Therapeutic recreation is concerned with the treatment of conditions which are disabling, and the facilitation of independent leisure functioning. Recreation is a tool used by the health professional to bring about desired changes in psychomotor and social behavior.

What could I do with my degree?

• As an allied health professional, a therapeutic recreation specialist could work in the following settings:
• physical medicine and rehabilitation facilities (dealing with head injuries, spinal cord injuries or strokes)
• mental health hospitals
• state institutions (for the developmentally disabled, chronic psychiatric or juvenile offenders)
• group homes
• camps for disabled individuals
• long term care facilities
• treatment centers for substance abusers
• Beginning salaries are usually comparable to the beginning salaries of public school teachers. Career opportunities are very divergent and are available through the United States.