Madison Cilano

Reconnecting Through Creativity, Community, and Healing: Madison Cilano's Journey in Arts Education

Student Spotlight: Madison Cilano

For Madison ("Maddie") Cilano, healing is not a one-size-fits-all process. As a counselor working with individuals navigating trauma, she has seen firsthand that meaningful healing often requires multiple pathways to self-expression, connection, and growth.

Today, through the Online Master of Arts in Education program at Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D), Maddie is expanding her approach to mental health care by exploring how expressive arts, creative inquiry, and interdisciplinary learning can foster healing beyond traditional talk therapy.

"Creative expression allows individuals to engage with their experiences in ways that feel more personal, embodied, and self-directed," Maddie explains. "Especially when emotions or experiences are difficult to fully express through words alone."

Discovering the Power of Expressive Arts Education

Maddie's path to arts-based learning and expressive arts practice unfolded unexpectedly, but naturally.

While completing her graduate counseling degree, she worked as a graduate assistant for an art therapist who encouraged her to explore creative expression as part of her own personal and professional development.

"She taught me how to stretch a canvas for the first time," Maddie recalls. "She encouraged me to express what I was feeling through art."

As her counseling practice evolved, Maddie became increasingly interested in integrating creative, body-centered, and trauma-informed approaches into her work.

"When you have relational attachment trauma, it can be difficult to trust someone," she says. "Building trust and allowing people to have autonomy over their experience is incredibly valuable."

As she researched expressive arts programs and graduate education opportunities, she discovered MECA&D's online master's program.

"The certificate was part of the larger degree program," she says. "And the master's program actually aligned even more closely with what I wanted to accomplish."

Applying Arts Education to Real-World Impact

One of the most valuable aspects of the online Master of Arts in Education program has been the immediate relevance of the coursework to Maddie's professional goals.

"It was almost eerie how aligned the coursework was with what I was already doing in real life," she says.

In addition to her counseling work, Maddie is developing a nonprofit organization focused on expanding access to trauma-informed and holistic mental health services in rural Midcoast Maine. Courses in financial management, grant writing, leadership, and creative inquiry directly supported the nonprofit's development.

"I was completing class assignments while creating budgets for my nonprofit," she explains. "It felt like I asked for support, and I found it through this program."

The experience reinforced the value of an education that bridges theory and practice, allowing students to immediately apply new knowledge to meaningful professional initiatives.

Building Community-Centered Healing Through Creativity

Maddie's long-term vision extends beyond traditional individual counseling.

She hopes to create a community-centered healing space that combines expressive arts, integrative wellness practices, group programming, and accessible mental health services for rural communities.

"I want to incorporate community-based art programs, healing arts modalities, and group therapy experiences," she says.

Her vision includes partnerships with local farms, opportunities for gardening and movement-based practices, and creative arts experiences that help individuals reconnect with themselves and others.

"It doesn't make sense that one treatment modality would work for everyone," Maddie explains.

For her, healing is both personal and collective.

"When you're coming together in community and being intentional about what you want that community to feel like, you're witnessing others in their experiences while learning about yourself."

The Benefits of an Online Graduate Program

As a mother, counselor, nonprofit founder, and graduate student, flexibility was essential when choosing a master's degree program.

The online format at MECA&D provided the balance she needed while creating space for deeper learning and reflection.

"I was able to move through the coursework and really digest the information at my own pace," she says. "That allowed me to think more deeply about the prompts and engage more intentionally."

The online learning environment also helped her build meaningful professional relationships.

"I've actually made more connections through the online format," she says. "Even though I'm not in Portland, I now have connections there with people who are passionate about the same work."

Personal Transformation Through Creative Practice

As Maddie continues her studies, she reflects on how the program has influenced not only her professional growth but also her personal development.

"I wish I could fully explain the transformation I've experienced from the beginning of this journey until now," she says.

Through meditation, creative exploration, reflective practice, and arts-based learning, she has discovered the importance of slowing down and reconnecting with herself.

"When you're able to slow down and be intentional through art, you're actually able to connect with yourself."

That insight continues to guide the future she is building—one rooted in creativity, healing, accessibility, and community connection.

And it is a future she hopes others will experience as well.

"I want that so badly for everybody else."