How May Recreational Therapy (RT) Help You?

What is Recreational Therapy Healthcare?

Answer: 
​Recreational therapists, or therapeutic recreation specialists, use creative healing methods to help people with illnesses or disabilities become active again. They use arts and crafts, animals, sports, games, dance and movement, drama, music, and community outings to help patients maintain or improve their physical or mental health." 
- Mayo Clinic, College of Medicine and Science

What Does a Recreational Therapist  Do?

Answer:

View Educational Video Sponsored by the United States Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration:
Recreation Therapists construct appropriate and evidence-based recreation therapy interventions for treating patients with complex medical or mental health issues such as Polytrauma, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); Spinal Cord Injury (SCI); Substance Use Disorder/ Addictions; Serious Mental Illness (SMI); and Hospice/Palliative Care"​ 
​- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
  • ADHD
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Development Delays
  • Hearing Impairment
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Hearing impairment
  • Vision impairment ​​
  • Dementia (Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease Dementia)
  •  Abdominal Pain
  • ​Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - "Functional restoration [...] "[R]ecreational therapy effectively combats kinesiophobia and promotes increased movement."
  • Cancer Rehabilitation - "The optimal cancer rehabilitation team includes physiatry, nursing, physical and occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, recreational therapy, nutritionists, social workers, psychologists, orthotists, and prosthetists, among others. "
  • Non-Pharmacological Treatment of Headaches
"Recreation therapists, also referred to as therapeutic recreation specialists, provide treatment services and recreation activities for individuals with disabilities. Using a variety of techniques, including arts and crafts, animals, sports, games, dance and movement, drama, music and community outings, therapists improve and maintain the physical, mental and emotional well-being of their clients. Recreation therapists can also help individuals reduce depression, stress and anxiety, build confidence, and socialize effectively so that they can enjoy greater independence. In addition, therapists help people with disabilities integrate into the community by teaching them how to use community resources and participate in recreational activities." - Autism Speaks

  • Workplace Wellness Health Initiatives & Therapies 
  • Ergonomic Evaluations
  • ​Weight Health Optimization (Maintenance, Loss or Gain)
  • Active Seniors  
  • Community Integration
  • Nature Enrichment