Kevin Gruzewski CTRS - Therapy Games for Teens: 150 Activities to Improve Self-Esteem, Communication, and Coping Skills

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And props to those professionals using recreation every day as a means to help and heal.Contents Greetings, fellow therapists, counselors, clinicians, social workers, and parents! My name is Kevin Gruzewski, and I had the pleasure of using recreation as a mode of therapy for almost 20 years. As a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), I saw firsthand the amazing potential recreational activities have for transformationespecially in teens. I started my career working in a residential facility for adults with developmental disabilities. I quickly learned how important it was to provide and adapt activities to fit the diverse needs of my residents. A little more than halfway through my recreation therapy career, I switched gears. I took a job as a recreation therapist in a residential drug rehabilitation and mental health setting for adolescent boys.

Many of the teens I worked with were from disenfranchised areas of Chicago and tied to gangs and the criminal justice system. At first, this change was a bit of a culture shock. I was working with teens apprehensive about being placed in treatment and focused on one thingtheir discharge date. I faced a learning curve and quite a bit of adapting to fit the diverse backgrounds and motivations of these teens. It wasnt always pretty. I had my fair share of moments being called some very interesting names.

Luckily, one of the most effective ways to get through to these boys was using recreational experiences. Why Recreational Therapy? According to the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC), recreational therapy 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. Recreational therapy is about getting to know our clients, discovering their interests, and using these interests to address need areas. When used therapeutically, recreation can provide engaging, teachable moments unlike most other therapy modalities. Recreational therapy is especially perfect for teens because it harnesses their skills and interests to focus on whats troubling them. For example, an introverted teen who loves to draw or paint has the opportunity to create a piece of art that allows the teen to communicate issues in a more comfortable way.

A great recreational activity can also neutralize defensiveness and allow a teen to open up to new ideas. When this happens, the potential for learning experiences can be amazingeven life-changing. I learned several important lessons for creating activities that resonate with teens. The most important lesson I learned was to engage the teens. Find topics that are important to them. Allow them to participate in an activity that doesnt necessarily feel like therapy.

Encourage them to reach that flow state, when an activity offers just the right amount of challenge that they lose track of time and place and become immersed. Its not always easy to get and keep a teen engaged. It takes some practice, patience, and a passion to see teens excel during difficult times. But its certainly worth it when it happens. I want to use this opportunity to pass on my knowledge and experience to you. Even during the difficult days, I found it very rewarding working with teens.

There was something almost magical when they reached an aha moment or discovered an insight they never considered before. Recreational activities can help facilitate this. Why This Book? If you are like most professionals working with teens or parents raising them, youre juggling all sorts of responsibilities each day. You probably wish you could devote more time to thoughtful activity planning. Also, youre probably operating on a tight budget. You simply dont have the resources to spend on expensive games or curriculums you arent sure will work.

This book gives you an opportunity to implement simple group and one-on-one sessions with minimal prep time. Best of all, many of the activities in this book require only easy-to-find supplies that you probably have at your disposal already. Will you be sacrificing quality with quick prep times and not using a bunch of expensive materials? Absolutely not! As an incredibly busy recreation therapist, I learned how even simple activities can have a profound effect on teens with a variety of challenges if they are done with the teens specific strengths and needs in mind. About the Activities Some of the activities included in this book are my favorite ones that seem to really resonate with teens. Others are evidence-based practices that have been adapted for todays teens. Teens are a unique breed.

Their brains continue to change and mature. At their stage of development, testing boundaries and challenging the established norms are par for the course. The activities in this book help teens let their guard down. They let teens feel like theyre more in control and not just getting preached to by a therapist or adult who they feel doesnt understand them. Its an opportunity for growth while having fun. This is the book I wish I had back in the days when I was frantically planning activities.