Freedom's Families

Warren Price, a graduate student in the RMYL department, recently started a nonprofit organization called Freedom's Families. This past week one of their financial backers backed out on them and now they're short on funding for their next family retreat. If you know anyone who can help, please pass this information on. Just go to their home page and click the Donate button at the bottom of the page.

NCTRC & Utah Licensure Info Meeting

We discussed the recent changes to the NCTRC sitting requirements (the fifth TR class required after Jan 1, 2013), the fees related to the exam, and how to prepare for it. There are a lot of resources on the NCTRC website as well as elsewhere to study for the test. If you look through the website you should find exactly what is on the test and a few free practice questions. There is a lot of test prep the website offers (like practice tests) for a fee, but there are resources available elsewhere including the ATRA webinar that you can download.

We also discussed the Utah Licensure requirements. If you plan to practice as a CTRS in Utah you HAVE to take this test. Dr. Z reminded us that it's not a test on what you know about TR, but what you know about the laws. Doing a little research I found the recreation therapy licensure website which looks like it has the laws for TR and information on how to sign up for the exam.

3/5 TR Newsletter

Hey y'all :) The TR Newsletter will be coming out today around 11am! We gave it a fancy new "face-lift" so be sure to check it out. Lots of good information too so be sure to see what's going on.

Hello :) We are going to make the BYU TR Club Newsletter more professional and 

would love for you to subscribe using the link below. 

http://eepurl.com/jJQMb 

The BYU TRC Newsletter will only go out to PAID club members so 

here is another chance to join before you subscribe. To join the club go to http://marriottschool.byu.edu/sitemap/?id=347. 

Being a part of the BYU TR Club is a great opportunity and 

we would hate for any of you to miss out! 

Stress Management Workshop

It is about this time of the semester that I feel the most stressed. I have midterms at least once a week, the end of the semester is still too far away, and it is much too cold for my Californian blood!

If you're feeling stressed, then the Stress Management Workshop would have been a great time to learn more about stress and how to cope with it. Aubrie Forsyth with the BYU Counseling Center gave us a short presentation on what stress does to our minds and our bodies. The below handout gives a really good summary of what she went over.

Click here to go to the PDF

After her presentation we practiced autogenics, which is a type of relaxation that "involves passive concentration on parts of the body while mentally repeating phrases suggesting warmth, heaviness, and relaxation" (e.g. "my arms are heavy and warm", or "my jaw is loose and slack"). This promotes muscle relaxation and blood flow.

To learn how to do autogenics, or any of the other seven relaxation techniques, you can make an appointment for the biofeedback lab through the Counseling and Career Center. To make an appointment call 801.422.3035 or go to the reception desk in 1500 WSC.

You can also visit their website for more information.

National Ability Center

AWESOME experience!  We got sweet swag, learned a lot about the populations they work with, and learned about activities the NAC provides. Tracy introduced us to her job, how to stand out at our internship, and how to get an internship there.  Dr. Lundberg kept some of the handouts we received, so email byu.trc@gmail.com if you want to see the handouts. 

Grad School Night

Are you thinking about graduate school? Rob Henderson and Warren Price gave us some insight into what life is like for a grad student.  They also shared a bit about themselves and what they are focusing on.  If you're interested in helping either of them with things they're working on or have more questions about grad schools, feel free to contact them (see their contact info below).  Heather Hawkins shared some of the notes she took on their presentations:

Rob Henderson (zoomslide@hotmail.com - office: 801-422-3215 - cell: 541-868-6845)

• His research and focus is on recreation and addiction recovery
• He's interested in the 'therapeutic value of recreation' - he's found this to be a more reputable way to discuss the field. People listen to him more if he frames it in that context.
• Discussed how an undergrad degree is quite sufficient to getting in the door with TR services. Master's degrees increase your qualifications/marketability but not necessarily pay right off the bat. He's pursuing the doctorate route
• He's willing to discuss ANY questions about ideas for pursuing research or other degrees or anything else we need advice on.

Warren Price (warren.price@byu.edu)

• Served in the army for years, has suffered PTSD so now has his own unique 'disability' and wants to use his experiences to bless the lives of other Vets.
• Started a non-profit organization called Freedom's Families - family retreats for Veterans and their families to fortify their relationships
• He feels recreation saved his life - at an all-time low, he was invited fly-fishing. That experience outdoors helped transform his perspective and his desire and motivation to keep living and to overcome his challenges
• Wants his family retreats to be therapy to treat the family as a whole (whoever that family may consist of)
• Encourages us to find a passion and follow it
• Loves that his office is wherever he is! outdoors, in a cubicle, in the mountains, on the river, in a shopping mall...haha...anywhere! (kind of like 'the world is our campus' from BYU's slogan, it holds true that 'the world is our office' in rec therapy)
• Recreation jobs are available all over the country if you're willing to go there. BYU's solid reputation will help you get into almost anywhere. Also note that if you find a job first, they may help pay for your master's degree later on. And, there is SOOOOO MUCH funding available for continuing education that they will almost pay you for school if you're willing to just go out and look for those funding opportunities (Rob and Warren are both willing to help with this)

If you're interested in pursuing a graduate degree in recreation at a school other than BYU, here are some recommended graduate programs.

• Clemson University
• Texas A & M
• Southern Illinois University
• Oklahoma State University
• Indiana University

Network Night

First of all, sorry this blog post is so late! But better late than never right?

Second, a HUGE thank you to the four professionals who came to our event.
Thank you to Ryan from Scenic View Academy, Andrea from Shriners Hospital, and Laura and Coventry from Heritage School. We really appreciate your time and advice!

From Left to Right: Ryan, Andrea, Laura, and Coventry. 

The event started off with pizza and chatting/networking with those around you, whether or not you sat next to a professional. (It is just as important to network with your fellow TR students as it is to network with professionals in the field!)

After pizza, each of the professionals got up and explained a little about the organization and population they work with.

Heritage Schools is a facility for At-Risk Youth

Scenic View Academy works with adults with learning disabilities

Shriners Hospital in SLC treats children with orthopaedic conditions

Then it was time for a little recreation of our own! The planning committee had put together a few "Minute-to-Win-It" games to play as ice breakers.  Once we played the games we had a few minutes to talk with the professionals. Ryan, Andrea, Laura, and Coventry had a lot of great advice and stories to share with us.

At the end of the event, we had a few minutes to ask the professionals questions as a group.