Today’s Therapeutic Recreation Specialist plays an integral role in supporting mental health education in many different settings and contexts. An essential component to supporting mental health for those we serve includes instruction in social and emotional skills, or the provision of social and emotional learning (SEL). SEL focuses on the acquisition of skills to develop a healthy identity, manage emotions, establish and maintain relationships, make decisions and get and achieve goals (CASEL, Fundamentals of SEL. 2022). With an emphasis on experiential practice for participants, this presentation will focus on SEL core competencies, best practices for incorporating SEL into Therapeutic Recreation program design, and exploring the role that Therapeutic Recreation Specialists play in normalizing, advocating for, and modeling SEL skills day-to-day.
Learning Objectives:
- Define social and emotional learning (SEL) and explore its impacts on those we serve
- Describe 5 core SEL competencies as defined by CASEL
- Understand the benefits of integration and practice of SEL
- Describe how Recreational Therapists are well-positioned to advocate for and apply SEL as part of an interdisciplinary team
- Practice and apply SEL strategies to increase personal social and emotional competence and resilience.
