Where feelings find a shape.
The Artful Life is a counseling center and art studio on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Since 2016 we have helped children, teens, and adults connect with themselves and each other through the creative process.
Our origin story
The Artful Life started in a cozy, creative office on Colonial Road, behind Salem Hospital off Jefferson Avenue. Today it is the largest expressive arts mental health group practice on the North Shore, with over 30 clinicians in a one-of-a-kind 7,700 square foot space next to Salem State University.
In 2023 we were honored as the SBA Best Women-Owned Small Business in Massachusetts.
Meet our founders
Natalie Blue, LMHC
Natalie has practiced on the North Shore for 18 years, specializing in expressive arts therapies, trauma-informed care, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems. Before co-founding The Artful Life in 2016, she worked across several North Shore community agencies and has taught as an adjunct professor at Endicott College. She was named a 2023 LEADS North Shore Fellow through Harvard Business School's fellowship program, and alongside Madelene, was recognized as an SBA Best Women-Owned Business of the Year.
Madelene Pario, LMHC, ATR-BC
A board-certified art therapist since 2017, Madelene brings 18 years of experience in mental health counseling and art therapy, with a particular focus on dissociative disorders, phobias, and PTSD. She previously taught and supervised in Lesley University's Expressive Arts Therapy graduate program, and is currently pursuing certification in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. Madelene holds a Master's in Art Therapy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Bachelor's in Studio Art from Brown University.
Our mission
We are passionate about using the creative process to build connections. We believe the power of art making allows people to feel more connected to themselves, to others, and to their community. Through expressive arts therapy, we help people create and imagine a more artful life.
What is expressive arts therapy?
Expressive arts therapy uses visual art, movement, drama, music, and writing to express and explore emotions and to support personal growth. You do not need to be an artist, and you do not need the right words to start. The art is a way in, not a test.
A little about us
Take a couple of minutes to hear directly from our team about what they do here and why they love it.
A whole-person approach
Client centered and collaborative
A personal plan for each person or family.
Trauma informed
We see the whole person through a developmental, environmental, and social lens.
Master's level clinicians
All of our clinicians are licensed in Massachusetts.
Who we serve
We welcome children, teens, and adults, ages 3 and up, and specialize in expressive arts therapy for every stage of life.
“Expressive art refers to using the emotional, intuitive aspects of ourselves to discover feelings and express them through visual art, movement, sound, writing, or drama.”