5 domains of a persons health

What is Recreational Therapy?

Recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, is a systematic process that utilizes recreation and other activity-based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to psychological and physical health, recovery and well-being.

The purpose of the RT process is to improve or maintain physical, cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual functioning in order to facilitate full participation in life.

Recreational therapy includes, but is not limited to, providing treatment services and recreation activities to individuals using a variety of techniques including arts and crafts, animals, sports, games, dance and movement, drama, music, and community outings. Recreational therapists treat and help maintain the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their clients by seeking to reduce depression, stress, and anxiety; recover basic motor functioning and reasoning abilities; build confidence; and socialize effectively. Recreational therapists should not be confused with recreation workers, who organize recreational activities primarily for enjoyment.

When someone asks you how is your health? The majority of people automatically think of their physical well being but there are 5 domains of a persons health that are all equally important as the next. When you open yourself to this realization then you will increase the likely hood of succeeding at anything you are wanting to accomplish in your life. Each domain is connected in some way and feed off each other to help you achieve a balance in life’s journey. We understand that some people are resistant to accessing parts of their health but we urge you to explore out of your comfort zone. Below are the 5 domains of health that can help you become the balanced and ultimate version of yourself.

1- Spiritual domain: This relates to your overall sense of purpose in life that can be found in your values, beliefs (religious or non religious). By having a focused purpose in life you stay connected with society and this improves you social place in life and its importance overall.

2- Physical domain: This domain is the one people consciously think of most often and refers to disease/illness, but most importantly in ways to improve your fitness and dietary habits. This domain will help your confidence and make you feel great after challenging your body to be pushed.

3- Emotional domain: The emotional domain can be connected to physical a lot because after a great workout your confidence increases and your overall attitude improves. Those are two big factors when we talk about emotional health on a day to day basis. Also, when you are able to express your feelings and emotions in a healthy way then you are significantly improving this domain of health.

4- Mental domain: This domain refers to our self-awareness in relation where we fit in the world. It also is how we use our mind and ability to think by problem solving or recalling information. This is a very important domain of health to ensure is being challenged daily as we age. The rate of dementia is on the rise and by doing mental exercise on a daily basis we can potentially reduce our chances of succumbing to symptoms associated with certain types of dementia.

5- Social domain: This domain is an extremely important aspect of health because it ties together each of the other domains without you even noticing that it is happening. The simple act of planning a walk or a lunch or going to a movie will engage that social aspect and reward you health with reduced stress and/or increased serotonin in the brain. We are not alone in this journey and by making social connections on a daily basis then we are improving our health in many ways.

The overall message here is to make a point of consciously thinking about each domain on a daily basis and how you can incorporate it into your life. For more information book a consultation today.