Jocelyn is our July hero-of-the-month. She is from the bay area, California.
Jocelyn graduated from Cal State Hayward University with double majors in Health Science, minor in biology and Recreation and community services (Therapeutic Recreation option). She has both state and national certification since 1997. She is also active members in both the American Therapeutic Recreation Association and the Bay Area Therapeutic Recreation Association.
Jocelyn decided to become a recreational therapist because it was in the health field and she wanted to help people. It is personally rewarding and she likes to think outside the box and surprise people with “Outcomes.”
Jocelyn currently works at the V.A. Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, which is one of four in the country. She is specializing in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) vets coming home from the war.
She is part of an exceptional Recreational Therapy service where the collection of skills and experiences in one hospital is unbelievable. Jocelyn’s focus is: adapted recreation skills, leisure skills training and education, community reintegration, stress management of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms combined with TBI, social interaction skills.
Jocelyn is our hero of the month because as a Filipino American she grew into the profession with a lack of support from her family. Twelve years ago there was this assumption that Filipino women would go into nursing or business. Jocelyn says she was someone who strayed to be unique. She started out as a Recreational Therapy Assistant and had worked her way up from being a one person department. Today, her family are in awe of what she does.
Jocelyn is the mother of two small boys, a wife, an active member of my church. She enjoys special event planning for friends and family. Her leisure consists of "quiet time" at home with the kids, surfing the internet, and "therapeutic cleaning".
June 2008
Meet our June 2008 hero-of-the-month: Jessica. She is a graduate from Southern University A & M of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in Therapeutic Recreation and Leisure Studies. Jessica has worked for the Veteran Affairs Administration for 5 years. Here she works in the mental health setting providing therapeutic activities to the veterans from all conflicts. Jessica has a vast experience having also worked with Geriatrics and Hospice care residents.
She decided to major in therapeutic recreation because the field is broad and there were many settings to work. Jessica is very motivated to learn more about the field of therapeutic recreation and the many opportunities.
She was chosen to be our hero-of-the-month because she is a kind-hearted person who loves her job. In her words, she says that she provides “Blue Ribbon service to the vets and many others.” She loves learning and enjoys finding new opportunities in recreational therapy that she can provide.
Jessica claims: “my job is very rewarding. I love it and hope to be one of the next big whigs someday.” I think she will be.
Jessica has three children who she loves. She is married to a wonderful man and she enjoys a variety of recreation activities including: traveling with her family, doing family activities, exercising, dancing, and listening to music.
Marshall University
Huntington, WV
Graduated: N/A
Major: Park Resources & Leisure Services
Minor: Therapeutic Recreation
Clubs: Park & Recreation Organization for Students
2000 to 2002
Recreation Therapy's Companies
I am currently working for a hospital that I'm keeping private because my job is not affiliated with this myspace Huntington, West Virginia US Recreation Therapist
Aug. 2002 +
St. Mary's Medical Center Huntington, West Virginia US Recreation Therapist Intern Psychatric & Skilled Nursing Units
480 hours Summer 2002
HealthSouth Rehab Huntington, West Virginia US Student Therapeutic Recreation
100 hours 1999-2000
Woodlands Retirement Community Huntington, West Virginia US Student Therapeutic Recreation
Danny's Myspace Page for Recreation Therapists Was Created To:
(a) Promote recreation therapy;
(b) Help recreation therapist to meet and network; and
(c) To promote resources for recreation therapist and other activity-based therapists.
The official myspace page for recreation therapists is owned and operated by Danny Pettry of Huntington, West Virginia. Pettry is Master of Science/ Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (MS/CTRS).
I (Danny P.) hope I am meeting all of these goals! Please tell your co-workers and other rec therapist to add "Recreation Therapy" on Myspace as a Friend!
I hope my page, created here in Huntington, West Virginia reaches people from Huntington, Long Island, New York to Huntington Beach, California.
What is Recreation Therapy or Therapeutic Recreation?
Therapeutic recreation is the provision of Treatment Services and the provision of Recreation Services to persons with illnesses or disabling conditions. The primary purposes of Treatment Services which are often referred to as Recreational Therapy, are to restore, remediate or rehabilitate in order to improve functioning and independence as well as reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability. The primary purposes of Recreational Services are to provide recreation resources and opportunities in order to improve health and well-being.
Discover more about Recreation Therapists, including: Nature of their work, working conditions, training, qualifications, and advancement, employment, job outlook, earnings, related occupations, and sources for additional information at the U.S. Dept. of Labor website:
FREE Career and Job Posting Service. Email your all information needed and I (Danny P.) will post your career in our bulletin and at the link above!
Click here to email job description.
Career will be posted within 24 hours or less. Feel free to post a career opportunity in our comment sections below. Thanks - Danny P.
Recreation Therapists, Play Therapists, Activity Directors, Parks and Recreation Professionals, Social Workers, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Teachers, Counselors, Therapists, Psycholgoist, Professors, Educators, and others who are interested in Recreation Therapy.
Other Activity-Based Therapists are encouraged to add us as a friend, such as: Creative-Art Therapists, Music Therapists, Play Therapists, Massage Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Teachers and Counselors!
No problem Danny! I think what you do is great! I am in a wheelchair and am looking to open a disability gym. I'm trying to see what's out there already...
The Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services committee of FRPA has put together a great offering of education and networking opportunities featuring four full days of sessions with two tracks (one focused on community TR and one for those more focused on Recreation Therapy in clinical settings).
Sessions are being provided by professionals from a wide variety of settings, including RT staff from several of Florida's Hospitals and coummunity based TR programs. The conference will also feature a presentation by Dr. Candace Ashton from UNCW, entitled "From Wounded Warriors to Home Town Heros: Recreation's New Role."
While this may be a Florida association sponsoring the conference I believe it may have a regional and perhaps even national appeal.
FRPA Annual State Conference and Trade Show Walt Disney Coronado Springs Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL August 25-29, 2008
The Florida Therapeutic Recreation Network's mission is to promote and support Therapeutic Recreation Services within the state of Florida. This is achieved through the submission of position announcements, issues or questions, and the promotion of CEU opportunities to be broadcast on the network. Once information is submitted, it is scanned for content by the network administrator, spam is weeded out, then the information is forwarded to all those who have subscribed. To be added or removed from the list, simply email fltrnet@yahoo.com with add or remove in the subject line.
Help spread the word about the FL TR Network, forward this on to other professionals!
Hello, I am in search of a good evaluation tool of the recreation department I now work at. I would like to get staff input on where they feel we can improve. Does anyone have one they can recommend. Thank you princess99frog@hotmail.com
Hey Danny! I've got a question to pose. The RT program at my school is being phased out, so my internship is being supervised by the OT adviser. Apparently, OTs who have students under them get CEUs for each week they have a student, and my adviser says that the CTRS I am studying under qualifies for that too... Neither the CTRS or I have ever heard of this... Does anyone know how that works?? We are both quite interested to know. Thanks!
All Myspace can you help a disabled brother out! I have Myspace disabled civil rights group link located below http://groups. myspace. com/pt2disabledcivilrightslifeliberty My goal is to make everyone in this country aware of med waiver community-based programs so we can have a choice on where we live. To help me spread the word could you put me in your top friends list please to let more people know about this travesty of injustice! Based on the Supreme Court Olmstead Decision 6-3 law. Also George W. Bush presidential Executive Order 13217.
Hey Guys! My name is Sarah Norris and as part os my thesis project at the University of North Texas, I have created a leisure education program for adults with Type 2 Diabetes. This is a 6 session program, lasting from July 12-August 16th, where participants will learn about the health benefits of leisure time physical activity, embrace their unique RECRE-ESSENCE, creatively develop and document a future health vision, and begin a lifelong leisure adventure! If you or anyone you know may be interested, please contact me as soon as possible! Sarah Norris: (972) 247-4607 or sarah.norris@farmersbranch.info You can also check out my event page on facebook at: http://www. facebook. com/event. php?eid=34084331776&ref=mf THANKS and HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY!! ~Sarah~
Hey, thanks for the add! YOUR SITE HAS TAUGHT ME ALOT, THANK YOU! Check out “The Edge News Journal” that focuses on the disabled. This journal covers many different types of disabilities. If you have some information about… you want to share contact us. Just click here:
ATTN: all CTRS's I need help! I just started a new job in inpatient physical rehab. My only previous expereince is in inpatient psych. Any tips, therapy ideas, activities or FIM info would be really helpful. Thanks
Danny, mahalo (thank you) for approving my request. I really look forward to connecting with others in the same field. I'm not a certified Rec. Therapist. However I am a cerified Activity Professional. I attended an ADC course in the State of Iowa and I was trained in mentored by a C.T.R.S. in Arizona where I also worked as an Activity Director on a LTC/SNF unit. My desire is to become a C.T.R.S. upon returning to the mainland. Thank you, again. "Ke Akua me ke (God bless you)" Aloha! Jen
Hey Danny I will be going to the Hershey PA - RTI conference tomorrow through friday! Didnt know if you were going to be there! Hope to see you if you are!
I'm applying for a Rec. Therapist position in an outpatient SCI and neuro. disorders program. This will be my first acute clinical setting (prior expereince is in behavioral health, children and adolescents) Does anyone have suggestions about the types of activities or knowledge about a program, program ideas, or what to expect, that will be helpful to me? I welcome ALL comments.
Hey I am officially a CTRS now.. just waiting for my papers to come in the mail.. so if there is anyone looking for an internship in central new jersey... my facility has been waiting for this day to come! If anyone is interested contact me via myspace =o)
hey danny, any last minute advice for the exam? wednesday is the day! excited but so scared that i would almost rather be in the middle of a bear fight. ;)