Career Overview
Plan, direct, or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. Activities include sports, trips, dramatics, social activities, and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.
Also Known As
- Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS)
- Recreation Therapist
- Recreational Therapist
- Rehabilitation Therapist
Alternate Job Titles
- Activities Coordinator
- Activities Therapist
- Activity Therapist
- Adventure Therapist
- Certified Recreational Therapist
- Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS)
- Creative Arts Therapist
- Dance Therapist
- Drama Therapist
- Ecotherapist
- General Activities Therapist
- Horticultural Therapist
- Life Enrichment Coordinator (LEC)
- Lifestyle Director
- Music Rehabilitation Therapist
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
- Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
- Plan, organize, direct, and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community, and prevent further medical problems.
- Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
- Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests, and objectives of therapy.
- Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients, themselves, to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
- Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- English Language
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Service Orientation
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Instructing
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Recognition
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Empathy
- Cooperation
- Optimism
- Social Orientation
- Dependability
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- 35 millimeter cameras
- Acoustic guitars
- Archery bows
- Audio tape recorders
- Baseball bats
- Baseballs
- Basketballs
- Bicycles
- Bowling balls
- Canoes
- Compact disk CD players
- Croquet sets
- Desktop computers
- Digital audio recorders
- Digital camcorders
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $39,520 |
| Median | $60,280 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $96,600 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 15,060
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $68,340
Psychiatric Technicians
Education: Some College Courses
Median Salary: $42,590
Occupational Therapists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $98,340
Physical Therapist Assistants
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $65,510
Occupational Therapy Aides
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $37,370
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.