direct support professional

behavioral therapist

behavior technician

therapist

family therapist

Wesley Family Services

I worked as a Family Based Mental Health Therapist at Wesley Family Services for about a year and a half. I'll get right to the point: the Family Based program at Wesley is the best place I've worked and this was the best job I've ever had. Most importantly, the supervisors are the best supervisors out there, bar none: supportive, experienced, and helpful; people who treat you like a person, not a subordinate. It just makes such a huge difference to work for supervisors like this; it's motivating, and instead of making the job harder, they make it easier. The assistant director and director deserve recognition here, because they no doubt have a big hand in cultivating these qualities in supervisors, and they also lead by example, as fantastic supervisors in their own right. This alone is enough to make this the best program around -- if you have any work experience at all, you know how much of a difference a good supervisor and good leadership can make. But that's just the start. 

There's a transparency in what's happening in the program that's really refreshing. This transparency, along with higher ups' receptiveness to suggestions and feedback, make it feel like you're a partner in the agency's growth and success. The overall atmosphere in the program is very positive, and there's a pervading vibe of friendliness and camaraderie with coworkers and supervisors alike, the feeling that you're in this together and that others have your back. It's more than a feeling actually, because coworkers and supervisors are always helping one another. It doesn't hurt that every Family Based Therapist is on a team with another Family Based Therapist -- having a teammate to share the workload is great. There's also A LOT of trainings, including an all day training once every two weeks that teaches you how to be a Family Based Therapist and culminates in a Family Therapy certification after three years. Also, you meet with your supervisor for two hours every week minimum, which means a lot of extra guidance and support. Another great thing is that there's a lot of independence and flexibility, because you make your own schedule in coordination with the families you serve, so if you don't want to work before noon, you generally don't have to, or if you want to work hard Monday through Thursday and have Fridays off, you can probably make that happen. And plus, you usually don't even have to come in to the office more than twice a week because you're just going straight to families' homes (which by the way is driving time that you're paid for, mileage too!). On those weeks where you end up having to work overtime, you're paid for it and not made to feel like you have to report that you worked less than you actually did. If you stick around for a little while, the agency does promote from within, and they do it fairly often, so there's a lot of potential for moving up. Not to go on and on, but another thing I really liked was the drive between sessions; this provides a lot of time to relax, think about and/or plan for your next session, listen to music or a podcast, talk on the phone, or really whatever you want. Last thing I'll say is that if you've never done family therapy before, you really owe it to yourself to give it a try; it is an intense but very rewarding role unlike anything else in the field, and you will learn so, so much.

Ok no, the job isn't all kittens and rainbows. Like any job in this field, it's challenging, stressful, and not well paid (to be fair, Wesley seems to pay at least as well as other agencies in the area). As you'll find in almost any mental health agency, there's a lot of turnover at Wesley, likely because of the stress and challenge of the job. Also, there are of course some people that you just won't mesh with well, so not everyone loves their assigned teammate, and if you're one of those unlucky few, that can be a problem. Despite the flexibility you have in scheduling, many times you will end up having to work in the evenings, as the evenings are when kids are off of school and when parents are done with work; I personally didn't mind this, but some people do. Also despite all the training and support, it's a very special kind of person who can make it as a family based therapist; it's an even more select group than those who can make it as mental health therapists. Some people leave this job seemingly upset about any number of things, when really it's probably more about them not being well suited for the position. 

If the mental health field were an amusement park, this job would be the biggest roller coaster there. Yes, it's a little scary, and at some point while you're making your way steeply up the track to the top, you'll probably wish you could get off. You certainly don't have to get on; the Merry-Go-Round, Tilt-A-Whirl, Bumper Cars -- they are good fun. But if you do find the courage to take this ride, and if you can surrender to the experience, it's thrilling, you'll be surrounded by great people, and you and those great people will share a truly unparalleled experience. And really, isn't that why you came?

Management. Depends on who you get. In the department I worked in, one supervisor was way cool, always pleasant, very willing to help, never made you feel unworthy, bad, incompetent, total professional great super, wish I had had him. Mine was a, a ... well, let's just say she had no idea how to support or empower people, but she sure knew how to point out the errors, gaps, what people are doing wrong, etc. Depends on who you get. 

One of the hardest parts of the job was when the agency went remote during covid. It was a really hard transition, and of course, like many companies, the care management never returned to a full workplace capacity, merely a stop-in place to make copies or use the bathroom.,   --- or where the new people worked. 

The rest of the employees were hybrid, mostly working from home and out in the field. 

Great if you like' freedom,' not great if you need help or aren't sure what to do. I have seen so many new people just crash and burn. It was like pulling teeth trying to get the assistance, advice, needed knowledge, the new people especially had it rough, learning a job with very little of the kind of help one needs just starting out in a company. 

It is what it is. 

Computers. 
Don't even ask about the computers, well, maybe not the computers themselves,  but the software system they do the case management work in --- it crashed -- and froze -- more than it worked. It took an hour to get a half hour's worth of work done, that is how often you had to shut it down and start it again ---  just to have it happen, again,  in a few minutes, repeat endlessly. 

I had to go, it was too frustrating. They don't seem to care either. I wonder why the place is a revolving door, its no wonder, Care Managers are not being treated right anymore. 



I have been working at the agency for four years and have gathered experience and knowledge of social services, specifically working within the adoption and foster care world. I complete the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network services that are offered for children and families within the child welfare system. On a typical day of work my morning consists of maintaining contact with county caseworkers, and families.  Often there are crisis that need to be addressed, such as a child moving home, or needing further services that are not being referred.  I also interact with children's birth families (the families whom they are removed from) which can be a highly emotionally charged interaction.  During most afternoons I complete home visits with the children and families. I work with the families on the approval for adoption, which eventually leads to a legal approval document that is submitted to Court prior to an adoption.  I work with the children providing therapeutic based services to better help them understand the reasons that necessitated their placements into foster care. I have witnessed the children and families I work with, grow and achieve success through the dedication and education that I have acquired.  I have learned to facilitate trainings, and have recently been chosen to complete institute training at the State Wide Adoption and Permanency Networker (SWAN) Summer State Wide Conference.  The training was accepted on the basis that it is the first of its kind throughout the state of Pennsylvania, and is being well received from fellow colleagues.

Truly I have never felt appreciated as a staff member in 4 years with the company. Things I look for in a job: adequate training, opportunities for advancement, fair compensation, friendly co-workers and working environment. Things this job now provides: 0. The management of the company is only interested in making money; they don’t care about the kids and they definitely don’t care about the people providing direct services. The leadership I believe is pitted in the middle and the people who suffer are on the bottom. PRN is a joke. Be prepared to train yourself despite having annual training requirements. The only answer you will ever get if you voice any concerns is “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will address it.” but nothing changes. Leadership is so concerned with having ANY employees so they keep employees who aren’t qualified, trained, or adequately prepared to do the work. The handful of staff members who are trained and good at their jobs who actually show up are the ones who continually get crapped on when they have to pick up the slack from less qualified employees. Despite having multiple positions open and tons of cases available be prepared to fight for hours. I have never been offered educational advancement opportunities, I am simultaneously told I am a “trusted veteran staff” but shown that I’m not important enough to have my concerns addressed. I would not recommend applying nor would I reapply if I had the chance. Honestly can’t wait until I’m in a position to leave this company.

This place is pretty good to work for, especially if you are new to the field or need experience to further your career. I believe that this job has opened so many doors for me in the future and I am extremely thankful for the experience that I received here. 

The pay and hours are what you should expect for a position in the mental health field. Even outpatient therapists still have to work evenings and some weekends.

For full disclosure, yes you have to be available to your families. This is a crisis service. But clear boundaries helps with frequent calls. Your hours are flexible, but you do need to be accommodating to the family's schedules. The hardest part about the job is when you get called out when a family needs to go to the hospital. But it's not all the time. When you are on-call just be mindful of that. 

Management has been there for a while, and I've always seen other supervisors treat their employees with respect.  

The hardest part for me is when you have been doing it for longer than 8 months, the families do all tend to look the same. Even though you get to see a wide range of populations within the family, your scope is the model and it's not your role to go beyond that. That's hard, especially if you have strengths in other types of therapy or models. This was one of the reasons I left, as my strengths are better suited with another population.

I have worked at a total of 3 non-profits within the area that provide this service, so I feel that I have a good knowledge base when it comes to this review.  In regards to direct management (supervisors and program director), they do well to make themselves available to staff and actually care about staff as human beings and not just money making robots.  I have gone to my boss with personal issues on several occasions and have received an empathetic ear.  In regards to the work, the Family Based program at Wesley values training around the model (Structural Family Therapy) and focusing on providing staff with the most education possible.  The flexible work hours do provide staff the ability to plan their own schedules in a way that reflects their personal needs.  Yes, there is a focus on productivity.  However, I think the supervisors do a good job of explaining this piece to staff so that we understand that it is about more than just numbers (aka an agency needs income in order to exist).  Finally, we went through a merger which made things chaotic for a bit of time.  As time passes, things are becoming more cohesive and I can see supervisors really trying to make things better in the long run.

I have worked for Wesley Spectrum for nearly 10 years. I worked in the Allegheny In-Home Family Therapy Program for 2 years, the Family-Based Mental Health program for 7 years and was recently promoted to Program Supervisor for Family-Based and Family-Focused therapy programs. In general, Wesley Spectrum Services is an excellent agency to work for: The agency benefits are competitive and there is a lot of room to make meaningful career moves between and within programs.

More specifically, the Family-Based Mental Health program provides top-notch training opportunities, strong clinical supervision and great team support. The therapists are a wonderful group of people and you will find your co-workers to be positive and lots of fun!

I am very excited to be a part of the FBMH program and I am also happy to be part of the forward direction the program is moving. I see first-hand the great service our dedicated and motivated therapists provide to our clients and families. The work is challenging and at times can be tough, however its very rewarding. The job itself allows for a flexible schedule and non-traditional hours. If you are looking for solid experience in the field and superb training on how to be an effective therapist, then apply here!

I have been employed with organization for almost four years and this is the best and most rewarding place/job I have ever worked for/at. I am in the family based program and couldn’t be happier with the management, training, support, clientele and teammates I work with. I have seen reviews talk about the work/life balance of this job and it’s all about being mindful of your own needs and integrating that into your schedule. It is completely possible to have a successful and healthy balance. The paid time off and benefits help with keeping you on track for your own self care and well-being. Management also does an excellent job of caring about their employees and ensuring that they are being successful in every way possible. This job is not for everyone, and it’s important to understand the requirements before applying to be a family based clinician. It is demanding, intense and can be emotionally challenging but the pros far outweigh any of the cons. This job has helped me not only be professionally successful, but personally as well. Every day I continue to learn and grow through working with some of the BEST clinicians and supervisors to assisting and supporting my clients. I couldn’t ask for a more rewarding experience. 

Wesley Spectrum Services has a long history of providing social services within Southwestern Pennsylvania (Beaver, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Somerset, and Washington Counties). Wesley provides an extensive array of services to individuals across the age span. It is a great place to work based on the attention to quality of service, to professional development and promotion of staff, and to customer service. Wesley Spectrum Service’s strategic plan is simple…provide value driven services while being financially sound. Even within the current political environment of reduced funding and increased regulations, Wesley Spectrum Services continues to provide competitive benefits, top notch training and professional development, and clinically sound services. They have truly discovered how to balance the demands of providing the best clinical services within a business model. If you want to be involved with an agency that truly understands how to balance these two demands of the social services field, this is the place for you.

As a current employee of the Wesley Family Services, I feel strongly that the company lives directly through its mission and values. Our leaders speak about transformation care often and it shows in the work that our dedicated staff offers to our clients. This past year certainly has been challenging in all jobs and careers, but I feel like Wesley Family Services is doing the best job possible to appreciate staff which in turn will help support more children, families, and adults. The agency gave out a 3% raise (higher than any other year I have been here), did not raise our medical monthly insurance out-of-pocket expenses, supplied every employee with a Giant Eagle gift card, and offered a choice for holiday gifts. The agency's paid-time-off (PTO) is by far better than any other place I have worked.  Indeed, the hours can be long and the pay could be better, but the sense of pride in what I do to help those I work with offers me more than I would experience just to make a dollar more somewhere else. I hope that the company continues to live through its mission and continues to dedicate resources, time, energy, and appreciation to its staff.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Direct support professional 61 salaries reported	$15.50 per hour
Behavioral therapist 35 salaries reported	$25.86 per hour
Behavior technician 14 salaries reported	$16.61 per hour
Therapist 11 salaries reported	$24.98 per hour
Family therapist 10 salaries reported	$23.34 per hour

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