Feb 1, 2016
On behalf of the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association, I would like to extend greetings to Recreation Therapists across Canada, during your TR Awareness Month celebrations.
Therapeutic Recreation Awareness Week has been promoted by CTRA since its inception in 1996. In the past, during the first full week of February each year, CTRA invited all of its members to join in promoting and celebrating the role of Therapeutic Recreation in Canada. In 2012, TR awareness week grew by being simultaneously celebrated at an international level as the American Therapeutic Recreation Association proclaimed February Therapeutic Recreation Month. And this year, will be the fourth time in history that Therapeutic Recreation Awareness Month is being celebrated internationally by the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association, the American Therapeutic Recreation Association and the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification.
“Connecting Our Passion for Compassion” has been selected as this year’s TR Awareness Month theme. CTRA has been busy this year “Connecting our Passion about Therapeutic Recreation” and determining why we do what we do? Why are we passionate about Therapeutic Recreation? Take a few moments to reflect, why you were inspired to be a Recreation Therapist or work in the Therapeutic Recreation field. CTRA will be celebrating our 20th anniversary this year, and in doing so, hopes to continue to connect with our members about what makes you Passionate to be a Recreation Therapist.
The 2016 TR Awareness Month theme and annual CTRA conference will serve as a source of inspiration for us to connect our passion for Health, Leisure, Wellness and Compassion.
By taking an active approach to celebrating TR awareness month, our profession will benefit by:
•Increasing support and appreciation ofTR programs and services by our colleagues and peers
•Increasing recognition of the role of TR by the general public, our clients, family members of our clients, colleagues, health care administrators and community leaders
•Increasing understanding of how TR treatment promotes wellness
•Increasing membership of TR practitioners in professional TRorganizations nationwide
•Increasing communication and networking among TR professional across the country
•Promoting, developing and reinforcing relationships and links within the healthcarecommunity,educationcommunity, business community, therapeutic recreation community as well as thegeneral public
I would like to invite you all to consider joining our next joint webinar with TRO “Building a Body of Canadian TR Knowledge for Our Practice and TR Future” Presented by Kim Lopez, PhD c. and Carrie Bristoe PhD c on February 23, 2016 from 12:00 – 1:00 pm EST. As well after you can connect with other colleagues via Twitter “Join the conversation” event immediately after the webinar from 1-2 pm @TR_ONTARIO #TRknowledge To register for the webinar please visit:
or take some time to view one of our webinar recordings with colleagues during this Therapeutic Recreation Month.
In closing, I want to wish everyone a wonderful, successful and happy Therapeutic Recreation -Awareness Month!
Sincerely,
Tanea Goncalves Forward
CTRA Executive Director