Felix Morton IV, PhD, LCMHC, QS, is Core Faculty in the Counseling@Northwestern program at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, where his scholarship examines how Black men construct identity, make meaning of their lived experiences, and build wellness through cultural narratives and popular culture.
Morton earned his PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education from North Carolina State University and his MA in Counseling from Wake Forest University. He leads a nationally recognized network of over 500 Black male counselors, expanding access to culturally-affirming and representative mental health care.
Morton’s work centers a powerful truth: For Black men and boys, popular culture mirrors lived experiences and creates space to dream beyond limiting narratives. Through his work, he explores what it means for Black men and boys to exist in a world that demands heroism but rarely makes space for humanity. He examines how Black Panther, Miles Morales, Creed, and other cultural narratives illuminate the psychological realities of identity, resilience, and self-worth. Rather than pathologizing characters, he humanizes them, revealing what cultural stories teach us about mental health, particularly the weight of existence, the struggle for visibility, and the pursuit of rest, connection, and meaning.
Morton’s accomplishments include fellowships from the National Board for Certified Counselors and the American Psychological Association, being named 2022 Mental Health Advocate of the Year by the Black Mental Health Symposium, receiving the 2023 Jane E. Myers Wellness Counseling Award from the North Carolina Counseling Association, and the Young Alumni Award from East Carolina University.