Getting to Know Me

Hello!  My name is James Yackuboskey, although I've been given many "Yack-related aliases" over my lifetime.  Most recently,  Staff and students declared me "Mr. Yack" for the past three years as a school social worker.  Outside of the high school environment, I also was involved as a mental health professional in Family-Based, Inpatient, and Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) levels of care within the past six years.  I have been immersed in Family, Group, and Individual Therapy settings.

 

While growing up as a young lad, I maintained an academic focus as well as a passion for sports.  I participated in wrestling and baseball through high school.  Some of my developing character takeaways from wrestling had taught me self-discipline, work ethic, and commitment.  I spent time juggling a life "balance" between academics, extracurricular activities, and social events.  While attending Clarion University of PA, I focused on an affinity for the arts such as being involved in creative writing ranging from poetry to screenplays. 

 

During my last semester in 2001, the 9/11 tragedy happened prior to my December graduation.  My life gravitated toward the military and joined the Air Force in the summer of 2002 in Imagery Intelligence.  It was a combination of math and science intersecting with the arts.  I felt that these two perspectives have helped me grow into a mature, holistic approach to my counseling style.  A logical mind combined with an innate ability for creativity and critical thinking that takes the "whole" person into account, rather than as a diagnosis "label".  There are times in which life challenges aren't about "solving problems", instead having the resiliency to process and cope within those struggles to improve the "overall functional" harmony of a person.  In addition, I have achieved a significant amount of life experience in leadership, teaching, and in a mentoring capacity.

 

In the summer of 2014,  I carried these life experiences into my journey in a Master's Program for Counseling Psychology at Chatham University.  I felt that my genuine and caring personality traits would make for a strong transition into the Counseling field.  Those two years in the program only fueled my desire toward helping others.  Since that time, I gained a great deal of mental health field experience and became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) by the PA state board.  I am also a National Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board of Certified Counselors.  If you feel that I would be a great fit, I hope to be granted the opportunity to join you on your personal life journey!