The Role of Recreational Treatment in Mental Health Therapy

Recreational Therapy has become a popular element of strategy to many health fields, including mental health. The American Therapeutic Recreation Association defines it as “a treatment service built to restore, remediate and rehabilitate an individual’s a higher level functioning and independence in your life activities, to promote overall health as well as reduce or remove the activity limitations and restrictions to participation in your life situations brought on by a disease or disabling condition.” (American Therapeutic Recreation Association, July 2009) Recreational Therapy services are given in many different mental health treatment settings, including inpatient, outpatient, and residential care. Certified therapists have earned a minimum of a bachelor’s degree inside the field and also have passed national certification exam.


Recreational Therapists use a variety of strategies to help alleviate signs of mental illness and enhance the quality of an consumer’s life. Leisure education can often be provided, that can assist consumers identify what sorts of leisure they’re interested in in order to find community resources for participation. Many people that are experiencing signs of a mental illness have lost touch using their leisure lifestyles or have become socially isolated. Leisure education can also improve social skills to boost enjoyment and invite customers to build better relationships. Many Recreational Therapists also use recreation participation being a treatment modality. Therapists will embark on leisure activities with the consumer to improve leisure skills and use social skills inside the moment. In the group setting, therapists will use leisure based activity to explore patterns of behavior and teach healthy coping skills.

For treating medical, Recreational Therapy could be a versatile treatment addressing various issues. Leisure activity offers improved daily structure when playing activities such as volunteer work, classes, or social groups. Certain leisure activities provide opportunities for social interaction and support. Regular activities and exercise will help boost your mood. Exercise and other leisure activities can also give a feeling of accomplishment. Lots of the concepts reinforced in Recreational Therapy align with technologically advanced treatments like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). The relevant skills of mindfulness, regular participation in pleasant events, and building mastery are all core components in the DBT and Recreational Therapy. Finally, leisure involvement offers a sense of purpose and meaning in one’s life, as well as strengthening individual identity or one’s feeling of who they may be. A Recreational Therapist can motivate and guide someone experiencing mental health difficulties to leisure that delivers the specific benefits worthy of their demands. Recreational Therapy services are incorporated into most excellent mental health programs.
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