RCLS 240 Overview of Therapeutic Recreation

Juan Villegas

10/18/2018

Becoming a Helper Professional Applications Paper

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My planned profession in Therapeutic Recreation as a helper is something I found

myself thinking about more after reading Chapter 3. One of the qualities that stood out to me as

something I’ll probably experience is to be a Model & influence. In this area, we use helpful

relationships to satisfy needs, were aware of how we’re perceived, and we also treat clients as

equals. All though it’s important to make sure that my own needs are being met so that I don’t

build upon my future client the burden of fulfilling my needs that may not have been met in my

early childhood or as a young adult. (Andel, Carter,2011, p.69)

Having worked with clients with disabilities, it’s important to realize that I don’t treat

them any different for their disability and treat them as I would any other client or patient

because If I had failed to do so my relationship as a helper would be damaged. Though I might

be a healthcare professional in one setting, it’s detrimental that I maintain a position not of power

but as a means of wanting to help while still having a presence that allows my role to be known.

One of these scenarios that I’ve encountered is with my current client who has a disability, but

we speak to each other in the same fashion as I do with the father, there is no hint of me treating

the client any different and though our training is different than another client I do still discuss

why we do a certain movement and show that to him all while being knowledgeable with the

program but having fun with it as well. Using those kinds of experiences, I am then able to

incorporate this level of thinking with any client who may be on a more extreme case and still

explaining to them why the activity will benefit them. Having worked with clients such as this

one also benefits me in exposing me to this type of training as well as having the opportunity as a

Personal trainer to be able to consider all of the symptoms that may come with Down Syndrome

such as a less efficient cardiovascular system and hypermobility so that I may make any

modifications needed. This experience is going to build upon my future profession because it
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allowed me to do programming, it allowed me to create a relationship with a client on a

professional level and it also gave me the experience of seeing how much responsibility I can

allow said client while still making sure it’s safe. It also advances me in becoming a helper in the

profession since it is an essential component of Therapeutic Recreation as it serves as an

extension of their healing by providing growth, emotional, trust among other things. Another

quality that I’ll see in my future profession is Responsibility allowing me to provide structure

and having done that so much before in regard to programming gives me confidence when it

comes to doing a group activity with patients. With that, allowing the client to take responsibility

in what they do but keeping it a safe level of freedom in order to ensure their safety and in my

future profession it could be something as simple as writing the names of all of those in the

circle. While providing structural support and energy to make a change I still want to allow them

a sense of freedom. (Andel, Carter,2011, p.69)

Two interpersonal facilitation skills that I see as highly relevant is to engage the client to

ask questions, this being of high importance to me because though depending on the client

situation I would encourage them to ask any questions they have and providing an ethical

response that lies within my scope of practice. People can be intimidated by a professional or

unusual environment and as a helper I may have a child who will no longer be able to walk under

my care and my task would be to support those needs and try to empathize on what they may be

feeling because of their environment or surrounding. Another that is of relevance is to respond

with information and though I want to provide factual info I do want to avoid confusing the

patient by using complex vocabulary (Andel, Carter,2011, p.76-82). As mentioned I have to

remember for example in the case of the child who will no longer be able to walk that I restate

what they’ve asked in order to avoid confusion or an answer that might need to be filtered in
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some way due to the current state or environment of the patient, this is very important to

remember because it will avoid an unhealthy advancement to a relationship I may currently be

attempting to work on as the Recreational Therapist.

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References

Marcia Jean Carter, Glen E. Van Andel. (2011). Therapeutic Recreation. A Practical Approach.