At Oasis Behavioral Health, our recreational therapists work with clients to restore motor, social and cognitive functioning, build confidence, develop coping skills, and learn transferable skills intended to be used in community settings.
What is Recreational Therapy?
Recreational therapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes recreation and other leisure activities as interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions.
Intervention areas vary widely and are based upon client interests. Examples of intervention modalities and focuses include:
- creative arts
- therapeutic use of music
- stress management
- teamwork/problem-solving
- communication/social skills
- sober leisure outlets
- exercise/movement
- healthy and safe leisure education
Benefits of Therapeutic Activities
Through participation in Therapeutic Recreational Activities, clients may experience the following:
Improved Cognitive Skills
- Ability to follow simple directions
- Improved communication
- Improved interpersonal skills
- Decision making opportunities
- Improved attention span
- Heightened sensory awareness
- Heightened environmental awareness
- Improved ability to make needs known
- Improved memory skills
- Improved self-expression
Improved Emotional Well-Being
- Increased socialization
- Increased motivation
- Opportunity for creative expression
- Increased self-esteem
- Increased confidence
- Decreased depression
- Decreased boredom
- Utilization of stress management skills
- Decreased Learned Helplessness
Improved fine/gross motor skills
- Increased endurance
- Improved hand/eye coordination
- Improved ADL skills/body awareness
- Increased strength and flexibility
- Improved sleep patterns
- Improved appetite
- Decreased incontinence
- Decreased use of pain medications
Decrease in Behavioral Problems
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Bullying
- Conduct issues
- Repetitive motions
- Yelling and screaming
- Abusive behavior
- Use of restraints
Therapy Standards
At Oasis Behavioral Health our Therapeutic Recreation Department designates our services to follow the standards of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association that defines it as “a treatment service designed to restore, remediate and rehabilitate a person’s level of functioning and independence in life activities, to promote health and wellness as well as reduce or eliminate the activity limitation and restriction to participate in life situations caused by an illness or disabling condition.”(American Therapeutic Recreation Association, July 2009)
Each guest at Oasis Behavioral Health receives a Therapeutic Recreation Assessment, which is used in planning activities to enhance the guest’s treatment process and facilitate their treatment pertinent to recovery.
