Responsibility not just for clients, but for the team around you — a lead therapist role could be the next step.

At Cucumber Recruitment, we work with services across the UK looking for experienced therapists to guide their clinical approach, support junior staff, and help shape the day-to-day work with people in recovery.

It’s still client-facing. Still personal. But in this role, you’re also the one others look to for direction.

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll still be delivering therapy-group sessions, one-to-ones, all the usual work that supports people trying to rebuild after addiction. But on top of that, you’ll be managing caseloads, supporting the team, and keeping the standard of care where it needs to be.

In some settings, you’ll work alongside clinical leads or service managers. In others, you might be the most senior therapeutic role on-site. Either way, people will rely on your experience, not just to help clients, but to guide staff, spot risks early, and keep things running smoothly.

What Kind of Background Helps?

If you’ve worked in addiction services or mental health for a while, you’ve probably already built the kind of skills this role needs. It’s about staying grounded under pressure and knowing how to lead without making it all about you.

You’ll probably be a good fit if:

• You’ve supported people in recovery and understand the ups and downs
• You’ve mentored or supported junior staff in past roles
• You’re able to make clinical decisions and stand by them
• You know how to keep boundaries, especially when things get messy
• You’ve got experience in a mix of group and one-to-one therapeutic work

The title might say “lead”, but it’s still about people, and being steady when others need you to be.

What We Do

We place experienced addiction therapists in lead roles across a range of settings from small private rehabs to larger residential services and community programmes.

Some are short-term cover, others lead to permanent work. We don’t overcomplicate it. You tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll show you what’s available. Simple as that.

Thinking About Making a Move?

If you’re ready to step up or are already leading but looking for a new environment, we’d like to help. Check out the roles we’ve got.