Maxim Morozkin

My approach is practical, structured, and collaborative. I believe counselling should help you not only understand yourself better, but also recognize what keeps you stuck and learn what you can do differently.
Together, we look at the patterns behind your difficulties—your triggers, thoughts, emotions, behaviours, relationships, and the ways you may cope with discomfort. We explore what provides relief in the short term but may be creating problems in the long term.
I use an integrative approach drawing from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing, Positive Psychology, mindfulness, attachment-based work, and psychodynamic approaches. When working with OCD, I also incorporate principles of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).
My work is tailored to each person. Some clients need practical strategies for anxiety, ADHD, compulsive behaviours, or communication difficulties, while others need to understand deeper emotional patterns, relationships, beliefs, or experiences that continue to influence their lives.
I also integrate coaching into my work when appropriate, particularly when clients want to make decisions, develop healthier habits, clarify their values, improve relationships, or move forward with specific life goals.
My goal is to create a space where you can speak openly without judgment while also being gently challenged when necessary. Therapy with me is not only about discussing what is wrong—it is about understanding yourself, developing practical skills, and gradually creating healthier and more meaningful ways of living.

My professional experience began with the Ottawa Drug Treatment Court and Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services in Ottawa, Ontario, where I received extensive training in evidence-informed interventions, therapeutic rapport, risk awareness, and structured treatment planning. I worked with individuals experiencing addiction, anxiety, emotional regulation difficulties, relationship problems, and co-occurring mental health concerns.
After completing my training, I continued with Rideauwood Family Services in a full-time counselling role, supporting individuals navigating substance use recovery, relapse, shame, avoidance, relationship stress, and long-standing behavioural patterns. This experience shaped the practical, structured, and non-judgmental approach I use today.
I later expanded my professional experience internationally, working in private rehabilitation settings in Costa Rica and Panama with English-speaking clients from Canada, the United States, Australia, and other countries. This strengthened my ability to work across cultures and adapt my approach to individual needs.
Today, I provide online counselling in English and Russian, focusing on anxiety, ADHD, OCD, addictions and compulsive behaviours, relationships, life transitions, and immigrant and expat adjustment.

I earned an Honours degree in Criminology and Psychology from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada (2003–2008), which provided a strong foundation in human behaviour, motivation, trauma, and the broader systems that shape mental health and life outcomes. I later completed my Addiction Counsellor certification at Willis College (2016), where I developed specialized competencies in assessment, treatment planning, relapse prevention, and supporting clients impacted by substance use and related mental health challenges. During this training, I gained practical clinical experience through the Ottawa Drug Treatment Court with Rideauwood Family Services, working with individuals facing complex presentations that often involve trauma histories, emotional dysregulation, high stress, and unstable life circumstances. To strengthen my ability to support sustainable behavioural change, I completed a Certificate in Advanced Motivational Interviewing through the Canadian Mental Health Association (2018), refining my skills in helping clients move through ambivalence, increase readiness for change, and build realistic, self-directed goals. I also pursued specialized training in co-occurring disorders, expanding my capacity to work integratively with overlapping mental health and substance use concerns. In 2022, I completed masterclasses in Emotional Intelligence, Resilience, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), further strengthening my clinical toolkit and allowing for more flexible