Ashlee Guest

I have spent the last six years building a trusted reputation in my community for working one-on-one with individuals to help them understand and shatter self-limiting beliefs about body image through discussion and photography, which has been a very emotionally rewarding career.

American physicist Richard Feynman once said, "I was an ordinary person who studied hard; there's no miracle people - it just happens they got interested in this thing and they learned all this stuff, they're just people!"

The ongoing pandemic has paved society's way for self-reflection and personal growth, and over the last two years I have developed a new passion for mental health care. With the help of life-saving therapy, I was able to leave an emotionally abusive marriage, come out as non-binary, and have the courage to start life over virtually from scratch; I am a single mom attending school full time and working to teach my daughter (currently 3 years old) that even when the odds are stacked against us, we can do hard things!

I am passionate about my experience and hope to pass it forward, so I'm now attending school full-time to change not only my own life, but with the goal of making a positive impact on others' lives. There is a critical need for qualified and trauma-informed mental health care providers which is why I've decided I'm ready to take the next step in my education and career. Already equipped with an associate of science (cum laude) from Daytona Stage College, I recently completed Texas core requirements at Brazosport College with a 4.0 GPA two semesters in a row.

I am currently enrolled at University of Houston- Clear Lake, pursuing a bachelor's in Psychology with a minor in Behavioral Analysis and master's degree in Family Therapy to become a licensed therapist with a focus on body image (to squash societal beauty standards and belief systems) and LGBTQIA+ issues (I was recently accepted to volunteer for suicide prevention with The Trevor Project); I would also love to eventually incorporate my photography into this new line of study.

Scholarship opportunities will help me achieve these goals and pave a better life for myself, my daughter, and of course my future therapy clients; I am so grateful for your time and consideration!