John Yeoman
M.A. Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, 2006

When it comes to core values, John Yeoman knew he and Antioch were a great match.

"To be honest, being an advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves was an ethic I was practicing prior to my Antioch education.

"I have almost always worked or volunteered for agencies that are motivated toward community support. Antioch has a powerful ideology of social justice and involvement.  I appreciate this and was aware of this ideology as another positive aspect of a great school," he says.

A counselor at YWCA Pathways, Yeoman has an ongoing interest in the healing properties of music. He completed a CD of instrumental music that he says counselors tell him can be a "When students are faced with a combination of knowledge, application and debate, [Antioch] provides these new counselors and teachers with a great confidence to apply this knowledge and succeed in any employment challenge."useful part of the therapeutic process.

"I use so many tools learned from my Antioch experience in my work, but music always connects me to the idea of possibilities," he notes.

Several faculty members inspired Yeoman.

"My case consultation instructor was the most impressive of these," he says. "He embraced the idea that we represented, as a group, one entity of learning and counseling. In other words, whatever one of us learned at our internships, we all would learn. Whatever each of us would experience and go through (good, bad and in between), we would share as a group the emotions and lessons of the situation. He inspired us all to really be present and in the moment with each other and to respect all our individual perceptions. I carry this with me always.

"My case group was amazing. Everyone would share, learn, cry, embrace and support each other unconditionally and without hesitation.

"Antioch is the ideal way to study advanced levels of psychology! Students push each other to learn and with groups being such a large part of the class process, everyone gets acquainted, thus building a great support system."

When Yeoman recommends Antioch to prospective students, he lets them know not only of positive experiences but also of the very few difficult experiences he had that needed attention.

"Sharing a difficult experience that ended with a positive resolution, I believe can often say more about the soul of a school than just all roses and great times, don't you?

"When I recommend Antioch, I recommend the entire experience of being a student, a teacher, a group member, a support member, an activist, an advocate and a counselor beyond the hours of classes," he says.

He suggests prospective students ask questions, too.

"Make sure you understand what degree you want and who will be your clients. Get involved in the community, volunteer in agencies that you may want to work in. It is the best way to know if you would like that type of job," Yeoman says.

He describes how Antioch has helped him in his career beyond a master's degree.

"Antioch's focus on group work, and the wonderful variety of courses has provided me with an extremely well rounded knowledge of the psychological universe. When students are faced with a combination of knowledge, application and debate, it provides these new counselors and teachers with a great confidence to apply this knowledge and succeed in any employment challenge.

"Antioch also helped me to excel in the creation of a personal theory of psychology that helps project my strengths and healing capacity, not merely reflecting others' techniques but creating my own process, expanding ideas and defining my own methods to help my clients succeed," he says.

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