Unapologetically Herself: Karina Sorensen

Karina Sorensen, Class of 2014, Oakville, CT

What are you up to? I am currently in my second year of school working towards my Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling at Albertus Magnus in New Haven (I LOVE this program) while working part-time at Images Studio in Watertown (and I LOVE this work family). I'm still involved with my own art on the side, including being hired to draw portraits (both humans and animals!). I also just had my artwork displayed at Hawk Ridge Winery for the month of October as their featured artist of the month! All of my work is at www.karinasorensen.com and on my Facebook page @artsmudges.

How'd you get here? I started out at Naugatuck Valley Community College, which I wasn't sure about at first, but I saved a TON of money and it gave me more time to figure out what I wanted to do. After I got my Associates Degree, I went to Western Connecticut State University to get my Bachelors in Art with a minor in Psychology.

During high school, Mrs. Ciampi had suggested art therapy to me. But at the time, I wanted to do something else and I kinda forgot about it. When my undergraduate career was coming to an end and I had to decide what was next, art therapy came back to my mind. I've loved art since day one and I've always been fascinated with psychology since I took AP Psych with O'C, and I know I'm on this planet to help others. So...it's really a perfect fit.

What are your goals? My goal right now is to finish this program, get my Masters, and begin my career! I really can't wait for my future as an art therapist. I'm not yet sure what that will look like, but I know I'm excited. I still have another 2 years in the program and I don't start internship until next year - but once I do, I hope to have a better idea of which population(s) I want to work with most. Art therapy is truly a remarkable profession - helping people work through their deepest traumas via creative expression is unlike anything else and I cannot wait to continue experiencing and learning everything it has to offer.

I also hope to further my art commissions. I've illustrated portraits, designed tattoos, created gifts, you name it...I absolutely love creating, and I love being able to create something special for someone! (Contact Karina here if you are interested in a commission)

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Be unapologetically confident, loud, and yourself. It is a waste to care about what others think and to not spend every second you can being yourself.

Success, One Step At A Time: Allison Tortorici

Allison Tortorici , 2009, Waterbury, CT

What are you up to? I am currently working part time at Marshalls in Watertown and attending Post University’s online program. I am finishing my bachelor’s in Psychology after I was forced to drop put of UConn in 2011. I live with my boyfriend and my cat in a condo that we rent. I lead an average life that doesn’t sound like anything exciting, but I’ve come to appreciate stability and the simplicities of life.

How'd you get here? When I graduated from Watertown High in 2009, I chose the traditional path of going to college. I had always been a smart person and school came very easy to me. I was always told “You are so smart, you can do whatever you want!” I had always had a passion for helping those struggling with mental illness. For me, psychology was the only option for my future career. Unfortunately, in 2010, I began experiencing symptoms of Schizophrenia. In the matter of a week my whole world came crashing down. I was hospitalized and completely lost touch with reality. It was the scariest experience of my life and I completely lost my confidence. Once I regained control of my mind, depression set in. My intelligence and drive didn’t matter, I felt I was failing at life. I had to drop out of school and temporarily leave my full time job. At one point, my illness became so unbearable that I entered a program where I resided for 7 months. There, I learned coping skills to manage my anxiety and symptoms which helped me greatly when reentering the world. I also met the love of my life in the program and we have been together for 5 years now. My story is not of a glamorous career or a super successful job. For me, my success is measured in how far I have come mentally. Being able to manage a daily living was something I thought I’d never accomplish, but here I am, managing a part time job, my home, and school.

What are your goals? My goal for the future are to, in a small way, break down the stigma surrounding mental illness. Schizophrenia can happen to anyone, and symptoms go unnoticed until young adult years (how convenient, right?). Right now I am focusing on getting my bachelor’s degree so I can work with others suffering from mental illness. When it comes to the brain, so much is unknown, and inability to control your brain is the most terrifying phenomenon. I hope that I can help just one person, in any way, that is dealing with a family member with mental illness, or struggling with mental illness themselves. I believe our purpose in life is to help one another, and those suffering from a disease that they can’t control need an enormous amount of help. Eventually, I’d like to become an APRN and own my own practice, but for now I am taking one small step at a time.

What has been your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge in life has been accepting my illness for what it is, and moving forward. I spent so much time comparing myself to former alumni I had grown up with but our lives weren’t comparable. Social media can cause a lot of doubt because we are constantly only posting the good in our lives. I finally am able to accept where I am in life, and appreciate how far I’ve come. I am thankful for my illness because it caused me to refocus my life and regain my passion for psychology. It is a beautiful thing to appreciate the chaos that has shaped you.

What has been your happiest moment? My happiest moment was moving into our condo with my boyfriend. It sounds corny but when we met we were at the lowest points in our lives. Creating a stable and happy home for us has been the best part of my life thus far.

Advice for WHS Students: My advice for WHS students would be to not give up when your life doesn’t go as planned. I thought my life would be simple! Go to college, graduate, get a job, etc. We can’t plan for what life has in store for us so just go with it! It may not be what you wanted or how you planned for things to go, but it is your life. It is your story. Own it and learn from every curveball life throws at you.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Don’t stress about everything! Everything works out the way it is supposed to. Let go and have faith.

Determined and Filled with Coffee: Olivia Grella

Olivia Grella, Class of 2013, Willimantic, CT

What are you up to? I'm in my senior year at Eastern Connecticut State University. I study psychology and have done a lot of research in the areas of eating disorders, body perceptions, cultural standards, and exercise behaviors. Other than that, I run cross country and track. I also work in the Advising Center where I help freshmen and sophomores with any school counseling problems or concerns.

How'd you get here?  A lot of coffee to carry me through long nights of sitting behind a computer running statistics. My roommates would rotate who would come to the lab and bring me the next cup. To be completely honest, I never thought I would become so invested in the research aspect of psychology.

When I first started psych I was completely set on becoming a high school guidance counselor and didn't want to spend time in any other area. But after I took a class where I conducted my own research on physique anxiety and exercise behaviors, I realized I wanted to keep doing more. I became close with some of my professors and started helping them with their own projects. I also became a TA for research classes and started helping other students with their research projects. With the guidance of one of my professors, I did an independent study where I looked at cultural standards, body perception, and eating disorder rates. It wasn't until I built these connections with my professors that I went back to my original research and starting doing more with it. This past December, I was given the honor to present this research at Eastern’s Psychological Science Conference. I’m in the process of finding new conferences, possibly ones outside of Connecticut, to present at. 

What are your goals?  I really want to go to graduate school and become a licensed clinical psychologist. I submitted applications to master’s programs in the area of clinical mental health counseling for the time being. Once this degree is completed, I plan to move onto a PhD program in clinical psychology and meet those licensure requirements. I plan on continuing to research and to start focusing more on eating disorders. I really want to use my degree to do something that will make another person's life better. This is where I feel the most passionate. My dream is to become an Eating Disorder Specialist and work on developing new prevention programs. Even though I "narrowed" it down to a concentration, I could still go in so many different directions. That's the great thing about psychology: even if I don't get there right away, the thought of working on a college campus as a clinical mental health counselor or working at an outpatient center with a mixture of patients would make me just as happy because I would still be helping other people improve their mental health.

Advice for WHS Students? Don't pick a path just because it's comfortable. For me, I wanted to be a guidance counselor because it was the only aspect of psychology that I really knew. I was comfortable knowing that the job was actually out there and it was attainable. I'm so happy though that I experienced different parts of psychology and found the research aspect to it as well as the clinical/counseling side. So I really encourage you to explore new things. I know it sounds cliche, but you only know what you've experienced and it's hard to make a life decision if all you know is what's happening around you. If you have an interest in a field, explore every part of it because you never know what you may discover. Also, I highly encourage getting to know your professors, especially if, you have any plans of going to graduate school. They really want to help you succeed and if you build relationships with them early on then you're going to be the one they remember for awesome opportunities. Overall, if there is something you are passionate about, pursue it. Don't let being afraid hold you back. More importantly, don't let others make the decision for you. Your dream may sound crazy now, but with lots of hard work and dedication, you'll be amazed at how much easier and attainable it seems to be.

What are the ingredients for a perfect day? Going for a long run in the morning and coming back to coffee and a good book!

Life Icons

Have you noticed the life icons that go with each story? We're excited how incredibly diverse and interesting they are. It's going to be awesome to watch the collection grow. 

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Roots Matter: Meghan Fogarty

Meghan Fogarty, Class of 2009, Watertown, CT

What are you up to? I'm currently working at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield as an Escalations Specialist in Customer Service. I love my job because I love helping people. Currently, I assist on-shore and off-shore vendor representatives. I teach them how to work their calls and correctly assist members with daily inquiries. This job is not something I would have ever been able to predict would fall onto my lap, but I'm so glad it has. Anthem has become a second home for me, I love the people I work with and enjoy getting to help people!

How'd you get here? I got here because I networked. I graduated from Iona College in 2013 with a degree in psychology. I was working at a family daycare (which I loved... really) but it kind-of ran it's course. Once college loans started coming in I knew I had to move onto bigger and better opportunities. It's so easy to stay in a job that's comfortable, but it's important to push yourself and continue to do so in any career path you choose. I asked around for any kind of job openings that family and friends might be able to refer me to. My uncle told me Anthem was hiring and, to be honest, at first I turned my nose up at him. A customer service job didn't seem like a job that I ever wanted to partake in. I'm so glad I did because, as I've found out, Anthem is a company of ladders to not only higher positions but to many versatile careers. It's dedication that will move me up in the company and I can't wait to see what's in store for me.

What are your goals? My ultimate goal, career-wise, is to become a Provider Contractor Specialist. I want to make connections and draw up contracts with providers and hospitals who choose Anthem. Moving from the bottom of the company to the top tier is something that can be obtained with the knowledge of every moving part in Anthem. I have worked in the Customer Service department for two years and now I am currently interviewing for an open position within Anthem, which will only get me closer to that goal. 

*Update: I got the job! :)

Advice for WHS Students? My biggest piece of advice: Never turn away from your true friends. Life after college can bring you right back home or far away from home. Either direction, always keep your true friends from high school - no matter where you or they go. I'm living in Watertown, working in Wallingford, and I still have a close-knit group of friends and family who have known me from the beginning. It's biggest sigh of relief at the end of the day, knowing they are there for me. To have people around you that are routing for you to succeed, and have never stopped, is empowering. We all need a community. So keep your friends from high school close; that is the best piece of advice I can give. I can't thank them enough for getting me where I am today, for making me who I am today.

How hungry are you right now? About to have a yogurt and a banana!