The job of the therapeutic recreation specialist (TRS) is complex but rewarding. TRSs are both leaders and therapists. They combine therapeutic strategies and facilitation methods with recreation experiences and apply ethical principles and professional knowledge to deliver meaningful services to their clients. Through this unique blend of skills, TRSs lead clients to reach their goals and improve their quality of life.
Therapeutic Recreation Leadership and Programming will help students learn the essential aspects of professional practice while developing a leadership mind-set. The book focuses on the day-to-day responsibilities of the TRS while integrating ethical considerations into each aspect of the job. Readers will learn how to perform the daily work of a therapeutic recreation specialist while maintaining the highest ethical standards of the profession. The book details
the principles, theories, and codes of ethics that will form the foundation of specialists’ understanding of the field and set the stage for practice;
the knowledge, skills, and leadership principles that TRSs will need in order to help their clients accomplish therapeutic outcomes;
strategies that will guide TRSs in planning a wide range of programs and services, including information on frequently encountered health problems, major program areas, facilitation strategies, and client and program evaluation; and
methods for program organization and delivery that will prepare TRSs to offer a regular schedule of therapeutic recreation programs that meet the needs of all of their clients, whether in group or individual settings.
Therapeutic Recreation Leadership and Programming will arm students with the information and tools they need in order to succeed as therapeutic recreation specialists. The text familiarizes students with their future clients by describing the health concerns most often encountered in therapeutic settings. Case studies for the most common concerns provide students with concrete examples of how programming works in various clinical settings. Each case study identifies an appropriate TR model, defines goals and objectives for the client, and outlines a program plan that will help the client reach those goals. The book also provides a toolkit of specific recreation activities from five major program areas, along with information on the effectiveness and benefits of the activities and implementation strategies for each of them. Risk management concerns are also emphasized. Step-by-step instructions on structuring and leading both group and one-on-one sessions will prepare students to implement programs in a wide variety of settings.
Throughout the book, student-friendly features bring TR practice to life. Stories from professionals in the field, examples of real and hypothetical clients, and case studies representing various ages, health conditions, and treatment settings show students how to use the principles in leading programs. Learning activities help them to further explore the concepts covered in each chapter. Highlight boxes emphasize key ideas related to each chapter’s content, including ethical principles, risk management concerns, focusing on client interests, and the benefits of TR participation.
The interaction between the TRS and the client is the heart of therapeutic recreation practice. Using the skills and knowledge found in Therapeutic Recreation Leadership and Programming, students and new professionals can be confident in their abilities to develop positive experiences for any and all clients.
Part I: Establishing a Foundation for Ethical Practice
Chapter 1: A Mindset for Ethical Therapeutic Recreation Leadership
Chapter 2: Therapeutic Recreation Principles, Values, and Practice Models
Chapter 3: Program Planning Approaches and the Therapeutic Recreation Process
Chapter 4: The Blended Role of Therapeutic Recreation Leadership
Part II: Creating the Structure of Therapeutic Recreation Practice
Chapter 5: Common Concerns of Therapeutic Recreation Practice
Chapter 6: The Therapeutic Recreation Toolkit: Programs, Benefits, and Implementations
Chapter 7: Therapeutic Recreation Leadership: Strategies for Growth and Learning
Chapter 8: Evaluation of Practitioners, Programs, and Participants
Part III: Applications of Therapeutic Recreation Leadership
Chapter 9: Unit-Wide Programming
Chapter 10: Leading Therapeutic Recreation Groups
Chapter 11: One-to-One Therapeutic Recreation Service
Chapter 12: Therapeutic Recreation Leadership for the 21st Century
Robin Kunstler, ReD, CTRS, is a professor in the department of health sciences and the director of the recreation education and therapeutic recreation programs at Lehman College in New York. She has over 35 years of experience in the field of therapeutic recreation as both a practitioner and a professor. She has presented at many state and national conferences and has authored numerous articles and book chapters on therapeutic recreation.
Kunstler has been coeditor and reviewer for Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Schole, and the American Therapeutic Recreation Association’s Annual in Therapeutic Recreation. She has served as a board member and committee chair for several national and state organizations, including National Therapeutic Recreation Society, Society of Park and Recreation Educators, New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association (NYSTRA), and New York State Recreation and Park Society (NYSRPS). She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from NYSTRA and the NYSRPS Literary Research Award.
In her free time, Kunstler enjoys creating and viewing artwork, reading, and hiking.
Frances Stavola Daly, EdD, CTRS, CPRP, is an associate professor and program coordinator in the department of recreation administration at Kean University in New Jersey. She has 35 years of experience in the recreation field as both a practitioner and a professor. Stavola Daly also has extensive experience in presenting on all aspects of therapeutic recreation.
Stavola Daly has been extensively involved in professional organizations at both the national and state levels. She has served as the president of the National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS) as well as a Board of Trustees member. She was a founding member of the New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association and served as chair of the Mid-east Therapeutic Recreation Symposium and the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association’s Therapeutic Recreation Public Policy Group. Stavola Daly has received several honors, including the Presidential Citation from the NTRS in 2007 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2004 from the New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association.