How To Become a Recreational Therapist

Recreational therapists help people with mental or physical health issues to improve their levels of well-being (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). For example, a recreational therapist might help someone living in a nursing home lead a more fulfilling life by playing games or doing activities with them. A recreational therapist might also use sports to teach someone how to be more independent after an accident.

First, someone who wants to become a recreational therapist should earn a bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy or a related field. Beyond that, many regions do not have specific requirements for recreational therapists. That said, most hospitals and clinical offices prefer to hire certified recreational therapists (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015).

In the United States, the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) offers a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) certification, which is earned by either simply earning a bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy, or by earning another type of bachelor’s degree and then passing an exam (which recreational therapist degree-seekers have to pass anyway to earn their degrees).

Further specialty certification can be earned in areas such as behavioral health or physical rehabilitation, which might help a prospective therapist be a more competitive candidate when searching for a job.

How To Become a Child Therapist

Child therapists help children develop in a more healthy way. For example, a child therapist might help a child understand why they cannot focus in school, and figure out ways to help the child focus better in the classroom (Miller). According to study.com, child therapists also help diagnose possible mental health disorders in children.

Like most therapists, the path to becoming a child therapist begins with a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field. From there, according to psychology.org, one should earn a Master’s degree in child development or clinical psychology. Once one has a master’s degree and the requisite amount of supervised clinical experience, they are nearly qualified to start working as a child therapist.

The last step in most regions is completing a class on child abuse, so that the therapist can, if necessary, recognize and report instances of child abuse in their client. One can also go on to earn a Ph.D. or Psy.D. to be a more desirable candidate.