Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Morcomb.
Hi Joe, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Columbus, Minnesota – a once little known township outside of Forest Lake which now has become known as the home to Running Aces. I’m *tied* for the youngest of four children being just 45 minutes older than my identical twin brother, Andy. Our childhood was filled with tree forts, exploring nature, scouts, baseball, and theatre. For the most part, I had a great childhood. However, after turning 18 and coming home from my first year in Duluth for college we learned of the significant cancer that my father, a wounded war vet from Vietnam, was battling. Suddenly, he was given six weeks to live. Shocked and trying to digest the news, just a few days later he died of a heart attack. While this news was surprising, it somehow made sense given his many health challenges and injuries from his time in the service. What surprised us most of all was to find that our caring mother and local library worker did not manage the death of her lifelong partner well. She took to drinking to numb the pain, and in a matter of weeks she was hospitalized. After a two week coma we said goodbye to our mother, too. Still a teenager while having both parents die a month and a half apart was devastating. The foundation of our family had fallen apart. This led to an overwhelming season of change and growth for each of my siblings, including myself. I decided to continue forward with schooling (commuting home on weekends) while my sister and twin brother managed the estate and my oldest brother worked on pressing needs to navigate his immediate health and well being.
The story of realizing that becoming a therapist was right for me came just two months after attending my sophomore year of college, which happened to be one week after my mother’s funeral. As a stoic young man in shock, I didn’t let anyone know of my loss… “apply pressure and keep marching” as Midwesterners tend to do. After attending my public speaking class along with my childhood best friend one evening, my professor asked us to practice impromptu speeches about “coping with loss” as the topic was close to her heart after the death of her infant son. Here, I acknowledged the death of my parents publicly for the first time. After class I went to her office, I broke down in tears, and this conversation became the catalyst for a grief support group at UMD that lasted 20 years, supporting countless young adults.
This experience led me toward advocacy and counseling support to advise low-income, first generation college going kids from Upward Bound. I pursued a degree in education, become a school counselor, and served kids and families in the schools for 20 years. Through my 15 years of school counseling, I became aware that I am much less interested in career guidance, and more focused on mental health and supporting people through grief and trauma (somehow back then I didn’t realize just how obvious this future path was laid out for me). Over the pandemic, I took the leap and became licensed as a therapist and quickly found this to be my true passion. Authentic and courageous care for those in need. Walking beside them, being a safe place, and providing insight. It is with this spirit that in January of 2024 I started Deep River Counseling with the values of being a small local private practice clinic that places people over profits and holds the values of Courage, Vulnerability, and Authenticity. In 2025, I opened my practice for colleagues to join my effort, and within months I have grown to include six other wonderful therapists who have varied skills and experiences, but all align under the values of the clinic.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey to becoming a therapist involved a great deal of reflection, support from my community, and individual therapy to navigate the trauma surrounding my teen years. All of this work has been hard, but so incredibly worth it. In regard to starting a business, I have a strong desire to support marginalized people in our community, including those who make use of Medicaid (low income) or Medicare (adults over 65) populations. The process of becoming licensed with the state, seeking contracts from insurance agencies, and partnering with the federal government is G-R-U-E-L-I-N-G. For example, simply getting a contract to partner with one major insurance company estimated 90 days, but when all was said and done it took 8 months. Anything from a mis-spelled word to changing an address of my clinic to a new suite within the same building can feel like it requires an act of congress. However, with perseverance I have found myself much more established in 2026 with smoother sailing after the foundation has been laid.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in grief and trauma therapy, using tools such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy, in addition to use of a variety of therapeutic tools such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a Person-Centered and Strengths-Based approach, Narrative Therapy and elements of Existential therapy.
What I am most proud about is the relational work that I do, and the reflection from my clients that I am innately human and it is clear that I desire to connect and support their journey without judgement. While the fit in finding a therapist is personal, and I can’t be the ideal for everyone, I do not serve as a completely blank slate. I offer the experiences, wisdom, evidence-based training, and also my presence to my clients within the belief that the therapeutic relationship is the vehicle for change. While I maintain privacy and boundaries with my clients, the person that sits across the room with them has the same energy and persona as the person that lives out in the community among them. In an increasingly fast-paced and isolated world, I’ve found real joy and gratitude for the ability to sit and be present for the stories and healing of my clients and they appear to feel the same way, too.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
The hardest thing I had to learn as a young man growing up in Minnesota was to allow myself to be vulnerable. There is nothing that will make that leap feel easy – in fact, by taking the risk to be open and we are required to face our fears. It is through this courageous act that we begin to interrupt the unhealthy pattens or narratives of our past and get new information that we can feel safe in our future. This courageous leap often takes many experiences to build comfort with vulnerability, but on the other side is the profound opportunity for growth, healing, and insight.
Pricing:
- We accept nearly all major insurance
- We offer a sliding scale rate with each therapist committing to holding space for those needing reduce rates for therapy
- We offer free consultations to get to know a therapist and to help determine if the fit is right for your needs
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.DeepRiverMN.com
