As a retired art psychotherapist, I use my finely-tuned empathy to identify people’s pain points in everyday technological interactions, and then find compassionate, human focused solutions.
I aim to bring the qualities of growth and compassion to the teams and individuals I collaborate with across the design process. Flexibility allows new ideas to grow, and adapting to change with an eye toward solution is a personal strength. For individuals interacting with technology, I wish to provide useful, usable, and delighting experiences. My ultimate goal is to help essential technologies feel
as comfortable as home for everyone.
as comfortable as home for everyone.
My success as a therapist was fueled by a natural curiosity about what comes next and what could be better. As adjunct faculty at Drexel University I designed and led a course on Therapeutic Gaming, then published a book chapter regarding the use of gaming in art psychotherapy. As a researcher and designer, I continue to be motivated to stay on top of emerging technologies as well as improve existing ones.
Career Highlights
Drexel University (2020-2025), Adjunct Faculty
Spotlighted for designing and teaching Therapeutic Gaming course
Led experiential lessons in the VR lab
Supervised 10 graduate students culminating project research and implementation
Served on graduate thesis committee for design student’s AR project
Emerging Light Therapy (2020-2025), Business Owner/Psychotherapist
Designed and published all marketing materials
Maintained successful practice with 95% client retention
Identified client pain points through qualitative and quantitative evaluation, with regular reassessment
Designed and iterated therapy treatment plans
Tracked progress points and adjusted as needed
Other Highlights
Published book chapter: Marrero, Christina & Carlton, Natalie. (2026). The immersive worlds of therapeutic gaming and scanography for art therapy. 10.4324/9781032720166-15.
Taught Psychological Diversity & Developmental Psychology at University of the Arts (2020-2024)