Professional Skills and Person-Centred Approaches in Therapeutic Recreation

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course.

Course content will be guided by current research, empirical knowledge, and best practice.  The following values and principles, consistent with professional standards, inform course content.

• Knowledge of the health care and human service systems and understanding the role and function of therapeutic recreation and allied disciplines within service systems provides context for understanding the range of roles within the TR profession.

• Investigating the therapeutic recreation field from an emerging professional’s perspective promotes discovery of roles, responsibilities, scope of practice, and standards of practice.

• Exploring professional skills promotes an understanding of standards of conduct and ethical responsibilities of a TR practitioner.

• Appreciating the disciplinary lens of other professionals and paraprofessionals help increase understandings of the systems TR professionals work within, leading to opportunities for inter-professional collaboration.

• Understanding the key principles of a person-centred approach includes respect, communication, client participation in care, empowerment and continuity of care, and guides professional therapeutic recreation practice.

• Demonstrating awareness and understanding of diversity including cultural consciousness and diverse worldviews is essential to promoting equity in TR practice.

• Developing a growth mindset and resiliency strategies through self-reflective practice supports sustainable skills in professional practice.