Joanne T. Nigito-Raftas, MS, RPT-S, NCC, LPC 

(What are all those initials after Joanne's name?)

• Master's degree in Counseling Psychology with a Specialization in Child & Adolescent Therapies from Chestnut Hill College in Pennsylvania. 
• Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor with the Association for Play Therapy, Inc.
• National Certified Counselor with the National Board of Certified Counselors.
• Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania.

• I began my private practice in 1999, and have provided many children and their parents with solutions to their presenting problems. I purchased an office buidling in 2004 so that I could provide a home-like atmosphere to assist in creating a positive therapeutic environment for the maximum benefits to conduct Play Therapy. 
• I also have a full Sand Play Therapy room as part of my practice.
• My Play Therapy techniques include using art & crafts supplies, play house, kitchen center, dinosaurs, balloon balls, basketball, legos, musical instruments, games, books, fantasy play toys, puppets galore and more! 
• From 2003-2010 I had developed and taught a  Parenting Education Program for Project Child, and I am still currently a Parenting consultant for many local parents to help them sort out issues related to parenting techniques. 
• I have been a Parenting Education Specialist panel member since 2002 for The Family Project which is a collaboration between Allentown Morning Call Newspaper and Valley Youth House's Project Child, an organization for the Prevention of Child Abuse, that puts weekly parenting articles currently called "Help for Families" in the Morning Call Newspaper. (www.mcall.com archives)
  (Please contact me for further information about Parenting Classes or more information about the parenting articles in the Morning Call newspaper.) (JTNigito-Raftas@aol.com). 
• I am also available as a Guest speaker to your organization on children's therapies and parenting topics, please contact me for more information.
• I am a part-time professor at Chestnut Hill College Graduate Program teaching Advanced Play Therapy.
•  I  was a single parent for ten years and successfully raised three children to adulthood, and I am currently re-married and am proud step-parent to two more adult children and 4 grandsons with two more grandchildren on their way in 2012. I have been writing a book on "Parenting Children through a Separation and Divorce" and have been in collaboration with my daughter, Natalie Nigito a photographer, www.natalienigito.com , on a children's book about feelings. 
  

                                                            Mission Statement

                                It is my  mission to utilize my education and training, 
                                personal experiences, and creative resources to assist
                                children towards experiencing more fulfilling lives,to 
                                educate families in the development of skills that will 
                                provide a more safe and loving home environment, 
                                and to provide a therapeutic environment that is 
                                conducive to working towards integration of personal 
                                issues, achieving therapeutic goals, as well as guiding 
                                a person to recognize their full potential.
                                                                  Joanne T. Nigito-Raftas