PhD Student
natalie.bellmanbrown@psych.ubc.ca
Background
Natalie is a PhD student in the UBC Clinical Psychology program, working under the supervision of Drs. Lori Brotto and Alan Kingstone. She completed her BA in Psychology at Queen’s University in 2017. Natalie’s MA thesis explored the cognitive mechanisms underlying sexual attraction and desire, with a specific focus on asexuality and Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder. She was also involved with IMMERSIVE, a study investigating women’s subjective sexual responses to virtual reality erotica, and she is currently evaluating virtual reality as a clinical tool for individuals with genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD) in her PhD. Overall, her research program aims to improve our understanding of sexual difficulties and develop evidence-based interventions for individuals with distressing sexual concerns.
Research Interests
Sexuality, pleasure, VR, genital pain
Publications
Brown, N.B., Peragine, D., Kingstone, A., Vanderlaan, D., & Brotto, L.A. (2021). Cognitive processing of sexual cues in asexual individuals and women with desire/arousal difficulties. PLOS ONE.
Brown, N.B., Zdaniuk, B., & Brotto, L.A. (2021). Predictors of vaginal penetration in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.
Milani, S., Jabs, F., Brown, N.B., Kingstone, A., & Brotto, L.A. (2021). Women’s user experience with virtual reality erotica: Exploring sexual presence, general presence, sexual arousal, and sexual desire. Archives of Sexual
Behavior.
Brotto, L.A., Jabs, F., Brown, N.B., Milani, S., & Zdaniuk, B. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 related stress on sexual desire and behavior in a Canadian sample. International Journal of Sexual Health.
Bradshaw, J., Brown, N.B., Kingstone, A., & Brotto, L.A. (2021). Asexuality vs. sexual interest/arousal disorder: Examining group differences in initial attention to sexual stimuli. PLOS ONE.