Frequently Asked Questions

Therapeutic Recreation Ontario [TRO] describes Recreation Therapy as “a process that utilizes functional intervention, education and recreation participation to enable persons with physical, cognitive, emotional and / or social limitations to acquire and/or maintain the skills, knowledge and behaviours that will allow them to enjoy their leisure optimally, function independently with the least amount of assistance and participate as fully as possible in society.”

✨ Work with persons who may benefit from assistance to improve their quality of life

✨ Use recreation and leisure to help maximize an individual's independence

✨ Make necessary adaptations to recreation and leisure opportunities to allow for full participation

✨ Educate individuals about the skills and resources required to participate in recreation and leisure
✨ Advocate for the rights of all individuals, regardless of skill or socioeconomics, to access recreation as well as for the field of Recreation Therapy in general

✨ Promote leisure independence and optimal leisure lifestyle

✨ Development of healthy living strategies through leisure

✨ Improve physical and cognitive abilities

✨ Increase confidence and self-esteem

✨ Foster greater involvement in the community

✨ Strength interpersonal skills and relationships

✨ Improve coping and adaptation skills

✨ Enhance well-being

✨ Encourage a greater sense of accomplishment

✨ Reduce symptoms and feelings of depression, stress and anxiety

✨ Improve fine and gross motor functioning

✨ Learn and improve life skills

✨ Realize the benefits of a healthy lifestyle

Recreation Therapy follows the APIE process: Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Evaluation. A Recreation Therapist will assess a client’s function level, goals, interests and skills. Based on the assessment, the Recreation Therapist will plan the treatment process. The treatment process is a collaborative approach between the therapist and client, so client feedback and agreement on treatment approach is vital to client success. Once client and therapist agree on the treatment plan, the plan will be implemented and evaluation of treatment is measured through progress towards client identified goals. Recreation Therapy terminates once the client has reached their goals, if the therapist doesn’t feel the client will benefit or is ready to participate in therapy, or the client no longer wishes to partake in therapy.

✨ For the full Scope of Practice, Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice and Recreation Therapist role description as outlined by Therapeutic Recreation Ontario (TRO), please click here: https://www.trontario.org/HireaTR/professional-documents.html 

The establishment of legal recognition programs, including licensure, title acts, certification and registration are quite limited with respect to the practice of recreation therapy. The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) and the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association partnered in 2009 to recognize the NCTRC certification credential - Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) as certification credential in Canada, in addition to the United States. While the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) advocates for the need for practitioners in the field to register and be regulated, the field remains unregulated in Ontario. However, Recreation Therapists may voluntarily register with Therapeutic Recreation Ontario (TRO) to receive the credentials R/TRO. While the field remains unregulated and registration is voluntary at this point, Recreation Therapists are required to carry Professional Liability Insurance to practice like any other healthcare field.

✨ It is important to note that our Recreation Therapist, Adreena, is only a registered member of TRO and does not hold their R/TRO credentials since it is not mandatory. Adreena does carry Professional Liability Insurance to practice Recreation Therapy.

Simply put, no. Though when people are enjoying themselves, change can be easier to achieve. The techniques Recreation Therapists use with clients are grounded in evidence-based practices and follow the APIE process: assessment, plan, implement and evaluate. So, long story short, Recreation Therapists allow clients to find enjoyable ways to achieve the goals they’re working towards through client identified interests, hobbies and skills. While we make it look like fun, the role of a Recreation Therapist is hard work and requires training to be able to offer services and programming to ensure clients are kept safe from harm. 

Recreation Therapists can work with individuals across the life span with varying abilities. Some examples of where Recreation Therapists can work include: hospitals, rehabilitations programs, long-term care homes and retirement homes, day programs, mental health centres, children’s treatment centres, disability programs, and private practice.