Recreational Therapy Support Group Framework: Insights from a Personal Cancer Journey

Authors

  • Shay Dawson Central Michigan University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2024-V58-I3-12114

Keywords:

post traumatic growth, recreational therapy, therapeutic recreation, social comparisons, social support group, spirituality

Abstract

The need for social support groups that address the quality of life of individuals experiencing illness or disability are lacking (Lyons et al., 1995). At the same time, there has been a call for the development of recreation therapy support programs that has gone unanswered for over two decades (Austin, 2002). Further evidence of the need for a program framework in recreation therapy is evidenced by the growing body of literature calling for leisure- based support programs as an adjunct to traditional approaches (Dawson & Mowatt, 2022; Lock, 2010; Myers et al., 2011; Shannon & Bourque, 2005). Taken together, there is a strong need for the development and empirical testing of a recreation therapy based social support group framework to guide clinical practice. The following health narrative highlights the author’s personal journey with cancer and subsequent insights on social support, social comparisons in illness, spirituality, and post traumatic growth as vital components to social support programming.

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Published

2024-08-04

Issue

Section

Personal Narrative