When Shawn Coolen returned to university in his mid-40s, what he needed wasn’t just a career change, it was a return to purpose. After years working in social services, he found himself searching for work that aligned more closely with his values, and with the kind of impact he wanted to make. What he didn’t expect was that his son, Ethan, would follow closely in his footsteps. At the time Ethan was still in undergrad, but he was paying attention.
“I was definitely interested in what he was doing,” Ethan recalled. “After seeing him go through the Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology program, that led me to strongly consider Yorkville.”
Shawn and Ethan completed their counselling degrees at different times, but their experiences – and their mutual support – brought them closer together. Ethan leaned on his dad for guidance in the early stages of his studies, especially when trying to figure out the structure of the program.
“Getting him to just read over things, just maybe give a couple of critiques was super helpful,” Ethan said. “Having a little extra support to kind of help me with that transition to higher education was huge.”
Shawn added, “Lots and lots of, ‘Dad, do you have this textbook? Dad, do you have that textbook?’”
Both men credit Yorkville’s online format for making their journeys possible. For Shawn, it offered the ability to complete coursework at his own pace while managing a demanding career and family life. For Ethan, it provided the structure and flexibility he needed to transition directly from undergrad into graduate studies.
“I did my undergrad in person, so I already knew how I liked to study and stay organized,” Ethan said. “The flexibility of the online delivery let me get ahead on assignments or take a day off when I needed to.”
They also found meaningful connections with classmates, even through a screen.
“Some of my strongest professional relationships started in online discussion boards and group projects,” said Shawn. “I still meet monthly with a group from school to talk through some files that might be a bit more difficult, or to talk about new policies. Just to offer one another support.”
Today, both men are working therapists – Shawn with several years of private practice behind him, and Ethan just beginning to build his own client base. They work in their family home, in separate offices, and often collaborate.
Their different specialties reflect their unique perspectives and passions. Shawn focuses primarily on couples counselling; something that stems from both his professional background and personal values.
“I’ve always had that soft spot for couples and working with people to try to make things better,” he explained. “Coming from that social work background, seeing the impact that divorce and family breakdown can have on children – that’s where that passion came from.”
Ethan, meanwhile, has carved out a focus of his own: working with young men between the ages of 16 and 35. “I think given my age, and being a man myself, lends itself to marketing towards other men,” he said. “I think that my age also provides the advantage of not coming across maybe as an authority figure… which I think is an advantage.”
Their connection is more than professional. Studying the same material, speaking the same therapeutic language, and navigating the same career path has given them a shared experience that deepens their relationship.
“Being able to talk shop about going through the exact same experience of the program… has been a big driving factor of pulling us closer together,” Ethan said.
Their shared journey is rare, but meaningful.
“I always say to clients too,” Shawn said, “it doesn’t matter what your age is. If you want something different, then go for it!”
“And being able to share that with my son has been pretty incredible.”
