The Role of

Recreation Therapy
In Addressing The
Effects of Trauma
Through Trauma-
Informed Care

By: Adrian Portillo, RT

Student
 About me

• HMHI Expressive Therapy

Intern
• B.S. in Recreational Therapy
with minors in Chemistry and
Psychology
• Research background: organic
chemistry, social work, and
recreation therapy
• Memberships: ACS, URTA,
and ATRA
• Leisure interests: Pickleball,
hiking, running, and rafting
What is
Trauma?
Unhealed Trauma
➝ 9 Signs You Have Unhealed Trauma
Trauma- and
Stressor-
Related
Disorders
Definition
➝ “Disorders in which ➝ Common Examples:
exposure to a traumatic ⇾ Reactive attachment disorder
or stressful event is ⇾ Disinhibited social engagement
listed explicitly as a disorder
diagnostic criterion” ⇾ Posttraumatic stress disorder
(American Psychiatric ⇾ Acute stress disorder
Association, 2013). ⇾ Adjustment disorders
Common Diagnostic Criteria
➝ Anhedonia and Dysphoria
➝ Externalizing aggression
➝ Social Neglect
➝ Emotionally withdrawn behavior
➝ Persistent fear and skepticism

7
Prevalence
➝ Among the most common forms of mental
illness
➝ 70% adults worldwide experience one or
more traumatic events
➝ 31% four or more traumatic events
➝ Higher rates in those from African, Native,
and Hispanic American descent
➝ PTSD continues to be the most prevalent
➝ Most common comorbidities: anxiety and
depression

8
Why Is It Important?
➝ Everyone experiences some sort of stress or
trauma
➝ Any trauma or stress has the potential to result in
a disorder if it is not addressed
➝ One of the hardest mental health populations to
work with
➝ Generational chain effect
➝ Heightened risk for various medical and mental
health problems

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Trauma-
Informed Care
What is it?
➝ An approach to recognizing and responding
to the signs, symptoms, and risks of trauma in
a healthcare setting.
⇾ Abuse, violence, neglect, discrimination,
poverty, etc.
➝ ”What is wrong with you?” to “What happened
to you?”
➝ Age distinctions
➝ Do not judge a book by its cover!!!

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Trauma-Informed Language
➝ Few considerations
⇾ Know your patients beforehand
⇾ Avoid aggressive language
⇾ Be cautious when discussing
violence
⇾ Be mindful of each word usage
⇾ Avoid personal biases
⇾ Do not command
Managing
Trauma with
Recreation
Therapy
Outcomes to Look For
➝ Reduced anxiety & depression
➝ Improved social skills
➝ Effective emotional regulation
➝ Confidence building
➝ Increase in self-compassion

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Group Considerations
➝ Environment and setting
➝ Group context
➝ Participants
➝ Supplies and equipment
➝ Introduction and processing language
➝ Noise level

15
Recreation
Therapy
Interventions
Leisure Education
➝ Goal: Promote healthy leisure alternatives
unrelated to trauma or trauma-inducing events
➝ Recommended Ages: 12+
➝ Materials: chairs and leisure resources
➝ Setup: a group circle

➝ https://js.sagamorepub.com/trj/article/view/973
Nature Walk
➝ Goal: Promote emotion regulation through
walking and spending time In an outdoor
environment
➝ Recommended: Ages 18+
➝ Materials: No unique materials required
➝ Setup: Participants are lined up walking together

➝ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
PMC7688151/
Today’s
Intervention
Bring the Brain On!
➝ Follow the Presenter’s Instructions (:
Frontal Lobe
➝ Reasoning
➝ Motor Control
➝ Language
Parietal Lobe
➝ Sensory processing
➝ Touch, temperature, and pain
➝ Somatosensory cortex
Occipital Lobe
➝ Primary visual cortex
➝ Interpreting visual information
Temporal Lobe
➝ Hearing
➝ Memory
➝ Emotion
➝ Speech comprehension
References
➝ https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/stress
or-related-disorder
➝ http://vcoy.virginia.gov/documents/collection/018%20Tra
uma2.pdf
➝ https://www.allielinnwrites.com/why-trauma-informed-lan
guage-is-important-in-your-writing/
➝ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207191/
➝ https://pressbooks.online.ucf.edu/lumenpsychology
/chapter/reading-parts-of-the-brain/