Live-In House Manager / Drug & Alcohol Counsellor The Haven Retreats | Gold Coast, QLD

Luxury Private Drug & Alcohol Recovery Retreat

About The Haven Retreats The Haven Retreats is a brand-new luxury private drug and alcohol recovery retreat on the Gold Coast, created to offer a more personal, compassionate and highly individualised approach to recovery.

Operating with a deliberately small number of clients, The Haven combines professional therapeutic support with a private residential environment focused on recovery, wellbeing, personal growth and rebuilding life beyond addiction.

We believe recovery is about more than simply stopping substance use.

Our goal is to help individuals understand the factors contributing to their substance use while building the practical tools, confidence, resilience and healthy routines needed to navigate everyday life and support long-term wellbeing.

We want our clients to leave The Haven not only having made progress in their recovery, but feeling genuinely equipped to return to their families, careers and communities with greater stability, self-awareness and confidence.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and compassionate Drug & Alcohol Counsellor / House Manager to become an integral part of The Haven team.

Our preference is to appoint an exceptional candidate to a live-in House Manager/Counsellor position. We understand, however, that finding the right person is more important than filling the position quickly.

We are therefore also open to establishing a rotating roster of suitably qualified counsellors and support professionals to provide evening and overnight coverage while we identify the ideal long-term live-in candidate.

This is an opportunity to join The Haven at its foundation and contribute to developing the culture, client experience and recovery environment of a new private residential service.

Your Role

Working closely with our clients and broader therapeutic team, you will provide professional counselling, recovery support and practical guidance throughout each client's stay.

Responsibilities may include

- Assessing individual client needs in relation to alcohol and other drug use, recovery, mental wellbeing and psychosocial circumstances.
- Conducting counselling sessions with individuals and, where appropriate, couples and family groups.




- Working collaboratively with clients to develop individualised recovery and rehabilitation plans.
- Helping clients identify and understand behaviours, attitudes, expectations, triggers and patterns that may contribute to substance use.
- Presenting alternative approaches and supporting clients to explore meaningful behavioural and lifestyle change.
- Helping clients develop practical coping strategies, emotional regulation skills, healthy routines and relapse-prevention strategies.
- Supporting clients to build confidence, independence and resilience in preparation for life following residential treatment.
- Considering each client's family, social, vocational and broader lifestyle needs when developing recovery goals.
- Providing day-to-day guidance and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries within a residential environment.
- Monitoring client wellbeing and appropriately escalating clinical, behavioural or safety concerns.
- Maintaining accurate, professional and confidential client records.
- Participating in handovers, case discussions and multidisciplinary planning.
- Supporting the structure, safety and smooth day-to-day operation of the residence.
- Where required, communicating with prospective clients and families during initial enquiries, intake or telephone-based support.

Who We're Looking For We are looking for someone who understands that effective recovery work requires both professional capability and genuine human connection.

You will ideally have relevant qualifications in Counselling, Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD), Mental Health, Psychology, Social Work, Community Services or a related discipline, together with demonstrated experience supporting people affected by substance dependence or complex life circumstances.

Experience within residential rehabilitation, detoxification, mental health, trauma-informed care, addiction services or private treatment environments will be highly regarded.

Most importantly, you will bring maturity, sound judgement, empathy, discretion and strong professional boundaries.





You should be comfortable working within a private residential environment where clients receive highly personalised support and where confidentiality, professionalism and consistency are essential.

What We Stand For The Haven is being built around a straightforward principle: treatment should address the person, not just the substance.

We want to create an environment where clients feel respected rather than judged, supported rather than institutionalised, and actively involved in their own recovery.

Our approach centres on dignity, accountability, compassion, confidentiality, evidence-informed care and sustainable change.

We recognise that recovery can involve psychological, behavioural, family, social and practical challenges. Our aim is to bring these areas together so clients can develop a realistic foundation for life after treatment.

What We Want to Achieve

Our ambition is to establish The Haven Retreats as a highly respected private recovery service on the Gold Coast, known for exceptional client care, individualised treatment and meaningful long-term outcomes.

We are not seeking to create a high-volume rehabilitation facility.

We are intentionally creating an intimate environment where professionals have the opportunity to know their clients, understand their circumstances and provide meaningful individual support.

As an early member of The Haven team, you will have the opportunity to contribute ideas and help shape the programs, routines and culture of the retreat as the service grows.

Live-In Opportunity For the right candidate, we are particularly interested in discussing a live-in House Manager/Counsellor arrangement.

The successful live-in candidate would become a trusted senior presence within the residence, helping maintain continuity, structure and support outside standard clinical hours.

Until the permanent live-in appointment is made, we are open to rotating evening and overnight shifts between suitable team members, allowing us to prioritise finding the right person rather than rushing the appointment.

Specific roster arrangements, accommodation, remuneration and expectations will be discussed with shortlisted candidates.

Join The Haven

This role wil

Pay: $70,112.31 – $117,274.61 per year

Benefits

- Employee mentoring program
- Maternity leave
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance

Work Location: In person

📌 Live-In House Manager / Drug & Alcohol Counsellor (Tallai)
🏢 Haven Retreat
📍 Tallai