". . .is the provision of Treatment Services and the provision of Recreation Services to persons with illnesses or disabling conditions. The primary purposes of Treatment Services which are often referred to as Recreational Therapy, are to restore, remediate or rehabilitate in order to improve functioning and independence as well as reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability. The primary purposes of Recreational Services are to provide recreation resources and opportunities in order to improve health and well-being. Therapeutic Recreation is provided by professionals who are trained and certified, registered and/or licensed to provide Therapeutic Recreation."
I have been a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) and an NC-certified TR Specialist (TRS) since 1995. Though I am not currently practicing, I do keep up with the field. The biggest of my TR achievements thus far has been the design and implementation of a "wandering garden" at a Greensboro senior-care facility. Another CTRS, Jennifer Fox, and I designed the garden as a class project while in school; she continued with the project after I graduated. It was completed in 1996. You can tour the garden if you like.
--Julie Bobzien