A panic attack in therapeutic recreation over being considered therapeutic

Ancillary professions have been called upon to account for therapeutic benefits from their services or be eliminated from the health care system. A singular focus on therapy, however, would negate the unique contribution of therapeutic recreation within, while simultaneously restricting services to health care settings. It is proposed that panic over therapeutic recreation services meeting health care goals has hindered evaluation and solidification of the leisure-based philosophy presented in the NTRS Philosophical Position Statement (NTRS, 1982). It is argued that emphasizing the leisure orientation of the philosophical position statement can secure therapeutic recreation's position within, yet, not deny services to those outside of the health care system. An overview is presented on the adequacy of the position statement philosophy for therapeutic recreation. A potential danger of attempting to explain therapeutic recreation in terms of non-leisure based philosophies is also discussed.