About me
My name is Justin Morrison. I am a counsellor based in Vancouver, BC with a Master in Counselling. I am currently in the qualification process to become a registered clinical counsellor under the direct supervision of Dr. Christopher Brown. I came to this work later in life after a career in engineering, bringing a wealth of lived experience that helps me relate to the unique struggles my clients face.
I was drawn to this career because I love to share conversations about the things that matter deeply to us, but that we rarely talk about. I offer a space where you can share things that are hard to share elsewhere—the first step toward a new way of seeing the world.
I was raised in Ireland, in a culture that taught us it wasn’t okay to talk about feelings or show vulnerability. As someone who felt a lot, this was difficult and led to struggles later in life. Gradually, through curiosity and important relationships, I found new ways to think about my experience.
I believe that society often tells us we need to "paddle our own canoe," leading to isolation. My goal is to break that isolation and build a relationship based on trust—the cornerstone of the healing process.
How I Work
Tailored to You
I don't believe in cookie-cutter therapy. We all have unique backgrounds, personalities, and ways of seeing the world, so our work together needs to be tailored to you.
Everything begins with exploration. Before we set goals or decide on strategies, I need to understand what it's like to be you—to see the world through your eyes. We're building a shared understanding of your experience, and then we'll examine it together from different angles to find new insights.
My approach is measured and thoughtful. I think carefully about my questions, my responses, the way I frame things. I aim to create a calm presence that gives you space to go inward, to connect with your own experience without worrying about managing mine.
What Therapy Looks Like
The first conversation is about learning whether we should have a second conversation. The second is about learning whether we should have a third. And so on.
This whole process is a negotiation. At any point, you're free to say you don't want to continue. My goal, actually, is to talk myself out of a job—because if we achieve what we set out to achieve, our work is done.
Exploration
First, we spend time understanding your world as fully as possible. What's it like to be you? What are the patterns, the struggles, the things that weigh on you?
Goal Setting
What do you want to achieve from our work together? What does change look like for you? We negotiate what's reasonable to expect.
The Path Forward
How do we move from where you are toward where you want to be? The answer is different for everyone, and we figure it out together.
On Change
I believe therapy only works if you're prepared to do the hard work of change. That doesn't mean you need to have it all figured out—just that you're willing to show up.
Change is difficult for evolutionary reasons. Our brains like to conserve energy by following familiar thought patterns, like paths worn through high grass. Creating new paths takes effort, and sometimes it's discouraging.
I love working with clients who bring genuine curiosity to the process, because curiosity makes change work easier. It allows us to imagine new possibilities, which is the first step toward actual change.
But if you don't feel naturally curious right now—if you're exhausted, defended, or you've spent your life not asking too many questions—that's okay. As long as you're willing to show up, we can work with that.
In-Person and Virtual Options
I offer sessions both in-person at our Kitsilano office and virtually throughout BC.
I'll be honest: I prefer to work in-person when possible. As humans, we've evolved to connect face-to-face, and I find it's easier to build the kind of trusting relationship we need without a screen between us.
That said, I've seen clients do powerful work virtually—sometimes even with terrible wifi. Virtual therapy is absolutely better than no therapy at all, and if it's your only option, I'm happy to offer it.