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PATHWAYs
CAREERS
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PLAN YOUR PATH
This section lays out various pathways you can take to launch your healthcare career. Explore the field of allied health, college options, where certifications fit in, and how to get started while still in high school.
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Allied Healthcare Careers
Recreational Therapist
- Do you like to help people improve their physical, social, and emotional well-being?
- Are you empathetic and like supporting others?
- Are you interested in exercise and physical fitness?
Consider a career as a Recreational Therapist.
Recreational therapists work with a wide variety of people who have injuries, disabilities, illnesses, and psychological challenges that may prevent them from enjoying activities or building meaningful social relationships. Recreational therapists work with people of all ages and backgrounds - children, the elderly, or youth at risk. Some of the patients they work with have developmental disabilities or have had brain injuries.
Recreational Therapy is part of the allied health career field that helps people become independent or improve their overall quality of life. Other jobs in this group include Occupational Therapy which helps people recover or maintain control of their motor and cognitive skills, and Physical Therapy which usually isolates a particular part of the body that needs to be healed. Recreational Therapy is more holistic in that it includes psychological wellbeing, and aims to help people participate in fun and leisure activities that improve their mental health. A Recreational Therapist is interested in reducing depression, stress, and anxiety, as well as helping people build confidence and healthy relationships.
Want to try it out?
Think of someone you know who is very shy and does not like to be around people too much. Or think of a child who you have seen standing by themselves on the playground.
- How would you approach this person or child in a friendly, non-threatening way? What would you say to them to get them to feel at ease with you?
- How would you go about asking them how they feel in social situations? If they have a physical disability, how would you ask them about this?
- How would you continue the conversation to build trust with them?
- What ideas do you have for helping them participate in a social situation? For example, is there a game that you think they might enjoy? Is there an easy way you can teach them to play the game?
- What will you do when they become frustrated? What if they manifest their frustration in a physical way - they cry, run away or try to hit someone?
- How long do you think it will take for someone to get on a road to recovery? What are the steps and hopeful signs you might look for?
Try to role play this activity with a friend. Take turns being the Recreation Therapist.
Would you enjoy this kind of work? What might make it rewarding for you?
What do Recreational Therapists do?
Recreation Therapists:
- Engage patients in therapeutic activities, such as exercise, games, and community outings.
- Help patients learn social skills needed to become or remain independent
- Help patients to reduce and cope with stress, anxiety, or depression
- Assess patients’ needs through observation, medical records, tests, and discussions with patients, their families, and other healthcare workers
- Develop and implement treatment plans that meet patients’ goals and interests
- Document and analyze a patient’s progress to ensure that their goals are met and to modify treatment as needed
Recreation Therapists may work with physicians or surgeons, registered nurses, psychologists, social workers, physical therapists, teachers, or occupational therapists. Recreational therapists are different from recreation workers, who organize recreational activities primarily for enjoyment.
Watch some Recreational Therapists at work:
I Am A Recreational Therapist
What is Recreational Therapy? Alison Baionno tells her story
Recreation Therapy: The Story of Rigo & Alivia
The Job Outlook
Where can you work?
Recreational therapists held about 17,600 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of recreational therapists were as follows:
Recreational therapists work in an office setting when assessingpatients, planning activities, or completing other administrationtasks, but they may also travel when working with patients. Therapy may be provided in a clinical or community setting. For example, therapists may take their patients to recreation centers or parks for sports and other activities
How much will you earn?
Employment of recreational therapists is projected to grow 4% from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations. On average, recreational therapists can earn around $48,000 per year.
The Skills you need to be successful as a Recreation Therapist
Take stock of the skills you already have to see if being a Recreation Therapist is a good career choice for you:
- Leadership skills: you can motivate people to try things they may be hesitant to do at first; you’re good at rallying people to do something
- You have good interpersonal skills: you enjoy interacting with people from all different cultures, backgrounds, and ages; cultural competence is a strength; you can treat all people with respect, even if they have a disability
- You are a good coach: you are a patient, active listener; you are compassionate but clear on what needs to get done
- You have some special interests: like health and fitness, or music, that you can use to motivate people; you enjoy games and leisure activities
Career Pathways
Beginning your career as a Recreational Therapist can be a step towards other career pathways. You can go on to become an Athletic Trainer, Exercise Physiologist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, or Rehabilitation Counselor. It’s also a good path to a career in education, such as a School Counselor or Special Education Teacher.
READ MORE
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Education & Training
Education
A Bachelor's degree is usually required to be a Recreation Therapist, but this is not always the case. There are entry level jobs you can get with an associate degree and certifications.
Training
Training is incorporated into most degree programs; you will need to learn on the job and gain experience before being hired full-time.
Licenses & Certifications
Employers may require or prefer recreational therapists to be certified. The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) offers the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credential. Candidates may qualify for certification by earning a degree or with a combination of education and work experience. The NCTRC also offers certification in specialization areas, including adaptive sports and recreation, behavioral health, and developmental disabilities. Therapists also may earn certificates from other organizations to show proficiency in specific therapy techniques, such as aquatic therapy or aromatherapy. Some employers prefer to hire recreational therapists who also have basic life support (BLS) or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification.
Your path to becoming a Recreational Therapist
2-year College Pathway
Students who choose to begin their degree at a 2-year college tend to major in Physical Education, Recreation and Recreation Therapy. This concentration prepares students to work in hospitals, nursing homes, recreation centers, rehabilitation centers, day programs and with disabled individuals in community settings. They work with people of all ages as well as people with physical, emotional or developmental disabilities.
Students who choose to begin their degree at a 2-year college tend to major in Physical Education, Recreation and Recreation Therapy. This concentration prepares students to work in hospitals, nursing homes, recreation centers, rehabilitation centers, day programs and with disabled individuals in community settings. They work with people of all ages as well as people with physical, emotional or developmental disabilities.
Courses emphasize learning by doing. Students take activity skills courses in leadership, introduction to recreation, social recreation, fieldwork experience, organization and administration of recreation, health, and arts and crafts.
The tables below outline a sample course schedule for anyone who chooses this path.
The tables below outline a sample course schedule for anyone who chooses this path.
First Year
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Second Year
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4-year College Pathway
As an Exercise Science student, you’ll choose between two tracks—fitness professional and pre-health professions—and choose from a plethora of courses in every conceivable aspect of health and nutrition in order to pursue a career in health and wellness. The fitness professional track provides a background in exercise testing, exercise training, athletic training, and strength and conditioning. The pre-health profession track prepares students for advanced programs in health-aligned professions such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, nursing, and physician assistant with a basic knowledge of kinesiology.
The following is an example of the suggested path for your course planning when you begin at Brooklyn College to give you an idea of what courses you can take with your major requirements.
As an Exercise Science student, you’ll choose between two tracks—fitness professional and pre-health professions—and choose from a plethora of courses in every conceivable aspect of health and nutrition in order to pursue a career in health and wellness. The fitness professional track provides a background in exercise testing, exercise training, athletic training, and strength and conditioning. The pre-health profession track prepares students for advanced programs in health-aligned professions such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, nursing, and physician assistant with a basic knowledge of kinesiology.
The following is an example of the suggested path for your course planning when you begin at Brooklyn College to give you an idea of what courses you can take with your major requirements.
Exercise Science - Fitness Professional Track, B.S. Four-Year Degree Map for Bulletin Year 2022-2023
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
Take Your first step to become a Recreational Therapist
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