THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Hi, my name is Justin. I want to show you how I see myself. But more than that, I hope this story equips you in your own journey—so you can grow, challenge, and tell your story in your own way.

I'm a thinker. A creator—of words, visuals, ideas. As a kid, I drew cartoons obsessively—mostly Mickey Mouse. As I got older, I turned to writing: texting friends, emails, MSN. Then school finished, and suddenly I had to answer the dreaded Christmas lunch question: What are you doing with your life?

My generation are tradesmen, electricians, foremen on commercial sites, filmmakers, designers—one of us even became a psychologist. I always thought I was different. But over time, I’ve realised I’m not that different after all.

I’ve built brands, knowledge bases, communities, wellbeing models. My intellectual growth has always been scaffolded on communication, psychology, and now social work. But I get bored in the classroom. I’m a practitioner, an applier of knowledge—not an upholder of the status quo.

I can’t help it. I challenge, I contend. First, as a business communicator and marketer. Then, I realised I didn’t want to just connect people to solutions—I wanted to be part of the solution. That led me to psychoeducation and sharing lived experience as a vehicle for reorienting dominant narratives that often go unquestioned.

But none of this happened in a vacuum. I stand on the shoulders of a few humble giants—mentors who may never receive the recognition they deserve.

MY INFLUENCES

My father – A speech pathologist with an MBA. An executive in health and for-purpose organisations. A behavioral science background and a pragmatic approach to psychosocial care. A critic of economic systems. A progressive reformer. A composer and lyricist.

My mother – A divergent thinker, visual artist, journalist, storyteller, Christian minister, and community developer. A Doctor of Philosophy. A truth-teller and advocate for lived experience perspectives. A survivor of family violence. An eldest child, a leader. A hero of post-traumatic growth.

Other influential family:

• Paternal grandfather – Journalist, editor, Salvation Army Lieutenant Colonel. A practical man who fixed bicycles and once refused to deal with his own bloody nose until he fixed our toilet first.
  

• Paternal uncle – Marketing academic turned Christian minister. A songwriter, pianist, and natural entrepreneur with a dissenting flair.

MY STORY: THE SPIRITUAL AND PERSONAL ARC

A kid raised in the Salvation Army church. A tween introduced to punk rock by older cousins. A class clown that teachers either loved or hated. "Justin has such potential—if only he’d apply himself."

A mental health journey marked by misfired behavioral interventions, misdiagnosis, over-medicalisation, and a lack of awareness of neurodiversity.

Working my arse off to get into a course. Making the grade—and still being rejected.

Licking my wounds. Realigning my working life toward what I value: holistic wellbeing support.

Facing barriers to influence in non-clinical roles.

Enrolling in a Master's of Social Work—not just for credibility, but to gain a deeper understanding of systems, leadership, and the wisdom hard-won through lived experience.

Now, I’m at a point where I’m building—aligning my work with what feels like home. Social work as a critical path forward. Entrepreneurial pursuits on the side.

THE PRESENT: 2025-2026

Right now, I’m exploring a number of creative impulses while completing my Master's of Social Work.

• Journalism with an educative, reflective vibe.

• Visual art and poetry inspired by the place I live.

• Storytelling around meaning, purpose, and psychoeducation as a way to foster shared wisdom.

None of this generates income yet. I’m indebted to my hardworking wife for giving me the space to take this two-year period of self-discovery.

MY PEOPLE

My fiercely loyal wife – A hardworking mother, daughter, and sister.

My son – An energetic, cheeky reminder to stop and be present. A builder of Duplo—and who knows what else.

Building this website, and sharing these stories, is part of something bigger. A continuing impulse that didn’t start with me. It’s been alive in my family for generations. I’m looking forward to where this takes us—and how I might be of service to you as I build.