A Day in the Life of a Charlie Health Clinician

No two days at Charlie Health look exactly the same for our clinicians. Primary Therapists set their own schedules, seeing clients during “peak clinical hours” and making time for supervision, meetings, and breaks during the rest of the day. Our clinical leaders, including Clinical Supervisors and Directors, spend their days in process-oriented meetings and supervisory sessions but also help out with whatever comes up in their regions—be it a complex case or a crisis. To get a better sense of what it’s like to work at Charlie Health, we asked four members of our Clinical Team what a typical day looks like for them. Read on below.

Elizabeth Garcia, LCSW, Primary Therapist 

In her previous jobs, Elizabeth saw clients back-to-back all day long. At Charlie Health, though, she sets her own schedule and feels empowered to prioritize work-life balance. “Clinicians tend to be overworked or expected to answer calls after hours, but that’s not the case at Charlie Health,” she said. “When I’m off, I’m off.” Here’s what a typical day as a Charlie Health Primary Therapist looks like for Elizabeth. 

Morning 

“I work a four-day workweek, Sunday through Wednesday, which I love. I see anywhere from six to eight clients a day. I meet with them independently, and if they choose to do family sessions, I’ll also facilitate those. I usually set the first hour of my day, around 11 a.m., to catch up on notes or treatment plans before seeing clients.”

Afternoon 

“During the weekdays, I typically schedule two to three sessions in the afternoon, starting around noon. I also take a late afternoon break for lunch, notes, treatment planning, or other admin items. On Sunday, my sessions start earlier, around 10 a.m., but I still make time for a mid-day break.”

Evening

“My peak clinical hours are from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., with little breaks here and there. The fact that I have control over my breaks is really helpful. I’m working at my peak clinical hours, too, instead of doing a full day of back-to-back client sessions.” 

Gini Billingsley, LPC, Primary Therapist 

Before joining Charlie Health, the number one thing Gini was skeptical about was working from noon to 8 p.m. instead of a more typical 9-to-5 schedule. Over a year later, it’s her favorite part of the job. “What I do during that time is flexible. I’m basically setting my own schedule,” she said. Here’s what a typical day as a Charlie Health Primary Therapist looks like for Gini.

Morning 

“Since starting at Charlie Health, I’ve come to really value my mornings. I use that time to get things done, like doctor’s appointments or errands, or I just sleep in. I’ve also started homeschooling my daughter, so I’m available for her most mornings.”

Afternoon 

“Most days, I start work at noon. I usually have two sessions and then take a little bit of a break to write notes or have a meeting. On Mondays, though, my daughter has in-person schooling, so I am not available until 4 p.m.—that’s where the flexibility comes in.” 

Evening

“The evening is when I see most of my clients since my peak clinical hours are from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. When I finish with sessions, I usually spend an hour or two writing notes. Recently, with the support of my supervisor, I’ve started ending work a couple of hours earlier on Wednesdays to go to church. It’s really important to me. I rearranged my clinical hours so that I start earlier on Friday.”

“The fact that I have control over my breaks is really helpful. I’m working at my peak clinical hours, too, instead of doing a full day of back-to-back client sessions.”

—Elizabeth Garcia, LCSW, Primary Therapist

Tracye Freeman Valentine, LPC-MHSP, Clinical Supervisor

Tracye has held many jobs during her decades of clinical work, but her favorite positions are those supporting other clinicians—which is what she does day in and day out at Charlie Health. 

“I like to be able to give clinicians the skills to grow. I’m able to share some of my wisdom and listen and learn from their wisdom,” she said. Here’s what a typical day as a Charlie Health Clinical Supervisor looks like for Tracye.

Morning 

“First thing in the morning, I usually check emails, sign clinicians’ notes, and look at Slack messages. I also try to leave an hour open for office hours, where clinicians can log on to talk if they need to.”

Afternoon 

“Most of my day is filled with clinical supervision. I also have other meetings, or I’ll sit in with a clinician and a client. I try to make time to take a break during the day and encourage my clinicians to do the same—shut it down, go outside, or do whatever they need to do to relax. For me, it’s listening to jazz. Sometimes, I’ll have it on during supervision.” 

Evening

“I try to wrap things up in the evening, but my job isn’t 9-to-5. Most of my clinicians work evening clinical hours, and I need to be available to them for crises.” 

Ann Matino, LCSW-S, Clinical Director

When Ann started at Charlie Health in 2021, she oversaw a team of three people. Now, her team has grown to 50-plus therapists and two Clinical Supervisors. Her days are a mix of supervision, problem-solving, and anything else that comes up across her region. “I get to work with clinicians and help build systems and processes, which really floats my boat,” she said. Here’s what a typical day as a Charlie Health Clinical Director looks like for Ann.

Morning 

“I supervise about 20 people, so I meet with several of them every day. These meetings are usually half an hour or an hour, depending on their needs. We talk about how I can support them and which cases they need help with.”

Afternoon 

“A fair amount of my day is also spent with complex cases. For instance, if a family isn’t doing well or a therapist needs more support with a clinically sophisticated client issue, I’ll meet with different clinicians and think about how to get the client what they need.”

Evening

“I have a couple of weekly meetings with clinical staff and clinical leaders. Also, we’re hiring several people in my district, so right now, I carve out some time for interviewing at the end of the day.”

Join Charlie Health’s Clinical Team

If you’re passionate about making an impact on the national mental health crisis and are motivated by a desire to learn and grow, apply to join the Charlie Health team today. We have nationwide openings for clinicians across the spectrum of licensure and offer flexible scheduling, fully remote work, and other competitive benefits. Together, we can provide the world with life-saving mental healthcare. 

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