Alumni Spotlight: André Jackson

"It took a lot of introspection and exploration for me to figure out what I wanted to do," shared André Jackson, a 2019 graduate of the Wright Institute Counseling Psychology program, "but once I started to feel the connection to the mental health world, everything fell into place."

André grew up in Los Angeles, where he lived with his mother and older sister. “I was an affable kid and got along with most everyone,” he recalled. “I did fine in school and my home life was always filled with love and lots of family activities.” One family member who had a huge impact on André’s development was his grandmother who loved gardening. “She taught me the practice and the beauty of gardening,” André reflected. “I spent a lot of time with her during the summer months and I think that’s how I became interested in flowers and landscaping.”

After graduating from high school, André wasn’t interested in a traditional college experience and decided to pursue his interest in flowers instead. From 1991-2005, he owned and operated a successful retail floral studio called AG Flowers & Gardens in San Diego, CA. During that time, André also took courses intermittently at San Diego State University and worked as a personal florist for some of his established clients.

In 2005, André moved back to Los Angeles to care for his father and enrolled in the studio art program at California State University, Dominguez Hills. “I had a really good experience at Cal State and met some really great people,” he recalled. After graduating with his BA in studio art in 2007, André opened his own landscaping business called Jack Price Design. "I spoke with and worked with a whole lot of people who were willing to spend a whole lot of money on their homes and that felt very superficial,” André explained. “I felt that there was much more that I could do to help people."

As he was searching for more meaning in his work, André reflected on some of his personal interests and skills. Thinking back to time spent in his grandmother’s house as a child, André realized that he’s always been interested in hearing people’s stories. “Whenever my grandmother's sisters would come visit, they would tell stories about how they came here or about different extended family members and I would be nearby just listening to the conversations,” he recalled. “I think I was just innately curious and eager to gain information about people and their experiences.” He knew he also had a skill for listening to people and their concerns, and felt he could be a good fit for a graduate degree in psychology.

While they don't seem to bear much resemblance on the surface, André's previous careers as a professional florist and landscape designer also helped prepare him for a career in mental health. "In those professions, I would meet with the clients and then listen to what they wanted. Once I saw the space they wanted me to work on, I'd develop my vision for the work,” he reflected. “It was like making an assessment, giving a diagnosis, and creating a treatment plan in therapy, just for a very different subject.”

In 2017, André enrolled in the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology program. "Because my undergraduate career ebbed and flowed and was so disjointed, I wanted a much more straightforward graduate school experience,” he explained. “I was looking for an intimate setting and a school that offered both racial diversity as well as diversity of thought. In my conversations with people, the Wright Institute kept coming up as a place that could offer what I was looking for.” André also felt like the Wright Institute's program built a strong foundation for a future career in the field.

André’s second-year practicum placement was at The Stonewall Project, a treatment program of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. “The most difficult part of this work for me was getting my feet wet and understanding that I didn’t know anything,” he laughed. “I started graduate school as an older adult, so there was a sense of groundedness in me, but I also knew that I was still learning.” While he was open to learning, that process still felt vulnerable at times. What André enjoyed most about working at The Stonewall Project was his cohort of fellow interns, one of whom he still considers a close friend today.

Looking back on his time at the Wright Institute, André has many fond memories of his cohort members, instructors, and courses. He also enjoyed volunteering as the student representative on the Counseling Program’s Diversity Committee, which was inspired by a desire to understand current recruitment practices and increase diversity. André also served as a mentor for the Clinical Program’s Psychology Internship Program (PIP), working with Dr. Anatasia Kim and Dr. Anu Orebiyi. “I really enjoyed mentoring those young people who were interested in psychology and were often first-generation students," André recalled. "I wanted to share my knowledge about the field of psychology because we need more diversity in the field in order to facilitate more inclusive and compassionate care for communities that have been marginalized and excluded from engaging in addressing their mental health."

If André could give one piece of advice to current or prospective students in the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology program, it would be to find their “why,” or their reason for doing the work. “It's hard to know your ‘why,’ but I think if we sit still long enough, it comes,” he reflected. “I used to think that was such a cliche, but the older I’ve gotten and the more I've practiced being still, I’ve found it really is true.” Although he describes himself as “not a huge meditator,” André makes time for meditation every day as part of his self-care practice.

After graduating in 2019, André moved on to Homeless Children's Network, which gave him the opportunity to work with children ranging from the ages of 4 to 17. "I didn't think I would enjoy working with children, but it turned out to be a great experience," André shared. "I came to understand the importance of providing services at a young age, which really made me feel like I was making a long-term difference in the lives of these children."

During the pandemic, André moved back to his hometown of Los Angeles to take care of his mother, who was living with dementia. While caring for his mother and accruing his hours towards licensure, André remained connected with the Wright Institute as a teacher's assistant (TA) for Multicultural Awareness and Sensitivity (MAS), a first-year course in the Counseling Psychology program. Although he was living in Los Angeles, André was able to join remotely as a TA when classes were being held online. "That class is one of the most important for the work the students do as future clinicians," he explained, "and I like being able to help them navigate it."

As a discussion-based course, MAS is much more dependent than other classes on the students' collective willingness to engage with the material. "When I took the class in early 2018, my cohort was pretty uncomfortable with fully diving into some of those necessary conversations," André recalled. "There can be a number of reasons why people hold back in that setting. Sometimes students don't want to upset the other students in the room with them, or sometimes they don't want to be judged. However, reckoning with their feelings around privilege and rank is an exploration that can be an invaluable tool in their development as clinicians." In André’s opinion, MAS is the most valuable course in the Counseling Program curriculum and he would love to see it expanded to two semesters, allowing more time for students to apply what they have learned.

In 2021, André began working at the Westmont Counseling Center in Los Angeles. “I really enjoyed working there and it was a great opportunity to work with other African-American individuals,” he shared. “It was probably the most diverse community I ever worked with.” During his time at Westmont, André began to crave more experience working with couples and relationships, so he took on a new position at Rouse Relational Wellness. “I found in working with individuals that it was kind of like I was working with couples but only hearing one side of the story,” he laughed. “I enjoyed couples work because you have all of the information at the same table.”

André was invited to join the Board of Trustees for the Wright Institute in 2024. Although he was a bit apprehensive at first, having never served on a board, André decided to accept the invitation. “I had a great experience at the Wright Institute, I believe in the institution, and I want to see it continue to succeed,” he reflected. “Joining the board was a way for me to give back to the Wright and to this community of folks who want to become therapists.” While André feels that he’s still finding his footing as a board member, he is excited to see what impact he can have in the future.

Recently, André has started his own ADHD coaching business after receiving an ADHD diagnosis himself. After graduating from the Wright Institute, André had been unable to pass his licensing exam and decided to go through a formal assessment process. His diagnosis helped him understand his struggles with standardized testing throughout his academic career and inspired him to start coaching others. “ADHD coaching allows me to help people in a more authentic way and a much more passionate way,” André explained.

Over the years, André has done a lot of volunteer work with organizations including Gay for Good, Mama’s Kitchen, AIDS Lifecycle Ride. When asked why he makes volunteering a priority in his life, André shared that he’s just a caregiver and enjoys being of service to others. “It wasn't prescriptive in how I grew up, but it was a model that was presented to me - I saw my mom and my dad be of service to people and they did it with an open heart with no expectations of reciprocation,” he recalled. “I think that, in order to participate in society, you have to give as much as you get, so volunteering is just my way of giving in areas that I feel connected to.”

As an artist, André finds great solace and a real sense of self-care in the process of creating, so most of his hobbies and interests are creative in nature. While he still loves traditional gardening, he is particularly drawn to the patience and precision of bonsai cultivation. André’s artistic pursuits also extend indoors, where he regularly spends time cooking, painting, and hand-sewing.

In the next five to ten years, André is excited to continue his ADHD coaching and would love to become a published author. In the more immediate future, he’s working on plans to sell his property in Northern California and move onto a sixty foot sailboat docked in the Richmond Harbor. “I’m excited about moving closer to the city because I want to be a part of things that are happening in the East Bay,” he explained. “I bought a place in Forestville, about an hour and twenty minutes north of San Francisco, a long time ago and it’s really great, but I’ve realized it’s not really what I want in my life moving forward.” Ready for a fresh start, André is looking forward to embracing new adventures and building a life that feels authentic to who he is today.