Recreation Therapy

What is Recreation Therapy?	Related Career Titles
Related Major Skills	Job & Internship Search Links
Career Planning Links	Professional Association Links
Miscellaneous Resources	UNCW Recreation Therapy
UNCW Dept of Health & Applied Human Sciences

What is Recreation Therapy?

Recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, is a systematic process that utilizes recreation and other activity-based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to psychological and physical health, recovery and well-being.

Further, "Recreational Therapy" means a treatment service designed to restore, remediate and rehabilitate a person's level of functioning and independence in life activities, to promote health and wellness as well as reduce or eliminate the activity limitations and restrictions to participation in life situations caused by an illness or disabling condition.

What is the relationship between recreational therapy and therapeutic recreation?

Therapeutic Recreation is the field
Recreational Therapy is the practice
Recreational Therapists are the practitioners
The CTRS (Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist) is the qualified provider

What do Recreational Therapists do?

A recreational therapist utilizes a wide range of activity and community based interventions and techniques to improve the physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and leisure needs of their clients. Recreational therapists assist clients to develop skills, knowledge, and behaviors for daily living and community involvement. The therapist works with the client and their family to incorporate specific interests and community resources into therapy to achieve optimal outcomes that transfer to their real life situation.

UNCW now has an admission process to the Recreation Therapy major.

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Related Career Titles

(Some positions listed below require advanced education. Recreation Therapy is a good bachelor's degree for students wishing to attend graduate school in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech pathology, or child life.)

Recreational Therapist	Director of Therapies
Senior Citizen Programmer	Clinical Specialist
Activity Professional/Director	Youth Camp Recreation Therapist
Community Rec Programmer	Recreation Program Asst
Program Specialist	Rehabilitation Counselor
Healthcare Consultant
Employment settings for the therapeutic recreation specialist:
Hospitals	Rehabilitation Centers
Outpatient Centers	Home Healthcare
Retirement Communities	Veterans Administration Hospitals
Specialty Schools (blind, deaf, etc)	Healthcare Organizations
Nursing homes	Correctional Facilities
Psychiatric facilities	Senior Centers
Adult Day Care	Universities/Colleges
Assisted Living	Self-employed

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Related Major Skills

People oriented	Excellent communication skills
Motor skills	Physical coordination
Patience	Perseverance
Persuasiveness	Motivational skills
Ability to design & implement rehabilitative programs	Leadership
Creativity	Ability to plan recreational activities