The Therapeutic Recreation Process

HPR 450Chapter 4

The TR Process underlies the Delivery of all TR services

Humanistic Perspective – 1970s Individuals have the ability to

› Be self-directed› Make wise choices› Develop themselves through leisure

The approach defined› Holistic view of the person› Believe that children and adults are

capable of change

Humanistic Perspective cont’d› Each person is unique and possess dignity and

worth› See people as being in dynamic interaction with

the environment and not just reacting› People have a need to find meaning in their lives› People are primarily social beings who have a

need to belong and feel valued› People are healthy and strive for personal

satisfaction; yet go beyond their own needs to understand and care about others

› People express a tendency toward self-actualization

Humanistic Perspective cont’d

Recreation Therapists emphasize the concept that the “whole person” is involved

Central to humanistic perspective – People have the freedom to change, make decisions, and assume responsibility for their actions, especially in leisure

Individuals seek stimulus through leisure instead of waiting for the environment to act on them – Reach unexplored potentials!

Humanistic Perspective cont’d

TR is interested in making individuals feel good about themselves through personal satisfaction

The CTRS assumes caring, understanding attitude provides opportunities in free and open environment and through person-to-person interactions

Enhance positive self-concepts and learn to grow beyond themselves and care about others

Humanistic Perspective cont’d

Humanistic psychology and Positive psychology assume individuals possess a self-actualizing tendency – development of human strengths and potentials

CTRSs help clients to experience positive emotions to negate negative emotions

Build on strengths and abilities to overcome problems

Promote optimal functioning across the full range of human functioning, from disorder and distress to health and fulfillment

High-Level Wellness

Also focuses on maximizing the potential of which an individual is capable

Focuses not only on absence of physical illness but implies psychological and environmental wellness

Physical + Social + Mental well-being = High-Level Wellness

Health Promotion encourages highest levels of health

Holistic Medicine

Component of High-Level Wellness – Treats the whole person and not the disease (like TR)

“well medicine” (wellness and health enhancement) (mind, body, spirit and environment vs.

“traditional medicine” (illness) (isolated parts and symptoms)

TR and High-Level Wellness is strikingly similar

TR deals with illness but not exclusively with illness – has historically promoted the goal of self-actualization, or facilitation of the fullest possible growth and development of client

Figure 4.1 pg 164 Illness-Wellness Continuum Death->->->->Peak Health

Leisurablity Model as client moves through continuum

We can’t depend on healthcare workers to “take care of us” – We must assume some responsibility – TR clients are CTRS partners in care

Stabilizing and Actualizing Tendencies

Health Protection = overcoming illness Health Promotion = achievement of

highest level of wellness possible Stabilizing and Actualizing Tendencies are

motivational forces that underlie Health Protection and Health Promotion

Stability maintains “steady state” to keep stress in a manageable range and protect us from biophysical and psychosocial harm – Force behind Health Protection

Actualization Tendency – Brings growth enhancement force emphasized by humanistic psychologists to the forefront – Health Promotion

Health is complex concept which involves coping adaptively, as well as growing and becoming

CTRSs contribute to health by assisting clients to fulfill their needs for stability and actualization

TR regains stability following a threat to health (protection) and assists in achieving high-level health (promotion)

Conceptual Models

We work from personal base of knowledge and beliefs

A philosophy reflects viewpoints (learned beliefs and values that direct behavior and attitude)

Concepts are vehicles of thought used to describe objects, properties, and events and the relationship between them.

Allow us to recognize similarities and differences and make generalizations about a phenomenon to tie together past and present and predict the future

Concepts are the building blocks of theories Highly abstract concepts are called constructs

(i.e. construct of wellness) A Theory is a statement that relies on a set of

interrelated concepts to form a systematic view of a phenomenon

Theories organize concepts and specifies relationships between concepts in an effort to present an understanding and explanation of a phenomenon (Chapter 2 – Theories and Therapies)

Models Defined

Models are representations of something

Models should make things simpler to understand

Shows the relationship between elements into a whole

Models of a profession offer an image or picture of the components of the discipline and how the parts fit together

TR Models

Conceptual Models for a practice discipline must be more than a visual

“Practice Models” offer an image of the components of the discipline and how its parts fit and work together

Must direct practitioners in the process of intervening in the lives of clients and must be based on something

That’s where Theories come in – provide foundation for assumptions and gives theoretical basis for action

It is critical that CTRSs have well conceived models so they may understand their profession and interpret it to others

Leisure Ability Model (Peterson and Gunn, 1984)

Health Protection/Health Promotion Model (Austin, 1991; 1998; 2001)

Some CTRSs endorse all-encompassing approach – Provision of recreation to individuals with disabilities

Some endorse narrower perspective – Emphasizes clinical interventions for treatment and rehabilitation

There has been no agreement across the discipline on one model

Austin contends that, due to TR being an emerging profession, practitioners will have the opportunity to select the “best fit” with philosophy and goals of their agency