Our Circle

Jasper Hanlon

Intern Counsellor and Art Therapist

(They/Them)

Hey there! I’m Jasper.

I am a graduate student working toward a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology: Art Therapy at Adler University. I was born and raised in Minnesota in the United States, and completed my Bachelor’s degree in psychology at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Not long ago, I packed up and moved to British Columbia to complete my education, and I am thrilled to be here working with you!

I am proudly queer and neurodivergent. These identities have shaped me into the person that I am today. They’ve given me a compassion, empathy, patience, and understanding that I use in my work as a student counsellor and art therapist. I aim to support Highly Sensitive Persons, individuals who survived traumatic experiences, queer, neurodiverse and BIPOC peoples seeking a place to feel seen and understood. I hope to provide a space for you to safely exist as your most authentic self.

Everything you need is already within you. My goal is to help you draw on those strengths to build a fulfilling life (whatever that may look like for you) by serving as your witness and a grounding presence throughout our journey. I’m excited to see all the beauty we can co-create together!

Below are a few questions to help you get to know me and my approach to counselling. I invite you to explore what working together might look and feel like.

Questions & Answers

What inspired you to become a counsellor?

My commitment to becoming a counsellor has evolved over many years. Growing up, I often felt a connection with those who were “too much” of anything. Maybe they were “too weird,” “too sensitive,” “too awkward,” “too dramatic,” “too talkative,” “too lazy.” Those who felt and experienced things that others didn’t take the time to understand. Many of us have spent years living unseen and unheard, and I strive to become the witness that so many of us need.

What drew you to art therapy? 

I invite you to bring your creative self into the space. Some experiences are hard to verbalize. When words are lacking, we can use art to speak instead. As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Don’t get me wrong, traditional talk therapy is wonderful and incredibly useful. Your words are valuable, as they offer us a chance to hear what your inner world sounds like. Your artwork, on the other hand, shows us what your inner world looks like. By combining the two, we get a deeper understanding of this rich inner world that you’ve brought to the table.

Who do you call in through your work?

I resonate most with queer and/or neurodiverse adults. I welcome anyone who is frustrated and exhausted by the oppressive systems of power under which we all live, learn, and work.

Some areas of interest include Highly Sensitive Persons, 2SLGBTQ+ identities, autism, ADHD, OCD, over-intellectualization, grief, dissociation, life transitions, difficulties with self-understanding and self-compassion. If you don’t resonate with any of those, that’s okay! Regardless of how you identify or why you’re seeking counselling, I am happy to see if we’re a good fit.

This is a space for those who are open to using art and creativity to share their inner world with me, and for those who are ready to get to know themselves more deeply and compassionately. My aim is always to provide a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive space for those who feel and process the world differently and deeply.

What is your cultural background, and how does it shape your work?

My heritage is made up of many Norwegian, German, and Irish ancestors who eventually immigrated to the United States. To assimilate into American culture, they were asked to leave behind pieces of their identity. The ghosts of the languages they never taught to their children are still mourned by many members of my family. Their anglicized names are among the few tangible connections I have with my European ancestors. The solace in their stories lies in their agency, autonomy, and joy. They had the luxury to be excited and proud of the new lives they’d chosen for themselves. It’s given me a deeper empathy for those who never had any choice in leaving their culture behind, and those whose identity has been stripped away by colonization and imperialism.

A big part of being white as an aspiring anti-oppressive counsellor means sitting with the discomfort of knowing that I, my family, and our ancestors have upheld deeply harmful and devastating systems of power that have given us decades of undeserved privilege. Unpacking that discomfort, deconstructing these oppressive systems, and using my privilege for advocacy is a never-ending journey of mine. Compassion, empathy, humility, and justice are the backbone of this journey.

My queerness is its own cultural identity too. It’s taught me so many beautiful things that I wouldn’t trade for the world: authenticity, self-expression, radical acceptance. It’s given me a deeper understanding of what it means to truly respect someone. I don’t believe that it’s necessary to understand someone in order to respect them. I simply have to trust and honour their ability to know who they are.

How do you approach spirituality in your work?

I was not raised religious, and I don’t particularly adhere to any single religious or spiritual identity. If I had to pick, I would describe myself as an Omnist: a philosophical or spiritual perspective that accepts, respects, or finds truth in all spiritual faiths. If spirituality is a part of your journey, I am happy to welcome that into the space. If not, I am happy to respect that too.

How do you hold space for others?

I am here to serve as a witness and a center of safety as you untangle your thoughts and emotions. I listen without judgment and invite everyone to show up authentically.

I hold space by acting as a calm, grounding presence for others while they are deep in a wave of emotion. Rather than getting swallowed by the wave with them, I try to ride the wave and toss them a lifesaver. My goal is not to dissipate the wave entirely (that’s simply not possible; energy cannot be created nor destroyed, and emotion is energy). Instead, my goal is to give people the tools they need to pull themselves ashore.

What does it look like to engage in this work together?

Our work together is collaborative, patient, and non-judgmental. I invite you to come to session exactly as you are. You are the leader here, and you know yourself more deeply than I ever could. I am not here to tell you what you “should” be, do, feel, or think. I am here to walk with you as you explore yourself and build a life that is meaningful and fulfilling for you.

What should I know about working together…whether in sessions or in group?

Healing is complex and non-linear. This means that sometimes, the path to healing comes with setbacks, relapse, and regression. I encourage you to acknowledge this as a natural and normal part of the journey—not the end of it.

Do you take notes during session?

Yes, I do take notes during session. Especially as a neurodivergent person, note-taking helps me keep track of what we’ve discussed. I might write down key points, topics I’d like to revisit, important details I’d like to remember, etc. If it becomes distracting or uncomfortable for you, I am happy to adjust and find a system that works for us.