Someone recently asked me, [Danny Pettry,] how long have you been a Rec Therapist.
I discovered rec therapy during volunteer work during the summer of 1999 (the week of the 4th of of July). I’ve been a rec therapist at heart since 1999 (24-years-ago)
I graduated with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia in August 2002. (21 years)
I was employed at a psychiatric hospital on August 12, 2002, one day after completing an internship at another hospital. (21 years). They hired me without having certification. My facility hasn’t required recreational therapists to be certified to practice during my 21 years of experience.
I earned Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credentials in 2003. (20 years).
I earned the Behavioral Health Specialization (branch of the CTRS) credential in 2013 (10 years).