Joanne T. Nigito-Raftas, MS, LPC
 1754 W. Broad Street       Bethlehem, PA  18018

Child's Play is the way!

Licensed Professional Counselor
          Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor
                      National Certified Counselor
              Parenting Counselor & Educator

  
610-814-6263 office     
JTNigitoRaftas@aol.com

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"Build it and they will come." quote from "A Field of Dreams"

  Joanne's Interactive Play Therapy Room
and 
                                  Sand Therapy Room
                                       

  
   
              1754 West Broad Street, Bethlehem, PA


                                      (photo taken by Natalie Nigito)
Parents, your child is the most precious thing in your life.  When problems come into their lives you want to bring them to a place they can feel comfortable to work through these problems.

  You have come to the right place!

I have created my Play Therapy room to be that child-friendly and comfortable place.  Many different play items are available to your child to explore and invent while they create a relationship with me and learn to work through their problems.  


                                                                                  
Children quickly learn that they can use their imaginations and play freely in the environment within my Play Therapy room.  Fantasy scenarios can be played out many different ways using any of the play items all around the room.



Sometimes children just enjoy making their own creations with the various art materials available to them in my Play Therapy room.




 
Photo above is of my Sand Tray Therapy room.  Clients of all ages can use the sand and miniatures to express their internal world.  Sand Tray Therapy is a "hands-on," expressive psychotherapeutic approach that helps the client translate their personal experience into a concrete, three-dimensional form.  



In the presence of a Play Therapist that creates "a free and protected space," a client create
s in a tray of sand, a world picture (or scene) that may include water, and  their selection of items from many different catagories of miniature figurines (ex. sandtray scene made by Joanne in above photo). Without having to depend on words, clients symbolically express (through the use of these sandtray miniatures) thoughts, feelings and memories in a tangible, vivid, and highly personalized way. 
 

Children can also create a make-believe story to go along with their created sand world scene to deepen the experience and impact this therapy can have on their internal world. This sand tray therapy can help a client integrate and process their experiences and overcome their struggles to adapt to the world.


 
  

Children love playing in the sand and therefore Sand Tray therapy work comes naturally to them.  Therapeutic work occurs effortlessly for the client with the assistance of the Play Therapist.  Call and ask me more about Sand Tray therapy! 610-814-6263 or write to me at  JTNigitoRaftas@aol.com

More information on Sandplay can be found at www.sandplay.org
Sandplay can also be used to help adults to achieve self-actualization. Dr. Martin Kalff wrote, "Sandplay creates a bridge between the conscious and the unconscious. During the sandplay process, the conscious mind relaxes its control, allowing penetration to the unconscious material lying beneath to surface.  Both Sandplay and Zen emphasize that realization cannot be found in outer authorities, such as teachers and writings, but ultimately only within oneself."
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