Ashley Guerrera, Class of 2012, Watertown, CT

What are you up to? I’m currently a Milieu (Crisis) Therapist and Art Therapist at Newport Academy in Bethlehem, Connecticut. I work on the female campus. Newport is an impatient teen residential facilities in which we treat a variety of mental health issues, eating disorders, substance abuse, and trauma.

How'd you get here? Throughout my entire life, art has always been a passion of mine. In high school, I made sure to take all of the art classes Watertown High School provided, including AP Studio Art with Mrs. B. The goal was to build my college art portfolio for art school. After high school, I attended an art school in Portland, Maine, Maine College of Art. I was working on getting my BFA in ceramics. Soon after my freshman year in art school, I realized it wasn’t my purpose and that I wanted to do something more with my career, something that focused on utilizing art to help others. I immediately thought back to Miss. Uryse’s ceramic class; she showed a slide show to the class about art therapy. At that moment, I knew that was what I wanted to do moving forward.

Soon enough, I transferred back home to Connecticut and went to Albertus Magnus College in New Haven. I graduated with my BA in Studio Art and Art Therapy in 2016. During my undergraduate program, I interned at The Harold Leever Cancer Center for my art therapy practicum. I got accepted into the Masters of Art in Art Therapy and Counseling program (MAATC) at Albertus Magnus to get my double masters degree. This program was absolutely amazing ! The best 3 1/2 years I have ever had. I had the opportunity to intern at Oak Hill in West Hartford where I worked with children/teens with intellectual disabilities. Additionally had the opportunity to intern at Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center in Waterbury, Yale New Haven Children's Hospital in New Haven working on the Child Life Unit in the Arts for Healing Program, and a private practice in Bridgeport working with families, children/teens, and adults with a variety of mental health issues.

Right after graduate school, I applied to Newport Academy and was offered my current job as a therapist.

What are your goals? I currently have my associate license (LPCA) and am working to get my LPC and my art therapy license (ATR). My goal one day is to open my own holistic wellness center that provides a wide range of experiential therapies. I also want to get my reki and doula certifications.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? You will do some amazing things one day. Never doubt yourself and the power you have with your art. You will touch many.