Our Story

Our goal is for the practice of therapeutic recreation to be understood, consistently practiced and valued. Therapeutic Recreation is a relatively young profession compared to other disciplines in the fields of healthcare and social services. At times, over the years, we’ve experienced employers, colleagues and the general public lacking knowledge about what we do and what we can achieve. It is our aim to educate them about therapeutic recreation and the powerful results we can deliver.

We strive for a future where …

Employers and colleagues clearly understand our range of services and actively engage us in designing client treatment and intervention plans. They know we make a positive difference for the teams we work with.

Clients and their family members request and ask about our services. We make a positive difference for the clients and communities we serve.

Health authorities, unions, government, private agencies and complementary practitioners understand exactly where we fit, our vital role in healthcare and the benefits our profession offers.

With this reality, clients will achieve significant improvements in less time because of the roles we play in their care by designing intervention plans that inspire them, engage them and bring them joy. Employers and colleagues will understand the power of therapeutic recreation; they’ll see us as an essential piece of the puzzle of overall care and treatment for clients in the facilities where we work. Moreover, with this understanding, the opportunities for Recreation Therapists will expand, and we’ll be more effective in our roles and be happier and healthier ourselves.

We won’t hear the question, “What exactly does a Recreation Therapist do?” as often, or at all.

BCTRA acts as a collective voice and advocates for our members to strengthen and advance the profession of therapeutic recreation in British Columbia. We provide a place for Recreation Therapists to belong, connect, grow, be celebrated and appreciated. Our board and team of volunteers from within our membership come from regions across the province and bring expertise from all different areas of practice in our field. As a result, those leading the BCTRA forward form a broad collective that has their fingers on the pulse of TR across the province. As a team, we’re driven to support and enhance our members’ ability to provide consistent, sound and high-quality services using research to support best practice. We’re here to support members growth and success by providing access to learning opportunities and resources, education grants, mentorship and a community of like-minded professionals.

We invite you to join us as a member; if you’re already a member, then join us as a volunteer or board member to help further integrate therapeutic recreation into mainstream health and social services. Together, we can make an even more significant impact in creating more inclusive communities where individuals and families are healthier, better able to contribute positively to society and live to their full potential.