Giving Back to the Next Generation of Recreation Therapists

Recently, I had the opportunity to return to Central Michigan University, where I graduated from the Recreation Therapy program, to participate in a professional panel for current Recreation Therapy students.

Coming back as the owner of Evolve Recreation Therapy, LLC was a meaningful full-circle experience. When I was a student, I remember having plenty of questions about internships, finding my first job, choosing a population, and what working a

s a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) would actually look like after graduation.

Now, I had the opportunity to be on the other side of those conversations.

Sharing the Real Side of a Career in Recreation Therapy

During the panel, we discussed clinical internships, entering the profession, working with different populations, professional development, interdisciplinary treatment teams, salary negotiation, and career growth.

One of the biggest messages I wanted students to hear was that your career does not have to follow a perfectly straight path.

Mine certainly didn't.

My Recreation Therapy career has included adaptive sports, developmental disabilities, short- and long-term rehabilitation, adult psychiatric care, TBI and SCI day programming, vocational training, and eventually one-on-one community-based Recreation Therapy.

Each experience taught me something different and ultimately helped me discover where I felt most connected: working individually with people with neurological injuries in their homes and communities.

That experience eventually led to the creation of Evolve Recreation Therapy.

Recreation Therapy as a Bridge Back to Real Life

One topic I especially enjoyed discussing with the students was the role Recreation Therapists can have on an interdisciplinary rehabilitation team.

In community-based practice, I often think of Recreation Therapy as a bridge between rehabilitation and real life.

A person may work with physical therapy on mobility, occupational therapy on activities of daily living, and speech-language pathology on communication or cognitive skills. Recreation Therapy can provide opportunities to take those skills into real-world environments and use them while returning to meaningful leisure, social participation, fitness, and community life.

Our sessions may look enjoyable—and they should be—but there is clinical reasoning behind the experience.

Supporting Future CTRSs

I also had the opportunity to conduct mock internship interviews and provide students with feedback on their interviewing skills, resumes, and professional portfolios.

One thing I emphasized was that I don't expect a student or new graduate to know everything.

I value dependability, flexibility, curiosity, emotional maturity, and a willingness to ask for help.

Some of the best advice I can give a future CTRS is simple:

Be good on your word. Ask questions. Stay curious. And don't be afraid to try different areas of Recreation Therapy until you find where you belong.

Bringing It Back to Evolve

Mentorship and advocacy are important parts of the vision for Evolve Recreation Therapy, LLC.

As Evolve grows, I want to continue creating opportunities for Recreation Therapists to develop strong clinical reasoning, recognize the value they bring to interdisciplinary teams, and feel confident advocating for our profession.

Returning to CMU was a reminder of how much can change between sitting in a classroom wondering what your career will look like and eventually having the opportunity to help guide the students sitting in those same seats.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to give back to the Recreation Therapy community—and excited to see where the next generation of CTRSs takes our profession.

Megan Groat, CTRS, AITOwner & Recreation TherapistEvolve Recreation Therapy, LLC