Hi, I’m Justin McLean (He/him).
I am a Child & Youth Counsellor and certified Compassionate Inquiry Practitioner, with over 20 years of experience, committed to improving the lives of young people, parents/caregivers and families. I specialize in supporting anyone who is seeking help in overcoming their social, emotional, behavioural, and addiction challenges. I’m committed to social justice, anti-racist and anti-oppression practices and am continually working to expand my knowledge, which is necessary throughout my work in supporting people from a wide range of backgrounds and identities.
In my years of practice I have dedicated my skills to building and sustaining strong and authentic therapeutic relationships with clients and families. In order to heal and enhance our mental wellness, we must have the opportunity to be present in the moment, guided by safety and empathy. It is my goal to achieve this supportive environment with all clients, by putting compassion first in a nonjudgmental space that we create together.
My Approach
I find the greatest success in my work when putting compassion first, through the use of Polyvagal Theory, Compassionate Inquiry, Nonviolent Communication, and Collaborative Problem Solving. These approaches are especially effective in supporting young people and families at home, in school, through crisis intervention, and also translate well through phone and virtual service.
I believe that high quality mental heath care should be accessible to everyone. No matter what you are dealing with in life, there are no challenges too great or small — we all deserve the benefits that mental health support can provide.
Compassionate Inquiry (CI)
CI is a psychotherapeutic approach developed by Dr. Gabor Maté that reveals what lies beneath the appearance we present to the world.
Using CI, both the individual and therapist unveil the level of consciousness, mental climate, hidden assumptions, implicit memories and body states that form the real message that words both express and conceal.
Through Compassionate Inquiry, the client can recognize the unconscious dynamics that run their lives and how to liberate themselves from them.
To learn more about CI please visit here
Nonviolent communication (NVC)
NVC is based on the principles of nonviolence — the natural state of compassion when no violence is present in the heart. NVC begins by assuming that we are all compassionate by nature and that violent strategies—whether verbal or physical— are learned behaviours taught and supported by the prevailing culture.
NVC also assumes that we all share the same, basic human needs, and that all actions are a strategy to meet one or more of these needs.
To learn more about NVC please visit here
Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS)
Young people with challenging behaviour are tragically misunderstood and mistreated. Rewards and punishments don’t work and often make things worse.
Helping young people with challenging behaviour requires understanding why they struggle in the first place. The CPS approach recognizes what research has pointed to for years — that young people with challenging behavior are already trying hard. They don’t lack the will to behave well. They lack the skills to behave well.
To learn more about CPS please visit here