Nicole Raftis, B.Sc. O.T. Reg. (Ont.),  has been working with children and families since graduating from the Queen's University Occupational Therapy program in 1995.   Highlights of Nicole's O.T. career include working with children at Sunny Hill Health Center in Vancouver (Brain Injury Team, Autism Team & Substance Exposure Team), providing school care O.T. and private practice developmental services in the Ottawa area, and providing mental health services for children 6-18 years old at The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario for 3 years.   It was there that she developed her passion for supporting mental health and became committed to focusing much of her professional development on mental health courses, including tools for emotional regulation, anxiety, CBT, DBT, ACT, Suicide Awareness, and Trauma-Informed Care.  Nicole founded and directed the OT services for Pathways Ponies, an amazing outdoor equine-assisted therapy program through Pathways Therapy (Kitchener/Waterloo) from 2020-2026.   She currently offers private Occupational Therapy services from her home office and Insight Psychology Clinic in Guelph, Ontario while also providing school care and specialized programming for Pathways Therapy.

 Using a holistic approach to assessment and treatment, Nicole is experienced in addressing cognitive, emotional, and sensory-motor skill development.  Nicole has a particular interest in passing on practical information to parents/caregivers, teachers, and allied health professionals to increase the opportunities for children of all abilities to experience success in their daily lives.  Nicole is thrilled to be collaborating with Elizabeth Bell, another Registered Occupational Therapist in Guelph, to bring online resources to support a wide range of topics related to child development, through TREEO Occupational Therapy Tools (see link above).  Their Construction Crew Speeeed-O-Meter Curriculum is proving to be a very practical tool to help children and families develop language and tools to address sensory-motor, emotional, and cognitive regulation. 

Nicole has been dedicated to supporting Occupational Therapy students and mentoring new graduates, in hopes of sharing resources and strategies to support physical and emotional wellness in children.  She is an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) for the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University, and numerous students have contributed to evidence-based material for TREEO resources.

Creativity is a powerful learning tool, especially in childhood.  Using a variety of artistic mediums (ie. photography, needle felting, and glass art), Nicole has helped many clients strengthen social, cognitive, motor, and emotional skills to increase their ability to participate in meaningful activities at home and school.  All of Nicole's therapy sessions and workshops FOCUS on the POSITIVE abilities & potential that exist in every child while providing practical strategies for adults to support a child's development.