Chief Mission Officer, The Artful Life Counseling Center and Studio LLC

Natalie Blue is the Co-Founder and Chief Mission Officer of The Artful Life Counseling Center and Studio located in Salem MA. The Artful Life is a unique group practice that provides an accessible, affordable, alternative to traditional mental health counseling through expressive arts therapies and other holistic interactive modalities. Natalie has practiced as a therapist on the North Shore for 18 years specializing in Expressive Arts Therapies, trauma-informed care, EMDR and Internal Family Systems. Prior to co-founding The Artful Life in 2016, Natalie worked in various North Shore community agencies such as The Northeast ARC, Family Continuity and Children’s Friend and Family Services.

Natalie has also been an adjunct professor in the Psychology Department at Endicott College and at Lesley University training the next generation of therapists. In addition to managing a small clinical caseload, Natalie oversees the ‘creative vision’ of The Artful Life by building brand awareness, developing partnerships for community programs, and strengthening referral networks for new clients. Natalie also helps develop in-house staff trainings, consultation programs, and supports staff through clinical supervision and building their caseloads. Natalie and her business partner, Madelene Pario, were awarded by the SBA, Best Women Owned Business of 2023 and were a 2018 finalist in the Salem State Enterprise Center Business Plan Competition. Natalie is a newly appointed member of the Board of Directors for the Salem Chamber of Commerce.

Natalie was selected to participate in the LEADS North Shore Fellows for 2023/24. LEADS is a 10-month Executive Fellowship program that is developed and delivered in partnership with Faculty/Staff from Harvard Business School. LEADS fellows are diverse, cross-sectional leaders, already working in positions of influence and committed to making positive change in the greater Lynn, Salem, Peabody and/or Beverly communities.

Natalie has a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and Expressive Arts Therapy from Lesley University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from Saint Peter’s University in NJ. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and is currently pursuing certification in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP).

Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, The Artful Life Counseling Center and Studio LLC

Madelene Pario is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at The Artful Life Counseling Center and Studio, located in Salem MA. In addition to managing a small clinical caseload, Madelene oversees the day-to-day functioning of The Artful Life including developing and tracking success metrics, supervising Client Accounts and Billing, maintaining workplace security and compliance and supporting staff through clinical supervision and meeting their benchmarks.

Madelene brings her clinical experience into developing and supporting best practices by Artful Life staff as they serve the community. She is an eclectic, person-centered therapist with 16 years of experience in the field of mental health counseling and art therapy, and has been a Board Certified Art Therapist since 2017. In addition to art therapy, Madelene is trained in EMDR, trauma-informed CBT, DBT and Internal Family

Systems approaches. Her expertise includes children, teens and adults, and she has particular interest and specialization in dissociative disorders, phobias and PTSD. She is currently working towards certification in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP).

Prior to co-founding The Artful Life in 2016, Madelene worked in private practice and community mental health in Salem. She also worked from 2017-2020 as an adjunct professor and clinical supervisor in the Lesley Expressive Arts Therapy graduate program before stepping away to focus on growing The Artful Life.

Madelene obtained her Master’s Degree in Art Therapy from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and her Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art from Brown University.