Who is Justify?
Justify was created by people who have worked in animal research to help others share their experiences safely, connect with those who understand, and find language for what they’re going through.
Justify provides a confidential, supportive space for current and former animal research workers who are struggling with the emotional and psychological impact of their work.
What does Justify do?
Justify works with current and former lab workers, psychologists, and scientists to:
1 / Provide trauma-informed support and healing pathways
2 / Surface worker stories and lived experiences
3 / Inform policy and regulatory conversations with on-the-ground insight
4 / Dismantle barriers that block the adoption of non-animal research methods
5 / Support workers transitioning into human-relevant scientific fields
6 / Build cultural understanding of what actually happens inside labs
7 / Advocate for a future where science progresses without suffering
Many lab workers tell Justify they’re afraid to speak up because:
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They fear retaliation or being labeled “anti-science” or “animal rights extremists”​
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They worry about losing their job, their references, or their ability to build a career…even after leaving the industry​
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Some depend on the position for visa status
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Others are required to work with animals to complete a degree they’ve invested years into even if they don’t want to do animal research
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Most entered these environments wholly unprepared and uninformed about the psychological impacts this work can have and are unsure where to turn for support
I still struggle daily with the animal experiments I conducted and witnessed for over a decade. Speaking with Justify is the first time I’ve been able to express that pain, and it gives me hope that there’s a space to discuss the psychological damage that animal research causes.
Matthew Bryson, PhD
Your feelings have a name.
Animal laboratory workers are often told their distress is “just compassion fatigue.” But for many, the experience runs deeper.
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When your work repeatedly asks you to act in ways that conflict with your values, especially in systems where harm is normalized and questioning is discouraged, this can lead to moral distress or moral injury.
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You may recognize this if you’ve felt:
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Persistent guilt or shame
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Questioning your character or identity: “What kind of person am I?”
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Feeling you have lost part of yourself
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Difficulty trusting yourself or others
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Believing you do not deserve good things
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Anger at yourself, others, or the system
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A crisis of meaning or spiritual distress
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Difficulty forgiving yourself or others
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Our goal is to help people better understand what they may be experiencing and to connect them with appropriate professional resources when needed, not to replace mental health care.
In compassion fatigue, one experiences empathic distress and exhaustion from witnessing suffering and caring deeply. In moral injury, one experiences values violations and soul wounds from collectively operating within systems that are at odds with what we find to be ethically acceptable.
Jamie McNally, PhD, LPC
Spotlight
Program Development Partner
Justify is grateful to be working with Dr. Jamie McNally, a Licensed Professional Counselor, trauma specialist, moral injury researcher, and founder of Sycamore Counseling Services, a Michigan-based group practice and of Fortifyu, a wellness and coaching platform for animal care workers.
