Written by Christine Giplen, staff writer for Rec Therapy Today
Meet Jessica King
She has an undergraduate degree in psychology from Marshall University. She is currently in the masters of Therapeutic Recreation Program at Indiana University. She was at ATRA as a presenter with her professor on the topic of sexual health and wellness in stoke wives caregiving. The title of her presentation is “building healthy relationships through play it doesn’t start in the bedroom”. It is important, as it truly brings Holistic Health to the front of therapist’s minds. It is important to pay attention to sexual needs, it is everywhere including the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. She gained interest in this topic when her husband had a significant stroke that affected his speech, leaving him with moderate aphasia, apraxia, and gave him temporary right side paralysis. She met her husband as he trained her to Clowning, in Charleston, West Virginia. They have been married for nine years.
Jessica shared “stroke is happening to younger people every single day, the good thing is there’s more survivors of stroke than ever before because of medicine advancements and peoples awareness so the age range does change your population a little bit”
Jessica has experience as she worked as a life enrichment leader for a senior living community as well as various populations through volunteer work. She volunteers for the VA in Myrtle Beach’s outpatient clinic She provides open recreation and takes them bowling. She volunteers with the Junior League and helps out children that are in foster care. She provides them with tutoring, and makes back to school packages for students that are at risk for homelessness. At ATRA she received a certification of CARSS (Certification of Adaptive Recreation and Sports Specialists) earned though BLAZE sports.
Jessica is graduating in January of 2023 She has applied for various internships and hopes to let the opportunity of flow happen.
Her dream is to be content and settled. She hopes to help her husband live as long as possible, growing old together. In five years she hopes to be in a positive environment for herself and for the people she is around, it would be coastal. she wants to open up other possibilities for research and work for recreation therapists.
Jessica Quoted: