Activities Therapist
An Activities Therapist is a professional who provides creative therapeutic services aimed at enhancing the emotional and mental well-being of patients. They work with individuals facing both mental and physical challenges, using a variety of therapeutic modalities such as art, music, dance, and recreational therapies. The primary goal of these therapies is to help patients gain independence, improve self-expression, build new skills, and foster self-confidence. Activities therapists typically operate in diverse settings, including psychiatric facilities, hospitals, schools, and retirement communities, collaborating with other healthcare and educational professionals to address the needs of their clients.
The role involves assessing patients, designing personalized treatment plans, and facilitating engaging activities that promote both social integration and personal growth. Activities therapists are often characterized by their energetic and imaginative nature, requiring skills in leadership, patience, and empathy. Education and training in a specific therapeutic area, along with internships and practical experience, are essential for those pursuing a career in this field. Overall, Activities Therapists play a vital role in supporting individuals on their path to recovery and improved quality of life through creative expression and engagement.
Activities Therapist
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Health Science
Interests: Patient rehabilitation, therapeutic programs and services, special needs services, teaching/leading activities, social work
Earnings (Yearly Median): $51,330 per year $22.68 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 4% (As fast as average)
Entry-Level Education Bachelor's degree
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training None
Overview
Sphere of Work. Activities therapists provide creative therapeutic services and treatments aimed at helping their patients improve their emotional and mental well-being, gain independence, improve self-expression, build new skills, and develop self-confidence. They develop and implement medically approved therapies and programs to meet the needs, abilities, and interests of patients with mental and physical conditions. The range of therapies used by activities therapists during rehabilitation or treatment is wide and includes art therapy, music, dance, and theater therapy, recreational therapy, nature therapy, sports therapy, religious therapy, social therapy, and manual arts therapy.
Work Environment. Activities therapists work in medical settings that include psychiatric facilities, hospitals, and substance abuse facilities, as well as community and institutional settings, such as schools, prisons, and retirement facilities. In medical environments, activities therapists generally partner with medical and social service professionals, such as doctors and social workers, to increase a patient’s confidence, skill set, and mood or outlook. In community and institutional settings, activities therapists partner with educational and therapeutic professionals, such as teachers, special education coordinators, and recreational therapists, to meet students’ or patients’ therapeutic needs.
Occupation Interest. Individuals attracted to the field of activities therapy tend to be physically strong and energetic people who people who have the ability to teach and lead a variety of activities. They exhibit traits such as imagination, problem solving, desire to help, patience, sense of humor, and caring. Activities therapists must be able to work as part of a team of therapy professionals to meet patient needs.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. The daily occupational duties and responsibilities of activities therapists will be determined by the individual’s area of job specialization and work environment. Areas of activities therapy job specialization include art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, recreational therapy, sports therapy, religious therapy, social therapy, nature therapy, and manual arts therapy. Activities therapists encourage their patients to make more frequent use of available resources, build on existing but overlooked skills, and try new activities.
In general, activities therapists should be prepared to greet patients as they arrive for therapeutic activities. Activities therapists interact with patients throughout the day in a friendly and supportive manner and conduct patient assessments so that they can record the needs, interests, and abilities of patients. As they monitor patients’ symptoms, reactions, and progress through the assessments, activities therapists constantly revise patient treatment plans and implement treatment through activities, therapy sessions, and workshops. Examples of group activities include arts and crafts, nature-oriented activities such as gardening, and performing arts activities, as well as personal hygiene and self-care instruction and individual and small group community integration exercises such as bus riding practice and restaurant ordering.
In addition to patient interaction, activities therapists are often required to meet with patient treatment teams, physicians, or patient families and describe patient progress in therapeutic activities. This occupation includes supervising and scheduling tasks such as supervising therapeutic staff and volunteers, preparing therapeutic materials and equipment, and overseeing the safety, upkeep, and maintenance of therapeutic equipment and facilities. Activities therapists schedule therapeutic program events such as nature studies, recreational sports leagues, dances, adapted team sports, and classes.
Art Therapists (076.127-010).Art Therapists plan and direct activities that help mentally ill and physically disabled patients use art for nonverbal expression and communication.
Music Therapists (076.167-010).Music Therapists plan, organize, and direct instrumental and vocal music activities and experiences to help patients with communication, social, daily living, or problem-solving skills.
Dance Therapists (076.127-010). Dance Therapists plan, organize, and lead dance and body movement activities to improve patients’ mental outlook and physical well-being.
Manual-Arts Therapists (076.124-010). Manual-Arts Therapists plan and organize woodworking, photography, metalworking, agriculture, electricity, and graphic arts activities in collaboration with a rehabilitation team and prepare reports that show development of patient work tolerance, emotional and social development, and ability to meet physical and mental demands of employment.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Activities therapists work in rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, therapy clinics, and schools. Therapeutic office settings used by activities therapists may be shared with other therapeutic professionals, including recreational, physical, occupational, or speech and language therapists.
Human Environment. Activities therapists interact with a wide variety of people and should be comfortable providing therapeutic services to those with physical, mental, and emotional conditions and special needs. Activities therapists usually work as part of a patient treatment team, which includes patient families, social workers, teachers, doctors, and additional therapists. As a member of a treatment team, activities therapists participate in frequent team meetings and are responsible for communicating patient progress to fellow team members.
Technological Environment. Activities therapists use a wide range of technology and equipment in their work, including telecommunication tools, word processing software, and computer applications such as spreadsheets. Equipment used by activities therapists during therapy sessions may include musical instruments, sports equipment, art supplies, and adaptive technology such as wheelchairs and pool lifts.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary: High school students interested in pursuing the profession of activities therapist should develop good study habits. High school courses in the arts, physical education, psychology, anatomy, and sociology will prepare students for collegiate studies. Students interested in the activities therapy field will benefit from seeking internships or part-time work in therapeutic programs or with people with mental and physical special needs.
Postsecondary. Postsecondary students interested in pursuing training in activities therapy should complete coursework in their preferred specialization (i.e., art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, recreational therapy, nature therapy, or manual arts therapy), as well as courses on counseling, physical education and therapy, special education, abnormal psychology, ethics, anatomy, physiology, and assistive technology. Membership in the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) may provide networking opportunities and connections.
Prior to graduating, college students interested in joining the activities therapy profession should secure related work such as therapy assistant or special education assistant, or apply to graduate school in their preferred therapeutic specialization. Those interested in attending graduate school will benefit from seeking internships or work in therapeutic programs or with people with mental or physical special needs.
Related Occupations
− Clinical Laboratory Technologist
− Occupational Therapy Assistant
Bibliography
"Recreational Therapists." Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Dept. of Labor, 6 Sept. 2023, www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/recreational-therapists.htm#tab-1. Accessed 8 Sept. 2023.