Recreational 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.
Recreational Therapy
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Services that are provided by a licensed and certified Recreational Therapist
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Assessment of recreation and leisure functioning to determine the current functional strengths and needs of students in the educational environment.
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Leisure Education provides students with recreational and educational instruction to promote positive attitudes toward leisure, recognition of the benefits of recreation involvement, and the development of skills necessary for recreation participation.
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Therapeutic interventions utilizing recreational activities to restore, remediate, and rehabilitate functional abilities and independence in life activities.
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Services that facilitate the full participation of children and youth with disabilities, in school and community programs
Recreational Therapist
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Have the ability to teach and develop skills through the APIED (Assessment, Planning, Implementing Interventions, Evaluating treatment, and Documentation) process.
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Have the ability to assist the student to master and generalize skills to a wider school and community setting through recreation participation.
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Have expertise in leisure, recreation, inclusion, and goal-orientated activities.
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Have specialized training in recreation, leisure, and other activity-based interventions as a treatment modality.
Areas of Specialization
Your Recreational Therapist is trained in many areas including:
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Coping Strategies |
Psychology |
Theories and Practices of Recreation as Treatment |
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Group Dynamics |
Physical Disabilities |
Human Growth and Development |
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Inclusion |
Adapted Environment |
Social Interactions Strategies |
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Leisure Education |
Trauma-Informed Care |
Other areas |
Who We Serve
Many students with disabilities struggle to receive the necessary services to successfully perform in the educational environment. Recreational Therapy services can help close the gap and ensure the education and life success of your student.
| Focus Areas | ||
|---|---|---|
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Autism Spectrum Disorder |
Speech or Language Impairment |
Specific Learning Disability |
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Developmental Delay |
Traumatic Brain Injury |
Other Health Impairment |
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Orthopedic Impairment |
Visual Impairment |
Multiple Disabilities |
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Deaf & Blindness Disability |
Emotional Disturbance |
Intellectual Disabilities |
Transition Planning
One area that your child may benefit from Recreational Therapy services is in transition planning. Many students start to seek independence at this age but have difficulty doing so in a responsible and well-informed manner. Many students and their parents start planning for life after graduation. Recreational Therapist can assist in many areas associated with a transition or with developing a transition plan including:
Recreational Therapist can address a transition plan including:
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Vocational Skills |
Goal Development |
Self-Advocacy Skills |
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Independent Living Skills |
Interpersonal Relationships |
Connection to Community |
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Inclusion |
Adult Services |
Continued Education |
Examples of how we help your students
| Focus Areas | Sample Interventions: |
|---|---|
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Independent Living |
Community integration sessions focused on goal-oriented tasks example: grocery shopping & transportation |
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Connection to Community |
Sessions focused on identifying interests in the community. example: transportation, groups with similar interests, maintaining involvement. |
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Interpersonal Relationships |
Group-oriented sessions with a focus on social skills building as well as communication and understanding group dynamics. |
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Inclusion |
Community integration |
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Vocational Skills |
Sessions focused on the ability to follow multi-step instructions, problem-solving, communication skills, etc. |
To Acquire Recreational Therapy Services
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Request a Recreational Therapy assessment for your child through your school system.
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To get in contact with a recreational therapist near you please contact the Oklahoma Recreational Therapy Association at orta-okstate@gmail.com
Helpful Links
