We’re often called “the play” or “the fun” people, and while providing clients with opportunities for play and fun are important aspects of our work, there is so much more to recreation therapy.

What is recreation therapy?

Recreation therapists provide a person-centered approach that promotes inclusion and diversity in all environments. Often people take recreation for granted and don’t reflect how their leisure time would change if they could no longer function at their current level.

What would your leisure time look like if you experienced a decrease in functioning due to a brain injury, loss of limb, mental health diagnosis (such as depression or schizophrenia) or stroke?  What would happen if you could no longer use your body in the same way? Or if you no longer had the to drive to get out of your house?

Practitioners who provide recreation therapy services help clients to attain a greater quality of life through utilization of their personal strengths, skill development and increased access to resources. Helping clients to identify and overcome personal barriers to recreation are important aspects of supporting individuals in attaining greater independence.

Therapeutic recreation practitioners within VCH consist of recreation therapists, recreation therapy assistants, recreation programmers and activity workers. Within VCH we work with diverse populations such as people living with mental illness, children and youth, geriatrics, addictions, physical rehabilitation and eating disorders. We work in various settings including hospitals, residential care, community based, outpatient facilities, adult day programs, addictions, and rehabilitation centers.

What makes recreation therapy unique?

Recreation therapy is unique from other disciplines because we use various practice models. We take a holistic approach to health and wellness and work closely with clients to develop and work towards achieving timely attainable goals. We focus on the social, emotional, physical, cognitive and spiritual domains of the individual. We strongly believe that everyone has a right to recreation and leisure and the opportunity for growth and development. Please join us throughout the month of February to celebrate the importance of improving quality of life, health and well-being through leisure and recreation pursuits.