James McDonald left school on his 15th birthday and spent most of his life working as a turner in engineering, a trade at which he served an apprenticeship. He was married at the age of 20, has 4 children and 9 grandchildren. James and his wife celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary during 2023. He completed his final job in engineering in November 2011 and worked with children ever since.
James worked mainly in Central Scotland apart from spending a year and a half in the Netherlands and a year in, the then, West Germany working at his trade. During the downturns in manufacturing James looked at redundancy as an opportunity to try other things.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s James returned to education having left school aged 15 in 1970 with no qualifications and gained a BSc degree in engineering, among other qualifications, at The Open University. However, after attaining these qualifications James turned down the opportunity to study towards a post graduate teaching qualification and returned to his trade which was by then providing big opportunities to skilled men offering high wages.
After yet another downturn in manufacturing followed by redundancy James began studying counselling and psychology with The Open University and volunteered as a Listener with The Samaritans who provide a free service to those who are experiencing emotional difficulties. James then went on to study counselling full-time at Edinburgh College where he attained HNC in the subject. He followed this up by working as a volunteer counsellor with The Place2Be, an organisation that offers counselling to children within schools. After 80 hours ongoing training and 60 one-to-one clinical hours James decided that he wanted to continue working with children.
James spent several years working in children’s residential care followed by helping teenagers in throughcare and aftercare. James’s final job was as a part-time support worker with young carers in and around Edinburgh. He retired in December 2020, three months before his official retirement date in March 2021.
James took ill in 2015 and was treated for lung cancer which, inexplicably to the medical team looking after him, disappeared. A few years later James suffered a heart attack, pneumonia and septicaemia all at the same time. These events brought about massive changes in his life, a life which at that point had already begun to alter due to him rediscovering his gifts of sixth sense during his forties.
As mentioned above, James rediscovered his gifts of psychic mediumship, which he explains in his book. James also volunteered his services as a counsellor/listener to those who may be experiencing emotional difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes in the power of positive thought and encourages others to do the same at any opportunity. His beliefs include that what we think about comes back to us and that karma, or the law of attraction, are not punishments as some would have us believe, but simply learning processes.
He currently lives quietly with his wife in Edinburgh, Scotland. James’s memoir, “What’s The Worst That Can Happen?” was published on 6th January 2023 and is widely available.
His hobbies include walking and modern languages along with a passion for modern German history. As a lover of the beautiful game he is a season ticket holder for his favourite football team as well as the Scottish international side.
James worked mainly in Central Scotland apart from spending a year and a half in the Netherlands and a year in, the then, West Germany working at his trade. During the downturns in manufacturing James looked at redundancy as an opportunity to try other things.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s James returned to education having left school aged 15 in 1970 with no qualifications and gained a BSc degree in engineering, among other qualifications, at The Open University. However, after attaining these qualifications James turned down the opportunity to study towards a post graduate teaching qualification and returned to his trade which was by then providing big opportunities to skilled men offering high wages.
After yet another downturn in manufacturing followed by redundancy James began studying counselling and psychology with The Open University and volunteered as a Listener with The Samaritans who provide a free service to those who are experiencing emotional difficulties. James then went on to study counselling full-time at Edinburgh College where he attained HNC in the subject. He followed this up by working as a volunteer counsellor with The Place2Be, an organisation that offers counselling to children within schools. After 80 hours ongoing training and 60 one-to-one clinical hours James decided that he wanted to continue working with children.
James spent several years working in children’s residential care followed by helping teenagers in throughcare and aftercare. James’s final job was as a part-time support worker with young carers in and around Edinburgh. He retired in December 2020, three months before his official retirement date in March 2021.
James took ill in 2015 and was treated for lung cancer which, inexplicably to the medical team looking after him, disappeared. A few years later James suffered a heart attack, pneumonia and septicaemia all at the same time. These events brought about massive changes in his life, a life which at that point had already begun to alter due to him rediscovering his gifts of sixth sense during his forties.
As mentioned above, James rediscovered his gifts of psychic mediumship, which he explains in his book. James also volunteered his services as a counsellor/listener to those who may be experiencing emotional difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes in the power of positive thought and encourages others to do the same at any opportunity. His beliefs include that what we think about comes back to us and that karma, or the law of attraction, are not punishments as some would have us believe, but simply learning processes.
He currently lives quietly with his wife in Edinburgh, Scotland. James’s memoir, “What’s The Worst That Can Happen?” was published on 6th January 2023 and is widely available.
His hobbies include walking and modern languages along with a passion for modern German history. As a lover of the beautiful game he is a season ticket holder for his favourite football team as well as the Scottish international side.