Student questions

There was a question and answer panel with a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) at the Great Lake Recreational Therapy Student Conference.

I  was very pleased to be one of the CTRS on this panel.

I heard there were over 100 students present! What a great bunch of enthusiastic people! I validated to them that the fact that they made it to this event. Most of the people I met were from Indiana or Michigan. 

Other CTRS on the panel included: Shawn Geise, Jake Newhand, Brittany Hook, Kaitlyn Smith, Tommy Means, and Lori Schwyer. 

Those CTRS are great people. They worked in various different fields and I was so happy and pleased to be on stage with them and to hear their experiences. One woman (and I regret to say I can't recall who) provides services for people with traumatic brain injury. I told her that I am a CTRS, but I would not feel fully competent working in that position. She told me she had worked in mental health before switching. She informed the audience that we can and do get harmed by clients in mental health, which I agreed is true. 

Jared Allsop (conference co-chair) lecturer at Indiana University had called on student hands in the audience. They asked questions and the CTRS answered!

I can’t recall the exact questions asked. I wish I would have had a student to write them down.

Some questions I vaguely recall some of the questions.

Should you take an internship in an area you want to work or reach out and try something different to broaden your horizons?

I disagreed with one of the other CTRS on this one. I suggested go for the area you want to get more of a focus/ experience in an expertise area. I also suggested being open-minded to at least trying out other jobs when you’re ready to get hired. Why? I did my training mostly with elderly and seniors in skilled nursing (internship) and rehabilitation hospital (practicum), and even a nursing home (practicum). My first job offer was in mental/ behavioral health working with children and teens. I took the job and I’ve worked there since August 2002.

·         

What do you look for in an intern for your facility? 

My answers: passion, interest, eager to learn, well-groomed/ appropriate to work in a hospital setting, and easy-going. willing to grow and learn. I informed them that they will make mistakes (as well all have). 

·         What do you like most about your job?

Seeing kids grow and change and become successful. Of course, I let them know there are a lot of work place stressors to be prepared for that as well.

·         

Where do you get new updates and information?

My answer: being a member of our professional association (ATRA) and reading.

Does a Master's degree help? 

I may have been the only CTRS with a master’s degree on the panel. I’m not sure. I don’t recall any members strongly advocating for getting a master’s degree. I argued that many of our professional colleagues in social worker, physical therapy, mental health counselling, occupational therapy are the process or have already moved their entry-level as having a Master’s degree.

Based on my understanding, the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) had created the specialty certification certificates to help increase the number of CTRS with a graduate level degree. 

How do you get a new intervention at your facility?

 My answer: if you’re working at a facility that does not offer an activity-based treatment intervention, then you could ask someone who is trained and experienced to come and give a presentation. That individual could help provide resources and connections to help your facility to open up a program.

 Feel free to Ask Danny questions and he’ll post them at his blog for others to read as well. 

Shout-outs: Jared Allsop and Randy Wyble!

Thank you: shout outs!

I wanted to say thanks so much to Jared Allsop (Indiana University) and Randy Wyble (Grand Valley State University) for putting together the Great Lakes Recreational Therapy Student Conference. IT was such a great program. I heard there were over 100 students and I must say that each one I had spoken too was very passionate and caring. 

ATRA Mid-year Conference!

American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) has their 2016 mid-year conference this year in San Antonio, Texas! 

I wish I could be there this year. 

I'll be at their 2016 annual conference in Chicago, which I do plan to present two training sessions. 

Here are the links for the ATRA conference: 

ATRA Mid-Year Conference 

Celebrating the Impact of
Recreational Therapy

 San Antonio, Texas
February 7-9, 2016 

AGENDA & REGISTRATION FEES

 

REGISTER ONLINE 

Note: Danny Pettry has been a good-standing member of ATRA since 2000. He is not an elected rep for ATRA or a hired spokesperson. Pettry is not payed any royalty for recommending ATRA. 

Want to present at NC RT Association?

This is a fwd. email I received from

Caitlin.Williams:

 

Good Afternoon-

 

The North Carolina Recreational Therapy Association is looking for Recreational Therapist's who would like to present at the annual conference this year! I know everyone has a lot of stressors and you may feel like “this is another thing to add to my to-do list,” but BEFORE YOU DELETE THIS EMAIL; think about the last time you went to a conference.  What did you get out of it? If you got something out of it then you probably felt like the conference was worth attending.  If you didn’t get anything out of it, why do you think you think that was the case? Is information redundant from conference to conference, was the presenter not prepared/didn’t know material well, was the information not relevant or interesting, etc?

 

We want your help to COAST INTO ACTION at this year’s NCRTA conference! 

 

Think about how much you have to offer as a Recreational Therapist at UNC and consider presenting at this year’s conference.  The conference will be held OCTOBER 5 & 6, 2015 in Wilmington, NC.  The call for papers deadline has been extended to JUNE 1, 2015, and is quickly approaching-so don’t wait to submit your papers. See below for more information.

 

https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=VG-21bBKXGFciTN1JNId0w

 

Washington State - CEU opportunity

In the great state of WA we will be providing a great opportunity for CEUs in conjunction with a PGA tournament.  THAT'S RIGHT!   Get .7 CEUs (7 hours)  on Tuesday, August 19th and by Friday be attending the PGA tournament for free.      In the morning of the 19th will be education on various disabilities and ways to adapt golf for the many  abilities.  You will have rotations to learn to use the adaptive golf carts and adaptive golf gear.   In the afternoon you will work with people with varying disabilities and put in practice what you just learned.  It's a great day out on the Snoqualmie TPC where your $20,000 member fee is waived for the day!  If you don't get a chance to come be a therapist at this clinic, by all means at least tune in to the GOLF Channel on August 24th and see who wins the BOEING CLASSIC and if they have any footage of us from our Tuesday clinic.   Check it out:

 

https://www.virginiamason.org/workfiles/pdfdocs/BC2014_Adaptive_Golf_Clinic_Therapists.pdf

 

 

This has been a great clinic since 2010 and has provided a great opportunity for a PGA tournament to have more focus on people with disabilities.  Since we began, the tournament has been made more aware of ways that they can make the tournament accessible and they have provided more space and accommodations.  Every year I see changes. It's been a fabulous side benefit to the clinic.

 

We have a limited amount of spaces left and they are  filling with PTs faster than RTs.  So I'm trying to hold a few spots for RTs.  

 

Of course, it is worth the flight to come out to WA in August.   

 

Barbara Bond-Howard, MA, CTRS/R

Virginia Mason Medical Center

 

CIMT training (30 hours of continuing educaiton credit).

Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) training, which in the past has only been open to PT and OT, is now available to Recreational Therapists! 

 

Temple University will host the very first 4-day CIMT training course for RTs this summer to be held on Thurs., Aug. 7th through Sun., Aug. 10th.  The training will cover both pediatric and adult CIMT training, with a heavier focus on adult stroke rehabilitation. There is no test following the training. It is purely an educational course. Following the course, participants receive a certificate of completion. The training will be provided by Dr. David Morris, a well-known CIMTpractitioner and trainer from the University of Alabama Birmingham (home of the CI Therapy Research Group). The training usually costs $900 (and is only available in Birmingham, Alabama), but we were able to substantially reduce the cost to $300 per person (and hold the first RT CIMT training course at Temple!). If you are interested in registering for the 4-day CIMTtraining course, please see the attached registration. The registration deadline is Friday, July 11th. THIRTY clock hours (3.0 CEUs) will be provided for the training.

 

 

A special hotel rate is also available at the Double Tree Hilton: https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new&eventID=11537069

 

 

For those of you who aren’t familiar with CIMT, here are a few resources:

 

 

The CI Therapy Research Group page: http://www.uab.edu/citherapy/ 

 

CIMT for Adults with Stroke (You Tube Videos) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHGroPsILlg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMTh2hWvB2g

 

CIMT Camp for Kids (You Tube Video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG3VClsAXPI

 

Neuroplasticity (a video that explains neuroplasticity – the basis ofCIMT) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAzmyB9PFt4

 

 

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact 

Dr. Heather Porter at hporter@temple.edu.

 

 

Hope to see you at the training!!!

Spring Therapeutic Recreation Forum (Oregon State Hospital).

Time is running out to finalize your plans to attend this year's Oregon State Hospital's Spring TR Forum. 


We have some amazing speakers lined up for this year's event. 

Nancy McFarlane, Norma J. Stumbo, Keith Savell, & Christine White!

Spring Therapeutic Recreation Forum | Friday, June 6, 2014 | Salem, Oregon | Pacific Northwest ATRA and Oregon State Hospital

On line registration: http://t.co/ZvXcXCePcL #CEU

PTRS - TRI

The moment we have all been waiting for has arrived!!!!!!
The 46th annual PTRS - TRI registration guide is here for your viewing pleasure!!!
http://www.prps.org/documents/TRIRegGuide2014_000.pdf...
Take a moment, check it out and we will see you in June!

2013 Annual Recreational Therapy Weekend Retreat

2013 Annual Recreational Therapy Weekend Retreat

**SPACE IS STILL AVAILABLE!!**

 

12 Hours of Continuing Education Most sessions will be outdoors (on the water, on the beach, on a boat and/or in the ocean) and they will be interactive sessions!    October 18-20, 2013 Key Largo, FL Main Hotel: Bay Cove Motel Overflow Hotel: The Pelican (Picture above is the Bay Cove property where most sessions will be held- the beach is the "conference room"!!)   $250 Registration Fee Includes:  (early bird registration, space WILL be limited!) * CEU's *Registration * Half Day on Party Fishing Boat * Use of FL Keys Art Studio and take home project * Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday (Continental) * Networking Pizza Party Saturday night   Go to http://www.trinmotion.org for details and to register!   You may also email Allyson Dedic, CTRS at trinmotion@gmail.com for more information or call 240-426-2206.

Aug. 25th Conf.

 

We want to be sure that you have not overlooked registering for this year’s Institute. Scheduled for August 25-26, 2013 at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. A minimum of 1.2 CEUs can be earned and up to 1.7 if you stay for the courses which overlap with the FRPA Annual Conference. Your attendance at the Monday sessions of the FRPA Annual Conference are included with your Institute registration.

 

Registration information can be found at http://web.frpa.org/pdfs/conference/13TR_RegBrochure.pdf

Don’t delay, secure your spot in this educational opportunity which combines in-classroom instruction with networking and informal learning opportunities with TR professionals from around the country. We hope to see you return this year and look forward to welcoming you back!

 

PLEASE NOTE: There will be another session on FL State Licensure!!

The Florida Therapeutic Recreation Network's mission is to promote and support Therapeutic Recreation Services within the state of Florida. This is achieved through the submission of position announcements, issues or questions, and the promotion of CEU opportunities to be broadcast on the network. Once information is submitted, it is scanned for content by the network administrator, spam is weeded out, then the information is forwarded to all those who have subscribed. Please be aware that files can not be attached to any network emails. To be added or removed from the list, simply email fltrnet@yahoo.com with add or remove in the subject line.

 

TR in Motion Update

"Therapeutic Recreation in Motion"

Update:

Call for papers has been extended to July 12 for the Key Largo, FL Therapeutic Recreation Conference and Retreat!

This conference will be a bit more unconventional, sessions will be outdoors, in an art studio, and on a boat!  Although the conference is open to everyone, we would love to have FL CTRS's really get together and have a blast!

SPACE WILL BE LIMITED!

 

Please visit http://www.trinmotion.org/ for more information! 

The Florida Therapeutic Recreation Network's mission is to promote and support Therapeutic Recreation Services within the state of Florida. This is achieved through the submission of position announcements, issues or questions, and the promotion of CEU opportunities to be broadcast on the network. Once information is submitted, it is scanned for content by the network administrator, spam is weeded out, then the information is forwarded to all those who have subscribed. Please be aware that files can not be attached to any network emails. To be added or removed from the list, simply email fltrnet@yahoo.com with add or remove in the subject line.

 

ATRA mid-year Notice

Lisa Morgan posted the following information regarding the mid-year conference in Chattanogga, TN this year.

 

 

Don't forget to book your hotel room before FEBRUARY 27th, 2013!

The 2013 Mid-Year Professional Issues Forum will be held Sunday, March 10th through Tuesday, March 12th in Chattanooga, TN!

 Reduced lodging rates have been secured at the Marriot Chattanooga at the Convention Center in Chattanooga, TN: $119 single/double/triple/quadruple (+ applicable taxes, currently 17.25%). Call (877) 901-6632 or click here to book your room! The special rate for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association is valid through 5PM EST on Sunday, February 27, 2013.

Online Registration and the tentative program/schedule are now available here!

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

I had the privilege to attend a training session on the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Model. This was a mandatory training for all the employees where I work at. It was presented by Sarah Jarvis, Psy,D.

I’m very glad I attended this session and I was very pleased to hear that all staff at my facility will get to attend this training too!

The training was based on the DBT model developed by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. (University of Washington).

The DBT model is designed for treating people with severe, chronic, multi-diagnosis, and/ or people who are difficult to treat.

DBT assumes the following:
a.) Patient is doing best that they can.
b.) Patient wants to improve
c.) Patients need to do better, try harder and be motivated to change.
d.) Patient must learn new behaviors in all relevant contexts.
e.) Patient may not have caused all their problems, but they need to solve them anyways.
The lives of these individuals are unbearable as they are currently being lived.

The most caring thing we can do for our patients is to help them get closer to THEIR goals. Clarity and compassion is needed.

We need to help our patient learn how to regulate emotions. This is a balancing process that includes: change, acceptance, problem-solving, and validation.

Here are several types:

• High sensitivity: immediate reaction and low tolerance.


• High reactivity: extreme emotional/ behavior and disruption in cognitive process.


• Slow return to balance: requires extreme time to “calm down” and increased vulnerability to additional stimulus. This could re-start the cycle.
  

Here is an important key concept to remember:
Stress with our patients could lead to suicide, attempts, self-harmful behavior, substance abuse, social, occupational problems, clinical disorders/ syndromes, and continued maladaptive behavior.

For the service providers (therapists, counselors, rec. therapist) etc. it could create situations of chaos, distress, feeling fear, worry, or anger. There is tension within the system.

Here is another important key concept to remember:
Growth can’t occur in a stressed environment. People can’t learn in stress.

Introduction to Validation Therapy
This was first started with the geriatric population. Identify them as a person.
Here are some ways to offer comfort/ touch:
Acknowledge them, value them, re-assure, comfort, make them know they’re worthy, and worthy of being listened to, and that they’re important!

Here is a basic definition of validation:
Listening and observing, reflective statements, nonverbal signs of listening, being open and curious, and stating unspoken signs of emotions.

As a Rec. Therapist, I need to be mindful of what my body is communication.
Don’t ask “Why” questions because this puts a person on the defensive side. State, “I’m curious to know, could you explain to me.”

Here are some good tips:
Recognize past learning.
Focus on here and now (and not yesterday or previous problems)
Talk in a soft, calm tone of voice, have an open stance, use eye-contact, and even silence can be a type of validation. Be a good listener. Connect with the individual/ patient and try to be in the moment.

Invalidation often leads to power struggles and arguments.

Here are some things that invalidate a person:
Missing the point, using should/ ought, making it sound easy, assuming/ generalization.

Evidenced-based practice:

Validation creates a therapeutic environment for positive growth and change. It is a great tool for de-escalation, hope and healing. It assists in creating change and maintaining health.

Based on my personal experiences, I think “validating others” is a skill that comes natural to many people in the human-service/ helping field.

Recreational therapists may want to consider taking trainings: on mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance.

Here are two recommended resources:


And here is one more:

Programmatic Quality (before and after a CTRS)

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the “Programmatic Quality: Before and After the Introduction of a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS).” It was presented by Carolyn McDowell, M.Ed., CTRS on Wed. Sept. 21, 2011 at the American Therapeutic Recreation Association’s 2011 annual conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Carolyn had presented the effects of creating a CTRS position for a day program that served adults with developmental disabilities. She covered the restructuring of the program, satisfaction surveys (prior to) and (after) a CTRS, and the justification for a CTRS position.
I’m very pleased with what Carolyn has been doing!

Penn-Mar Human Services in the Baltimore area has been providing services for consumers since 1980.

Carolyn was hired as a CTRS in 2012. The day program was previously described as, “oh, that is a place where they do arts and crafts.”

Carolyn didn’t want the day program to be described this way. She took time to survey consumers, families, and staff.

Previously consumers were passively sitting all day. Some of the consumers would participate in a preferred activity such as a book or puzzle. There weren’t any real activity programming being provided for the consumers. They were sitting around in an activity room (that looks like a warehouse).

Carolyn was specifically hired to quality assurance. She helped to assure quality programs were being provided for this program. The new programs consisted of: social skills training, expressive arts, physical fitness at the gym, and a self-selected activity time. There are also community outings too.

In one year (from 2010 to 2011) surveys showed that consumers were more actively engaged in programs. Carolyn claimed that they’re not where they want to be yet, but they have made positive changes.

I think what Carolyn is doing for this population is wonderful. She is helping assure that consumers are receiving quality programs that could help the consumer to develop skills that could help them to obtain a job.

The benefits (as evidenced by 2011) surveys show improvement in a one-year timeframe!
Here are some of the take-home lessons that I received from this session:
Develop a satisfaction survey for the patients/ customers/ clients/ students/ consumers who you’re providing services for. I think a simple rating scale would be appropriate (“0” meaning not happy at all to “5” being very happy with numbers in between.
Questions could focus on several areas of programming, including:

Social, physical, cognitive, leisure, spiritual, time of group sessions, schedule, group setting/ environment, etc. Naturally questions should reflect the population being served. These questions should also be worded so the consumers taking the survey would understand it.

I had the opportunity to do something similar to what Carolyn has done while I was working on my graduate degree in Recreational Therapy while taking a consulting course at Indiana University.

I surveyed patients and staff about programs at a residential treatment facility for teens with offending issues in 2004. I regret to say I don’t have these survey results here right now. Several of the teens wanted more activities during group times opposed to watching t.v. and movies. They wanted more physical fitness activities too. Here was one of my surprise findings. Several of the direct care staff who oversees patients didn’t feel comfortable with providing group activities due to lack of experience, training, and other reasons.

I developed an Activity Training Program that taught the direct care staff how to lead group activities. I enjoyed providing the training session the most! And I felt the staff at this program got a lot of benefits from the training too. I should have done a follow-up on the training.

You may want to develop a satisfaction survey for your setting to assess your own setting. Develop improvement plans, Implement them and evaluate the outcomes. It sounds like the Rec. Therapy APIE process to me.

Teambuilding Interventions (Teaching boundaries)

I had the opportunity to attend the “Teambuilding with Offenders/ Boundaries Session by M. Gail Cecil, CTRS. This was presented at the 2011 Annual American Therapeutic Recreation Association’s conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The focus of this session was on implementation of teambuilding activities for people who need to develop healthy and appropriate boundaries. Persons with this need could be offenders who lack empathy for others.

She defined teambuilding as activities that are designed d to encourage people to work cooperatively. She defined cooperation as working together: the act of working or acting together to achieve common goals.

Gail Cecil provides services for about 460 male sex offenders who are 19 years or older at a detention and treatment facility.

Gail points out that a Rec. Therapist can’t run something she (or he) has not done before. Basically, the Rec. Therapist needs to have competencies in the interventions she (or he) is providing.

Gail also points out the importance of debriefing at the end of a session. She says that if you don’t debrief then it is just an activity. The debriefing is the part that makes it therapeutic. Here are some general guidelines for debriefing: equal circle so eye contact can be made with everyone. Start questions with things the Rec. Therapist observed in the group session. What were the group’s difficulties? How did they overcome these challenges? Or how could they have done better? Gail likes to get the “Bad: out of the way first and then move towards the positives. I like this idea. End the session on a positive note. What were their strong points and strengths? What did the group participants do well?

The purpose of the debriefing is basically: how are these skills going to help you (the participant) in the future?

I’ve heard these “debriefings” called different things in different settings. I often use the word, “wrap-up” when working with children in adolescents. Some therapists who I work with call it “processing” the group session.

Here are some of the general expectations that Gail Cecil pointed out for teambuilding:
Diversity, respect, acceptance, goal-oriented, using resources, collaboration, communication, etc.
An Ice-Breaker Activity

Gail uses ice-breakers to assess a group and to determine the people who she is providing services for. It is a good way to observe the group dynamics. Look for people who are leaders, followers, and for people who lack boundaries.

She provided an ice-breaker activity to help the participants who attended this group session to get to know each other. She made the comment that we Recreational Therapists sit around the big tables at the general sessions and lunches and have the basic conversations: Where are you from? What population do you serve? What setting do you work in? I’m sure I laughed aloud because that seems to be so true based on my expectations from attending conferences. Here is a picture of the dining hall at the 2011 ATRA conf. in Indy (to the right).



During this ice-breaker activity that Gail facilitated, “each participant shared their name and a favorite place. I regret to say that I can’t remember all of the participants in my little circle. However, I did have the opportunity to meet Anel Van Rooy, CTRS who was sitting right beside me. She said her favorite place was her parent’s farm. I noticed that her accent was different from ones that I know, but I couldn’t place where she was from. Naturally, Gail’s ice-breaker headed into more conversations. I asked Anel where her parent’s farm is at. Anel told our small group circle that she is from South Africa, which, I think is really awesome.

Anel earned her B.A. in Recreation from North Western University and her graduate degree at Eastern Washington University. She is going to take a lot of neat things back to South Africa with her! I was glad I had the opportunity to meet her and so many other Recreational Therapists who are doing wonderful things.

Gail introduced a second question once all of the group participants had answered the first one. She had us state when was the last time we had visited our favorite place.
Other ice-breaker questions that Gail pointed out where to have group members
to:

• a.) Answer: Who am I?





• b.) Line up and get in alphabetical order by first name. Gail had us to practice this one too, however, we had to be silent and we couldn’t use sign-language. We could use body language and non-verbal communication.





• c.) Make a shape. This is where the group members hold a rope or string. They must form shapes with the string. Gail suggested state borders. In example: Colorado would be easy to create because it is more of a square shape. West Virginia would be a little difficult however, but I’d like to see a group try to do it. I provide services for children and I have a deck of cards that show the state borders and it has facts on the back. I plan to use this deck of cards! I’m having a Halloween carnival at our residential facility in October. This is for diversion and beyond their typical day of therapy activities. I plan to have several small groups of children participating in teams to create Halloween shapes: pumpkin, ghost, haunted house, etc. We’ll compare each of the three to four team’s shapes. Gail suggested using toilet tissue if the placement does not allow ropes or strings due to precautions.
  

More Interventions

Cecil had the participants in this training to participate in several other activities that we could take back to our own facilities and use as interventions.
Gail had hand-outs for activities titled: traffic jam, I am the egg man, Ultimate, What are your values?, and read my emotions. I’m going to email Gail to see if she’ll email me these documents so I can post them at this blog.

Here are some of the resources she suggested:

Rec. Therapy in Public Schools.

I had the great privilege and opportunity to attend the “Recreational Therapy in School Settings: Current Status and Future Directions” at the 2011 American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) conference.

It was provided by: Lisa Mische Lawson, Ph.D., CTRS (of Kansas City area), Kathy Coyle, Ph.D., CTRS, and by one practitioner: Thea Kavanaugh, CTRS (New Mexico).

Note: Thea claimed that she found her position via the RecreationTherpay.Com job page. That web-site is operated by my good friend and fellow West Virginian Charlie Dixon. Here is the link: http://www.recreationtherapy.com/jobs

Okay, let me get back to the session. Sometimes I get off on tangents when I’m writing.
The purpose of this session was the take a look at the current status of Recreational Therapy in the school systems. There are Recreational Therapists in a number of schools throughout the United States. Several states were shared aloud. My state “West Virginia” was not one of them. I already knew this.

Recreational Therapists could work in three different positions for schools

These could include:

• Full-time staff



• Consultant



• Contractual employee. I think any real go-getter could create businesses and start providing services as a contractual employee.

Overall it will take strong advocacy! A Rec. Therapist could attend a local Board of Education meeting!

A Recreational Therapist can’t just go in and do anything in the school setting.

There are regulations.

• Recreational Therapists in community settings must follow the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).



• Recreational Therapists in behavioral health and rehabilitation must follow Medicare.



• Recreational Therapists in Schools must follow the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and No School Left Behind.

The good news is that “Recreation and Therapeutic Recreation” is a covered service under IDEA. A child with special needs has the right to these services when they can help a child to function more independently in a school setting.

IDEA mandates: zero rejection, non-discriminatory evaluation, appropriate education, and least restrictive environment.

The services must be listed on the child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). It might not specify for a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) to provide the services. The rules vary from state to state. Most states will claim the highest qualified person. Naturally, a person with CTRS credentials would be the most qualified to provide Therapeutic Recreation (TR) a.k.a. Rec. Therapy services. This would be an easy argument to make if interpretation of the best qualified was an issue.

It is important that the IEP is written in a way that demonstrates the child will function more independently in the educational setting.

Thea had shown several examples of her IEP goals, quarterly progress reports, and annual progress reports for students. I think she is very through and she is setting a good example for recreational therapists in all settings. I felt very inspired by the picture slideshow of the things she is doing to help the children in her school district! It looked awesome! I’m so glad the students there have her.

There are four things that a Recreational Therapist in a school setting can do:

• Assessments



• Planned Therapeutic Recreation (TR) interventions



• Social skills training/ Activity skills training, Leisure Education



• Recreation opportunities/ Community

It is important that Recreational Therapists are using interventions that are based on research. Evidenced-based practice is important. It shows that interventions have been proven to be effective. The school system calls this Scientific Evidence Practice.

There are several laws that RTs should know about:

• Clarion-Goldberg, Comm. School Dist. (1994) showed that leisure goals can be on an IEP



• Re Child with Disabilities (1993) showed that social skills can be on an IEP



• Franklin # 5 School Dist. (1985): a child with autism had been banned from afterschool program due to disruptive behaviors (which is typical for a child with his diagnosis). This law showed that a child can’t be denied services due to his (or her) disability.
  

Two more to look up and know about are:
Montgomery Co. Public Schools (1998) and Silsbee Independent School District (1997).
Information can also be found at:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/

I work in a residential behavioral health treatment setting. We have an on-campus school. Sometimes a child will arrive to our facility with an IEP. I’ve never seen one that identified a Recreational Therapist as a “Service Provider.” I think that would be awesome!

There are many things that I provide at the facility that could be on an IEP for a child with special needs. Some of the interventions that I provide include: assertiveness training, social skills training, conflict resolution skills, community re-integration, opportunities for physical fitness, leisure education, and recreation/ activity task skills.

I don’t do much with fine-motor skills or transition skills. There have been a limited amount of children with these needs.

You can get in touch with Thea Kavanaughat the ATRA site here. Note: you must be a member of ATRA to access this forum:

http://atra-online.com/forumviewmessage.cfm?forumnbr=6775&topicnbr=13582&discussionnbr=786585

ATRA also offers a good book Therapeutic Recreation in Special Education. Here is a link for that book:

http://atra-online.com/storelistitem.cfm?itemnumber=85

Rec. Therapy in Pediatric Pain Rehab.

I had the great privilege to attend and participate in the training session on “The Role of Recreational Therapy (RT) in Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Program” by Gayle Kanary, CTRS. This was the first session she has presented and I'm glad she did because I admire her a lot. She is providing many neat RT interventions for Peds. in pain.

Gayle is a Recreational Therapist at the Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Shaker Campus.

This is a three-week Pediatric Pain Program Rehabilitation and it is CARF accredited.

She played a quick video at the start of this session about their program. I felt very impressed at their overall program and what they’re doing to help children who are in pain. The video showed Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and of course, Recreational Therapists!

You can watch that video at this link. It is a smaller video on the right side of the screen: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/childrens-hospital/specialties-services/therapy-rehab/pain-rehab.aspx

The children who are admitted into this program are diagnosed with some type of pain. It could be Headaches (chronic daily or migraines), abdominal pain, Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Fibromyalgia, or pain associated disability syndrome.

I felt that I [Danny Pettry] had empathy for this population. I know what it is like to experience pain. I had dislocated my left shoulder from a skateboarding accident in 1996 (when I was 16-years-old). It was quite painful. This accident was during the summer so I didn’t miss any school. I had outpatient Physical Therapy (PT) and I thought PT meant Painful Things. It hurts, but it does get movement back.

Back to the training session:

The Pediatric Pain Rehab Program is designed to help get the child back to a full day of school, return to leisure and sports, recognize stressors in her (or his) daily life, use new tools to cope with stress and to help the individual switch from being in a “sick” role to more of a healthy/ well, role.

Their program is chockfull of individual and group sessions. The child isn’t allowed to stay-in-bed at this facility. Their day is full of sessions including: Aquatics, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Psychology, Recreational Therapy, School, Nutrition, and Music Therapy.

Their treatment staff acknowledges the child’s pain and express belief in it from day to day. They do not promise to eliminate the pain. They do help the child to change her (or his) mindset so that pain is no longer the focus.

Their program takes a holistic approach.

Although my [Danny Pettry] personal background has been in Behavioral Health with pediatrics, I think I would enjoy working in a rehabilitation setting like this one.

It appears to be rewarding work based on my observations from this training session.

Gayle uses two assessments. The CAPE/PAC is a standardized assessment designed by Occupational Therapist. This tool works for her population and she selected it with the help/ assistance of the OTs who work at her facility. She also uses the “Pie of Life” assessment. This is a circle with all the hours of the day from midnight until midnight. The child colors each part of the pie a different color for activities, including: sleep, school, homework, passive leisure activities, active/ physical leisure activities, etc. She said that many of the children have a lot of time napping, sleeping, and being passive during the day.

Gayle does so many wonderful Recreational Therapy Interventions to help each child to get back to life.

Here is a brief summary of the RT Interventions she facilitates:

• Aerobics: dance, Zumba, pool.
  
  


• Use of the swimming pool: swimming laps, treading in water, running, jumping, steps, noodle work, weight balls, and teambuilding.
  She went into detail about the expressive arts projects that she provides. I plan to implement some of these interventions to assist the patients who I provide services for in learning how to express themselves.
  


• Journaling: each child receives a prompt for the day. The child can choose to share aloud or not. It is their choice.
  


• Body Drawing: The child’s body outline is traced on a giant sheet of paper. Each child has to write something about each of these parts: eyes, heart, ears, mouth, hands, and feet. It can’t be generic like my eyes are blue. It must be in more detail.
  


• Masks: They can decorate a mask. They can choose to draw what they’re feeling for the day, a feeling they frequently have, a feeling they try to display to others, a feeling they’d prefer to have. They write words and phrases on the inside of the mask about what they have learned about themselves.
  


• Inside-Outside Box consists of a heart-shaped box. The child decorates the oustisde of the box with words that describe what others know about them. They put words on the inside of the box that are hidden from other people. They can also put their hopes and dreams on the inside of the box.
  


• Qualit making: the child receives a quilt square. I [Danny Pettry] don’t sew. I’d have my children draw the picture on a sheet of paper and compile them as a quilt. Gayle will hang the small qulity sheets from the ceiling.
  


• Time Capsule: This is a good family intervention. At the start of the program she has the child to write letter to future self. A parent writes a letter to a future self. The child can open it when she (or he) is discharged.
  


• Community Re-integration: The patient sets a goal to practice new skills in the community. They can go to a zoo, hiking, museum, or beach.
  Their program also offers evening activities that could consist of: games, crafts, movies, outside activities.
  


• Reiki: This is a Japanese technique of stress reduction that Gayle knows how to use.
  It promotes healing. ATRA is providing training on this topic at the ATRA conference. I regret to say that I’m not attending this training. This is based on an unseen life force energy that flows through us. It sounds interesting to me.

Gayle pointed out a few important reminders:
Regular exercise decreases stress, anxiety and depression.

Remember to help the person to return to fun and functioning!

Gayle said that they help the patient to control her (or his) response to the pain. The therapists help to motivate, encourage, and support the patient!

Overall, I give this session an: “A +”

I think it was awesome!

Here is a link for their program:
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/childrens-hospital/specialties-services/therapy-rehab/pain-rehab.aspx

Networking

Looking for great ways to network with other professionals in our field?

Look no further. Here are four great ways to network:

• The American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) offers several great ways to network. First, “Friend” ATRA on Facebook. You don’t have to be a member of ATRA to be their friend on Facebook. Go here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/americantherapeuticrecreationassociation

• Second, Join the ATRA ListServ. Again, you don’t have to be a member of ATRA to join this. Go here to subscribe. It is easy to do: http://www.atra-online.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=98

• Third, participate in the ATRA forum online. I think you might need to be an ATRA Member to participate in this online forum. You can post questions and get answers! http://www.atra.affiniscape.com/forum.cfm

• Fourth, participate in one of the treatment networks that ATRA has. They’ve got several, including: behavioral health, geriatrics, physical rehab and medicine, and pediatrics. I believe you need to be an ATRA member to participate in this one.

Dr. Peg Connolly and the scholarship winners!

I ran into Dr. Peg Connolly at the CEU booth this morning at the 2011 ATRA conf. in Indy.

She was talking to Sandra Negley (the 2006-2007 ATRA President) at the desk. They're both very friendly people!

I’m always glad to see Dr. Peg Connolly! She was a founding member and the first President of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA). She was also the former Executive Director for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC).

She has done a lot for our profession.

I was very fortunate to have won the ATRA student scholarship in 2004 to attend the national conference in Kansas City. I was acknowledged as “a Peg” along with several other students.
Please note that I had applied for the Peg Connolly scholarship twice during my undergraduate degree years at Marshall University (in Huntington, West Virginia) and didn’t win the scholarship. I was very disappointed. I was persistent and continued applying. I applied while working on my graduate degree at Indiana University and had won.

That is just my little spill on being persistent.

The Peg Connolly Scholarship is a very rewarding program.

I also had the opportunity to help train the Peg Connolly Scholarship Winners at the 2009 conference in Minneapolis. It was really great having the opportunity to work with them. It felt inspiring to see the next generation of upcoming professionals.

Here is a list of the Peg Connolly Scholarship Winners this year:

• Mallory Meehan (Texas State University)



• Constance Cybulski (Western Illinois University)



• Jasmine Townsend, M.S., CTRS, Doctoral Candidate (Indiana University). Note: Jasmine was also working at the CEU booth this morning CEU form. I had the chance to talk to her after one of the trainings and she told me about working towards her Ph.D.



• Brent Hawkins, M.S., CTRS, LRT/CTRS (Clemson University).



• Ashley Hinzmann, CTRS (The University of Iowa)



• Sandy Ung (Grand Valley State University)



• Shannon O’ Rawe (Western Carolina University)



• Megan Hunt (Western Carolina University)

People I've seen @ ATRA

I’ve seen many people at the 2011 American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) conference.

I’ve been very pleased to have seen the following individuals:

David Austin, Tim Passmore, Thom Skalko, Peg Connolly, Ray West, Bob Riley, Michael Sutherland, Lisa Morgan Mary Ann Aquardro.

I also saw my former internship supervisor Alane Thomas (an ATRA Lifetime Professional Member). She was my supervisor at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, West Virginia. I was shocked to see her here, but I shouldn’t have been. I laughed that I had to come all the way to Indianapolis to catch up with her. We’re both still in Huntington.

Tomorrow, Tue. 20, 2011, I plan to attend:

• Pediatric Pain Rehab – I have a long-term goal of working with pediatrics in rehab.


• Recreational Therapy (RT) In Schools – I work at a residential setting with an on-campus school, so I thought it would be beneficial to attend this.


• Team Building for Offenders. I provide empathy training and social skills training and I thought I might gain some useful information from this training.

I think these three courses would be insightful.