Eleanor Hagert is a licensed and board-certified art therapist and credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Master Counselor with 15 years of experience in the mental health and substance use field. She holds a Master’s in Art Therapy from New York University and brings a unique blend of creativity and clinical insight to her role as Clinical Supervisor at New Directions.
Eleanor began her career facilitating art therapy and CBT-based groups with incarcerated individuals at Rikers Island. That early experience sparked a lasting passion for supporting court-involved individuals and their families, a focus that continues to inform her work today.
At New Directions, Eleanor supervises both art therapists and substance use counselors, helping them deepen their work with clients and develop as confident, compassionate clinicians. What she values most in her role is witnessing the progress supervisees foster, seeing clients grow through their goals and reconnect with themselves in recovery.
Her supervision style integrates creativity with strong clinical foundations, supporting both emotional healing and professional development. Eleanor is especially inspired by the transformations that occur in recovery and the way art can help people build confidence, self-understanding, and a renewed sense of identity.
Outside of her work, Eleanor is a visual artist with a focus on painting and drawing, an extension of the same expressive tools she brings into the therapy space.