. We take a standardized approach to our interview process, using structured questions and clinical demonstrations that are designed to better assess your approach to therapy and your fit with our program. This is your opportunity to demonstrate not only your clinical skills and therapeutic orientation but also how your passion, values, and past experience align with our mission. We only hire providers who are dedicated to using evidence-based practices in a culturally responsive manner and have independently managed a full individual psychotherapy caseload.        

As your potential manager, we invite you to ask us the tough questions. Think ahead about what matters most to you in selecting your next role. What’s been missing from your past workplaces? What do you need to thrive and show up as your best self in the midst of the challenging work we do with clients? What type of support or community do you need to have in place, especially in a remote work environment? What information do you need to decide if our program is the right fit for you? From the logistical details to day-to-day policies to workplace culture and beyond, ask away!

Stage 3: offer discussion

Congratulations! If you’ve reached this stage, that means you’ve passed our extensive clinical vetting process with the clinical hiring manager and we’d love to extend you an offer to join our team. Your recruiter will meet with you again to check in about your experience throughout our interview process, discuss compensation and benefits, and answer any additional questions you might have about our program, the role, and the employment offer. This will also include a discussion about potential start dates. We’ve built out a comprehensive onboarding experience so you’ll be equipped with the foundational knowledge and tools you need to be successful in this role. 

We recognize your time is valuable. We’ve worked hard to streamline our recruitment process as much as possible—no endless rounds of interviews to make a decision and no leaving anyone hanging about where they stand.    

Thank you for taking the time to consider if Lyra is the right next step for you in your career.

Interested in a full-time teletherapist role at Lyra?

Apply now
About the author
Laura Sciacca, PhD

Laura Sciacca, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and the director of clinical growth at Lyra Health, where she drives provider recruitment scaling efforts, implements growth related program initiatives, and oversees the quality of Lyra's therapy program. Laura has a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Marist College and doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Palo Alto University. She completed her internship training at Hutchings Psychiatric Center, a state hospital in NY, and her post-doctoral fellowship at the County of Marin, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. She specializes in evidence-based practices for serious mental illness, co-occurring substance use disorders, and crisis risk assessment/interventions among adults. She is passionate about reducing mental health stigma and improving access to high-quality, evidence-based services for historically marginalized and underserved communities.

9 of August 2023 - 5 min read
Working at Lyra
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