We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andrea Cabrera Jakucs a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Andrea, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
It was challenging and fun to establish my own practice. I did this while I was still working full-time in community mental health. I would see my private practice clients after work or during the weekends. I worked long hours but thankfully my husband supported me around the home doing the chores such as cooking and cleaning which helped a lot. It took a year or so to entirely leave my community mental health work but I’m so glad I did. I am happier and less stressed. I love having the freedom to do what I want to do and when.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Andrea Cabrera Jakucs, LCSW 97252 is a Filipino-American licensed clinical social worker who helps adults and organizations to be well and stay well. She received her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California and currently serves as co-host of Mag-Usap Mondays and co-chair of the Health & Human Services Committee of the Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown Coalition. Today she provides individual psychotherapy to adults in English/Tagalog, presents at conferences to discuss her work in the mental health field, conducts wellness workshops for organizations, and provides business consultations at Wellness with Andrea Jakucs & Associates located in Altadena, California. Her work has been featured in news outlets such as Fox 11 Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, Canada’s Omni News, and Balitang America. In her spare time, she enjoys biking along the beach, snowboarding, and watching musicals. For more information, you can go to her website at www.wellnesswithandreajakucs.com or follow her on Instagram at wellnesswithandreaj.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I was working in community mental health for a couple of years but then the pandemic hit and I had a coworker who was tough to work with so these two things made me make a pivot in my career. I decided to build my own private practice and it’s been the best decision ever. My work is less stressful and I love the freedom of having to decide which clients I can take on and projects to do. I’m also making more money than ever so yay! Entrepreneurship is the way to go.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
I’m curious about real estate now with all these real estate shows so I would probably do that but I do love what do currently. However, I may give real estate a shot maybe in 10 years.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithandreaj
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswithandreaj/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesswithandreaj
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreacabrera6/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wellnessandreaj
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithandreaj/featured