Tom Ritter has 19 Years’ experience in the field of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment. Tom has worked as a Co-occurring disorders counselor in Out Patient services, Long-term Residential Therapeutic Community programs,  short-term Inpatient Medically monitored detox and substance abuse treatment program and as a Program Manager in Outpatient programs and the Director of Clinical Support Staff & Veteran Services.

Prior to the start of his second career in Counseling Tom was a police officer for 20 years serving a variety of positions from Patrol Officer, Criminal Investigator, Intelligence & Vice Division, Platoon Sergeant for the Patrol Division, and as a Detective Sergeant in the Investigations Division. Tom’s assignments included working on Task Forces with the DEA, FBI, and U.S. Secret Service Dignitary Protective Detail. He was one of the Departments Hostage & Crisis Negotiators which is where he found his passion for counseling. He sustained 16 injuries on the job, had one line of duty shooting, and received 28 Departmental Commendations and awards. Tom also worked on a part-time basis for 11 years during his police stint as a Deputy Coroner/ Medico-legal Death Investigator. Tom was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and served in the U. S. Army as a Sergeant with the Military Police and the Army Corrections Facility. 

Tom received his Associates in Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Lehigh Carbon Community College, a Bachelors of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from De Sales University, a Masters of Arts in Human Relations from Liberty University and his Ph.D. from Capella University in Human Services, and holds a graduate certification in Addictions Counseling. Tom is a PA. State & Internationally Certified Drug & Alcohol Counselor. Tom has taught courses on Addictions 101, Clinical Supervision, and Critical Incidents / Psychological First Aid Response for various Training Institutes and conferences. He is a member of  the Eastern PA. EMS CISM Team and a Stress Management provider with the City of Bethlehem’s Health Bureau Medical Reserve Corps and has had several deployments for disasters and crisis situations.