American Therapeutic Recreation Association

American Therapeutic Recreation Association ATRA is the largest national membership organization representing the interests and needs of recreational therapists.

Recreational therapists are healthcare providers who use recreational therapy interventions for improved functioning of individuals with illness or disabling conditions. ATRA, was incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1984 as a non-profit, grassroots organization in response to growing concern about the dramatic changes in the healthcare industry.

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM AVAILABLE! 📣Step into your power as a leader in social connectedness. The preliminary program for ou...
11/14/2025

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM AVAILABLE! 📣

Step into your power as a leader in social connectedness. The preliminary program for our upcoming Advance Your Practice Summit: Healing Loneliness and Disconnection through Recreational Therapy (January 12 - February 7, 2026) is now available! Program highlights:

🧡 14 hours of virtual education (1.4 CEUs)
🩵 Pre-recorded learning sessions and live events
💙 Internationally recognized, expert speakers
🤍 Dynamic topics that will enhance your clinical competency

Advance your practice! Register now and learn more at the link below. Enjoy Early Bird Rates until November 24th. 🫶

https://www.atra-online.com/ayp-summit

SPECIAL CARTE ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣The Committee on Accreditation for Recreational Therapy Education (CARTE), under the auspic...
11/13/2025

SPECIAL CARTE ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣

The Committee on Accreditation for Recreational Therapy Education (CARTE), under the auspices of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), would like to welcome our new and returning board members for 2025-2026! The full CARTE board includes the following elected representatives: four Educators, four Practitioners, one Student, one Employer, and one Public Member.

Congratulations to all! 🧡

NEW ATRA BLOG POST! 📣Make your expertise visible as a leader in social connectedness! The November edition of Purposeful...
11/12/2025

NEW ATRA BLOG POST! 📣

Make your expertise visible as a leader in social connectedness! The November edition of Purposeful Fun is here and it's a powerful tool for your professional advocacy:

"Once viewed as an emotional ideal and at times a soft science, connection is now recognized as a powerful determinant of health and well-being. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory declared loneliness and isolation to be public health threats. This blog explores the growing focus on social connectedness. We discuss why it matters, what the research tells us, and encourages health and human service providers to turn to Recreational Therapists for strategies that truly make a difference."

Print this edition of Purposeful Fun and bring it to your next treatment team meeting or send it out via email to colleagues and key stakeholders in your organization. Your engagement is advocacy—please read, comment, and share at the link below. 🧡

https://www.atra-online.com/atra-blog

Today, and every day, ATRA expresses our deepest gratitude to all who have served. Thank you, Veterans. 🇺🇸🙏
11/11/2025

Today, and every day, ATRA expresses our deepest gratitude to all who have served. Thank you, Veterans. 🇺🇸🙏

OCTOBER ADVOCACY UPDATE! 📣Interested in ATRA's advocacy efforts? Stay informed with our monthly Advocacy & Legislative U...
11/11/2025

OCTOBER ADVOCACY UPDATE! 📣

Interested in ATRA's advocacy efforts? Stay informed with our monthly Advocacy & Legislative Update, which highlights our most current advocacy efforts, including a summary of key issues addressed, a review of action alerts, advocacy initiatives, and issues we're monitoring closely.⁠

In October, there has been very limited Congressional activity as the Senate has been voting and trying to pass a budget bill. The House of Representatives has not returned to DC as Speaker Johnson has declined to hold House meetings until the Senate passes the budget. The federal government officially entered a shutdown on October 1, the start of the federal fiscal year. Essential government workers are required to work (with/without pay depending on the job), and others deemed non-essential are furloughed.

Read our October 2025 Advocacy & Legislative Update at the link below. This is ! Be proactive. Be informed. 👏

https://www.atra-online.com/advocacy

NEW ATRA STAFF MEMBER! 📣We're excited to introduce Holly Douglas, MSRT, CTRS, as ATRA's newest staff member! Holly joins...
11/07/2025

NEW ATRA STAFF MEMBER! 📣

We're excited to introduce Holly Douglas, MSRT, CTRS, as ATRA's newest staff member! Holly joins the team as our Engagement & Education Specialist, bringing with her a wealth of experience in the field and a passion for empowering recreational therapists. Please join us in welcoming Holly to the ATRA team! 🧡

Welcome, Holly! 👏

EARLY BIRD RATES UNTIL 11/24! 📣Social isolation and loneliness put a person at risk of developing serious mental and phy...
11/06/2025

EARLY BIRD RATES UNTIL 11/24! 📣

Social isolation and loneliness put a person at risk of developing serious mental and physical health conditions, and 1 in 3 adults in the United States report feeling lonely and 1 in 4 report a lack of social and emotional support. Loneliness is a serious public health concern.

Recreational therapists are uniquely trained and positioned to identify, assess, and treat loneliness and social isolation through evidence-based interventions that promote social connectedness and increase quality of life. Are you ready to deepen your clinical understanding of loneliness and advance your leadership on this crucial issue within your workplace and/or community?

Join us for our upcoming virtual Summit: Healing Loneliness and Disconnection Through Recreational Therapy (January 12 - February 7, 2026). Review the Preliminary Program (1.4 CEUs) and register now at the link below. Enjoy Early Bird pricing until November 24th. 🧡

https://www.atra-online.com/ayp-summit

ATRA ADVOCACY MEMO! 📣ATRA’s Director of Advocacy & Legislative Affairs, Dr. Dawn DeVries, presented an advocacy-focused ...
11/05/2025

ATRA ADVOCACY MEMO! 📣

ATRA’s Director of Advocacy & Legislative Affairs, Dr. Dawn DeVries, presented an advocacy-focused general session at ATRA San Antonio. Many excellent questions were submitted via QR code, though time only allowed for a few questions to be answered in person. Dr. DeVries has shared her presentation slides and begun responding to additional questions in our Advocacy and Legislation group in the Member Forum on ATRA Connect. Thank you to all who submitted questions!⁠

Stay current on advocacy issues that impact your important work as a recreational therapist and join the conversation now at the link below. 🧡

https://www.atra-online.com/advocacy

FALLS PREVENTION INTENSIVE! 📣We're thrilled to announce the arrival of our first ATRA Intensive: Falls Prevention for Ol...
11/03/2025

FALLS PREVENTION INTENSIVE! 📣

We're thrilled to announce the arrival of our first ATRA Intensive: Falls Prevention for Older Adults in Recreational Therapy. You’ve never experienced online learning like this before! ATRA Intensives take you to the cutting-edge of virtual learning with richly concentrated, interactive educational content. Become a leader is falls prevention!

Falls Prevention Intensive highlights:

🧡 0.7 CEUs (NCTRC-Pre-Approved)
🩵 6 Multi-Media, Interactive Learning Modules
💙 Expert instruction
🧡 Mobile-friendly for learning on the go
🩵 Only have 5 minutes? Stop and save progress any time!
💙 Earn a digital badge to verify proficiency

ATRA Intensives are highly focused, comprehensive virtual trainings that move beyond traditional online learning methods to bring you dynamic, interactive, multi-media learning opportunities that lead to proficiency and elevate your recreational therapy practice.

Special launch rate until December 1st! Invest in your practice. Watch a short demo and start learning now at the link below. 🫶

https://www.atra-online.com/intensives

NEW ATRA BLOG POST! 📣A must-read for all recreational therapists! The newest edition of ATRA's blog, Purposeful Fun, tac...
10/31/2025

NEW ATRA BLOG POST! 📣

A must-read for all recreational therapists! The newest edition of ATRA's blog, Purposeful Fun, tackles a timely question: Is AI positioned to make Recreational Therapists unnecessary? In this blog, we argue that the short answer is no. While AI can assist and enhance the work of Recreational Therapists, it cannot replace the heart, creativity, and human connection that lie at the center of this profession. 🧡

Read the full post, share, and join this important conversation at the link below. 🫶

https://www.atra-online.com/atra-blog

Dear Recreational Therapist,The ATRA Scope of Practice Task Force is pleased to share an update on the extensive work pr...
10/31/2025

Dear Recreational Therapist,

The ATRA Scope of Practice Task Force is pleased to share an update on the extensive work presented at the ATRA Annual Conference in San Antonio. Please review the presentation slides, and if you have feedback or ideas, we encourage you to scan the QR code on slide 28 to share your comments.

To clarify, the Scope of Practice is not the same as the Standards of Practice. Our Task Force is not editing, revising, or altering the ATRA Standards of Practice in any way. As shown in slides 3–7, there are distinct and important differences between these two documents.

The Scope of Practice defines the legal and professional boundaries of what recreational therapists are qualified, trained, and authorized to do. In contrast, the Standards of Practice outline the level of quality and professionalism expected in how those services are delivered. Put simply, the scope of practice defines what we can do; the standards of practice describe how well it should be done.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and reviewing your comments. Learn more, access the presentation slides, and share your comments at atra-online.com. Please provide feedback by Friday, November 14th.

Sincerely,
Allie Thomas
Chair, ATRA Scope of Practice Task Force

JOIN US ON THURSDAY 11/6! 📣New to ATRA? We'd love to meet you! Not new but want an update on your ATRA benefits? We'd lo...
10/30/2025

JOIN US ON THURSDAY 11/6! 📣

New to ATRA? We'd love to meet you! Not new but want an update on your ATRA benefits? We'd love to say hello! You're invited to join Brent and Dyann on Zoom for ATRA New Member Class! They'll review the benefits and resources that accompany your ATRA membership, answer any questions you may have, and connect you with other members and/or opportunities! 🧡

New Member Class takes place on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30PM ET on Zoom. We hope to see you on Thursday, November 6th. We're excited to connect with you. 🫶

Please visit the link below for the Zoom link and details! ⬇️

https://www.atra-online.com/live-events

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