10 years - August Anniversaries

August 9^th - 10 Years of Service Award, Danny Pettry, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Child Abuse Reactive Program

I first discovered Recreational Therapy in 1999. I was required to complete a 40-hour observation that was required for all nursing majors at Mountain State University (Beckley, West Virginia). My parents wanted me to become a nurse.

I completed a week in July 1999 at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia.

People in the hospital had various health needs. I felt empathy for people and wanted to help, but I quickly discovered that nursing wasn’t right for me. The second day of this week, I heard laughter and music coming from a room. I was curious and had to go check it out. I discovered Recreational Therapy!

They provided so many activities (for therapy) to help people in so many ways. I spent the rest of the week volunteering for the Recreational Therapists (transporting patients to and from group sessions), grabbing a cup of coffee for a patient here and there, and getting supplies for the RTs.

There were so many goals that Rec. Therapy was helping with patients that I couldn’t list them all in this one blog entry.

Various activity-based interventions were used to help patients meet their treatment goals. This is seen as the fun-part of Recreational Therapy from an outsider. During my last four-days of volunteer work, I observed: outdoor gardening (made for people in wheelchairs), a social cook-out, cognitive group (promote thinking), crafts (used to build stamina/ find motor skills), relaxation training groups (to help people learn how to calm), cognitive group (which used activities to maintain and promote thinking. There were cook-outs, games, activities, and more.

I knew I had to become a Recreational Therapist! Marci Osborne was working there. She had recently completed her internship and degree. She told me that Marshall University (Huntington, W.Va.) had a degree program. So, I immediately transferred from Mountain State College to Marshall University in the spring 2000 semester. I joined the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) and even ordered a white long-sleeve T-shirt that said “Therapeutic Recreation.” I knew I was going to do this.

I completed my internship at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va.  It consisted of work on two units: the skilled nursing and behavioral health. The last day of my internship was in August 2002. I had sent out applications and resumes to nearly 100 hospitals (in West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina). I didn’t hear back from anyone until the last day of my internship. A local psychiatric hospital had called and said they had one position. I couldn’t believe it. I was worried that I wouldn’t have a job after my internship. I started my new job the very day after completing my internship at St. Mary’s Hospital.

I’ve worked at the same psychiatric hospital for the last 10-years. It is almost unbelievable that a decade has passed. I feel confident that I made a smart career choice for me. I really enjoy the work I do as a Recreational Therapist.

Would you like to learn more about Recreational Therapy?
Contact the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC)
http://www.nctrc.org/