Celeste Sangiorgio
Assistant Research Professor, Behavioral Health
Celeste Sangiorgio
Assistant Research Professor, Behavioral Health
Bio
Dr. Celeste Sangiorgio is a licensed clinical psychologist and early clinical psychologist who specializes in how people learn, acquire, and use cognitive behavioral skills in digital environments, particularly in games. Dr. Sangiorgio is particularly interested in skills building associated with conflict, communication, relationships, and self-beliefs. Her work is split in several areas, including:
- Advocacy – examining and reporting on representation of mental health and related skills in existing digital media, including games; building out new opportunities to share and build work in digital media and mental healthcare.
- Research – creating, consulting, and testing digital media designed to teach people mental health skills, including digital therapeutics materials and skills teaching embedded in entertainment media (e.g., games, puzzles, pamphlets, interactive toolkits)
- Teaching – creating and teaching courses, seminars, and independent studies in forensic psychology, digital healthcare, and games
- Direct clinical care – providing direct psychological services to adults (e.g., individual psychotherapy, assessment, etc.)
Dr. Sangiorgio’s work includes the creation and evaluation of digital media, particularly related to use in psychotherapy and related to externalizing behaviors and mental health skills. She has developed treatment and assessment tools for emotional states in digital media, run a virtual clinic for adults experiencing homelessness, and has developed and tested over-the-counter narrative games (e.g., visual novels with puzzle mechanics) that teach cognitive behavioral skills. She has represented digital healthcare and games at multiple international and national conferences and in publications, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC), Penny Arcade Expos (PAX East, PAX West) and the Boston Globe.
In addition to her research work, Celeste has experience in psychotherapy practice, including crisis work and advocacy and various presenting needs across the lifespan (i.e., Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and other complex needs).
Degree & Education Information
- Ph.D., M.A., Clinical Psychology, St. John's University (2015-2021)
- Predoctoral Internship, Rochester Psychology Internship Consortium (2020-2021)
- B.A., Counseling Psychology | Religious Studies, CUNY Graduate Center, Hunter College
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist, New York State