My Philosophy
Therapeutic Recreation professionals should be committed to providing a constructive and enjoyable experience for their clientele. The utilization of recreation and leisure plays a critical part in delivering quality service. As an individual who is working toward becoming a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), my own personal philosophy is to work to provide quality service, and to increase overall well being and happiness through the use of recreational therapy.
Therapeutic Recreation is a holistic process using recreation and leisure of all different kinds to bring about a positive change, either socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically, or spiritually, in an effort to maintain and improve overall quality of life. I will most likely care for clients who fall along a wide continuum of functionality and self-care abilities. In order to fully allow each client to receive the benefits of Therapeutic Recreation, the activities they participate in and the care they receive must be catered toward their individual wants and needs. As a therapeutic recreation specialist, I must be able to assume appropriate roles when working with each individual.
The Leisure Ability Model pictured above illustrates this continuum, and the roles the specialist will assume at each point along the continuum. They assume these roles based on the clients’ functionality and what will be most beneficial for their continued improvement.
For clients who have limited functionality, the specialist acts as a therapist and works to improve functional ability. For instance, if an individual needs help improving motor-coordination skills, they will participate in activities that involve full body movement, such as soccer, yoga, or line dancing in an effort to increase balance, strengthen muscles, etc. As the client improves and experiences an increase in their ability to participate, the role of the practitioner changes to that of a counselor.
As a counselor, the CTRS’s main responsibility is to educate the client on leisure and recreation. The specialist works to teach the client how to find and participate in recreation on their own. For example, if the client expresses an interest in outdoor activities, perhaps they will teach them how to fish. Touching the water, fish, and other things around them can be good sensory input. Fishing can also help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, while creating an outlet for the client to relax and recuperate. This activity continues to provide therapeutic benefits, but is also something the client can learn how to do and choose to participate in on their own. The counselor teaches clients to independently use recreation and leisure to increase their own well being.
For the client who attains an even higher functionality, the CTRS begins to act as a resource. They provide organized activities to entertain clientele and make their experience more enjoyable. One example of an activity that clients may enjoy is Bingo. When participating in this activity, the client is self-sufficient enough to participate without much help from the specialist. The specialist is still involved in carrying out the activity and are also available to give assistance at the client’s request.
The continuum in the Leisure Ability Model is designed to bring about continued growth and improvement. However, it is not uncommon for clients to regress occasionally. Regression can provide a good learning experience for the client. We obviously do not wish for our clients to revert in any way; but if they do, the experience will be used as a teaching opportunity. This learning experience can create a favorable environment for therapeutic recreation specialists to make a positive impact.
I believe it’s important to work to make the best of every situation and provide clientele with appropriate recreation and leisure regardless of circumstance or condition. As a future CTRS, I will work to utilize recreation and leisure to improve and enrich the lives of everyone I work with.
