Therapeutic Recreation Leadership and Programming

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 therapeutic recreation specialist (TRS) while integrating ethical considerations into each aspect of the job. Readers will learn how to perform the daily work of a TRS 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 specialists to offer a regular schedule of therapeutic recreation programs that meet the needs of all of their clients, whether in group or individual settings.

The book will arm students with the information and tools they need in order to succeed as therapeutic recreation specialists. It 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. The book also provides specific recreation activities from five major program areas, along with information on the effectiveness of the activities, risk management concerns, and implementation strategies. Step-by-step instructions for structuring, planning, and leading both group and one-on-one sessions will prepare students to implement programs in a wide variety of settings.

Stories from professionals in the field, examples of real and hypothetical clients, and case studies show students how to use the principles they’ve learned when leading programs. Learning activities help them to further explore the concepts in each chapter, and highlight boxes emphasize key ideas related to each chapter’s content. An instructor guide is available to course adopters at www.HumanKinetics.com/TherapeuticRecreationLeadershipandProgramming.

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.

In her free time, Stavola Daly enjoys reading, fitness walking, and traveling.