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Recreational Therapist

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AVG. SALARY

$40,050

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EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

What They Do

Recreational Therapists Career Video

Insider Info

Recreational therapists use activities to treat or maintain a patient's physical, mental and emotional well-being. Those activities include sports, games, dance, drama, art, crafts and music, as well as field trips for sightseeing, ball games or picnics.

Therapists help individuals build confidence, socialize and reduce the effects of illness or disability.

"The types of activities we give people have to be personal; they have to be meaningful," says recreation therapist Sue Heideman. "What's leisure for you isn't necessarily leisure for me."

Many therapists, like Heideman, work in hospitals and rehabilitation centers designed for people with specific medical problems. They often work with physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers and physical and occupational therapists.

But recreation therapists also work in nursing homes, residential facilities and community recreation departments, where they use group leisure activities to improve general health. In these settings, they may be called activity directors or therapeutic recreation specialists.

Generally, recreational therapists assess patients based on information from medical records, medical staff, family and the patients themselves. They then develop and carry out therapeutic activity programs consistent with patient needs and interests.

"Sometimes it's trial and error," says Heideman. "You might be working with a great artist who had a stroke and can't use her right hand. Asking her to paint with her left hand could be very degrading."

Community-based therapists work in park and recreation departments, special education programs or programs for the elderly or disabled. In these programs, they help patients develop leisure activities and provide them with opportunities for exercise, mental stimulation, creativity and fun.

Just the Facts

Want a quick overview of what this career is about?Check out Just the Facts for simple lists of characteristics.

At a Glance

Use recreational activities to treat patients

  • You have to take each person's interests into account when designing programs
  • Therapists may be called activity directors or therapeutic recreation specialists
  • You'll need a university degree or college diploma in recreation therapy

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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