Our Time is Now!

Introducing the American Therapeutic Recreation Association - Purposeful Fun

Alexis McKenney, Ed.D., CTRS, FDRT

With at least?5.3 billion people?worldwide connected to the internet, there has never been a better time for businesses or professional organizations to use blogging to enhance their internet presence.

Recognizing the importance of sharing the remarkable things Recreational Therapists do for their participants and the world, we,?the?American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA), have decided?to add our value to the blogging world.

That’s right! We are jumping in, and today we bring you our blog, your blog:?Purposeful Fun.

What’s in a Name?

We know—Recreational Therapy isn’t in the name. There is a reason for that. We need one that is simple, descriptive, and fitting of a blog. We also want one that will draw interest from people from within?and?outside the profession.

Although this blog will feature the work of Recreational Therapists, we aim to make it a blog for everyone.?

If you are not a Recreational Therapist, you might wonder if this is the right place for you. We think it is and?invite?you to stick around.

For now, though, let’s return to blogging and the blog.

Evolution of Blogging

Blogging and the blogosphere have changed considerably over the years. When we first started seeing blogs, they were mostly long-form, opinion pieces. The?goal?of making money was not?commonplace as it is today.

Over the past decade, the benefits became increasingly apparent. People now blog for many reasons, and it is easy to find a blog about every topic imaginable.

As?Gary Dekmezian?points out, bloggers look to the internet to do everything from sharing their passions with a wider audience than through other forms of social media, to refining their writing skills, to earning an income online. Examples of other reasons include wanting to be part of making a change for the better or gaining exposure.

We also know the blogosphere is a crowded space. As of 2022, over?572 million?blogs were on the internet, with approximately 32 million in the United States alone, and as many as 7 million posts made per day.

Why is ATRA Jumping In?

Because even though we might be a little late to the blogging world, that does not diminish what we have to offer everyone via a blog. Of course, our new blog gives us a new way of sharing our passion for the profession. However, our focus instead centers on three main reasons for jumping in. We want to:

1.???Gain more exposure,

2.???Share our knowledge with a larger audience; and,

3.???Establish our place as experts in the health and healthcare spaces.

Gain More Exposure

It is no secret that many businesses and organizations create blogs to increase revenue. However, they?also do so?to expand their online presence, promote their brand and connect with regular and potential customers.?

Those reasons resonate with us. Blog posts can increase ATRA’s search ranking and drive people to?our website.?

ATRA strives to provide quality services to its current members. At the same time, we want to connect with potential new members or those simply wanting to know more about the field. One way to do that is by connecting with audiences outside Recreational Therapy networks.

Share Our Knowledge

ATRA is a professional organization that strives to empower its members through its services. Recreational therapists use their in-depth knowledge of the human condition and the delivery of a wide range of services to empower everyone.

Blogs are an excellent way to educate others on things that interest them, with the human condition being a central to many topics. How to have fun, feel good, and lead healthy, happy lives are topics that naturally resonate with people.

Everyone deserves to know how activities used to help people get better, feel better, and lead healthy, happy lives are inextricably connected.?Just as the?world deserves to know about Recreational Therapy’s place in healthcare, the community, and their lives, it also deserves to know how we use activities as a focal point of our services.

Establish Our Place as Experts

A blog can serve as a?platform to showcase?a person or a collective’s knowledge and expertise. Publishing blog posts that are informative, timely, and relevant can garner the type of attention that will establish ATRA and the profession as authorities and thought leaders in health and healthcare.

It is high time we flex our professional muscles.?

We are authorities on so many topics. No other profession possesses the depth of information on how to use activities as a form of treatment. No other professional body embraces the importance of recreation and leisure in getting better, staying better, and living healthy, happy lives.

Arguably, no other profession embraces and?harnesses?the power inherent in purposeful fun in the same way or to the same degree as we do.

Calling All Dreamers

“They say dreams are like windows of the soul-take a peek and you can see the inner workings, the nuts and bolts.”?Henry Bromell

Seventy-seven percent?of internet users regularly read blogs,?and we want to point all of them in our direction. Okay, that might be a stretch. Although we make no apologies for looking ahead and dreaming big, we are starting with a more realistic goal -- engage you and grow from there.?

We invite everyone from inside the profession, ATRA members and non-members alike, to peek inside via this blog. Just as we want members to be proud of ATRA, we want non-members to learn more about all that is ATRA and beyond.?

We welcome everyone from outside the profession to peek inside, as well, and see some of the inner workings of the Recreational Therapy profession. We are confident that you will soon see how what we do relates to you, your family, and your friends.

Blogs survive on exposure. Without your engagement serving to help us bring others in, we risk the blog becoming nothing more than another way to talk to ourselves.

Because of that, we invite you all to see this as your blog.?We invite you to read, reflect, like, share, and engage. We invite you to share your thoughts, stories, and expertise in the comments. We invite you to be part of something special.

Let’s Get Started

In closing, we welcome you to our new blog, your blog--Purposeful Fun! We want to hear from you. Your feedback is important to us as we move into this new space.

We are excited that you will be with us as we look to bring more exposure to Recreational Therapy, share our knowledge within and outside the field, and ultimately assume our place in the blogosphere as experts in health and healthcare. Together, we can make that happen.