Areas of Competencies for a TR Specialist.

• Theories/understandings of play, recreation, and leisure
  
• Human development throughout the life span
• Anatomy and physiology
• Basic assumptions about human nature
• Etiology, course, and prognosis of various diagnostic categories
• Disease sequelae
• Effects of stress on individuals
• Perception of clients as "whole persons," not just as individuals possessing symptoms 
• Effects of major drugs
• Health and safety information for working with clients
• Medical and psychiatric terminology
• Principles of rehabilitation
• Concepts of health and wellness
• Attitudes toward illness and disability
• Self as a therapeutic agent
• Leadership of various recreation/leisure activities (e.g. arts and crafts, camping, games, sports)

• Theory and technique of group leadership
• Community leisure resources for client involvement 
• Activity analysis procedures
• Careful selection of activities to meet treatment aims
• Interpersonal relationship skills
• Interview skills
• Leisure counseling theory and technique
• Client assessment
• Treatment goals formulation
• Stating behavioral objectives
• Treatment/rehabilitation planning
• Theory and application of treatment/rehabilitation approaches (e.g., client-centered approach)
• Learning/teaching principles
• Behavior management techniques
• Evaluation of intervention outcomes
• Client records and documentation (e.g. charting on clients)
• Referral procedures
• Assistive techniques and adaptive devices for specific illnesses and disabilities

Information found in: Austin, D. (2001). Therapeutic recreation: An introduction (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.