09/18/2025
Our BCHS Recreation Therapy team continues to deliver meaningful and holistic programs that support patients across all domains of health.
The team has introduced Mindful Meditation Thursdays. “By guiding patients through meditation practices, we create a calming space for self reflection,” Katrina says. “It helps them feel more at ease both mentally and physically.”
On C4, the Horticulture Program promotes physical engagement and fine motor skills. “We do hands-on gardening to give our patients a sense of purpose and connection to nature,” Rachel shares.
BCHS also has an Engage and Empower Dementiability 1:1 Program which integrates Dementia-friendly resources and activities to help build rapport with patients.
Quarterly special events are hosted, creating opportunities for joy, belonging, and shared experience. Most recently, the “Sundae Lovin’” event invited patients to savor ice cream sundaes and watch the classic movie Grease, sparking nostalgia, laughter, and meaningful conversation.
In the Acute Day Treatment (ADT) program, leisure engagement is fostered through groups such as Creative Expressions, Therapeutic Use of Music, Relaxation, Mindfulness, Therapeutic Writing, Community Connections, and by providing individual leisure counselling. “As a Recreation Therapist in the Outpatient Mental Health ADT Program, I use leisure as a tool to help individuals engage in meaningful experiences to improve mental wellness,” Andrea shares. This mindset, focused on building a life worth living, inspired the creation of the Recreational Therapy and Peer Support Group (REP Group).
Through these initiatives, and many others, Recreation Therapy continues to promote quality of life and the overall well-being of our patients.
Read the full feature: https://shorturl.at/42ocy
For more information on rehabilitation programs and services at BCHS, visit www.bchsys.org/rehabtherapy and www.bchsys.org/mentalhealth
Pictured: Recreation Therapists, Rachel Brown (left), Andrea Martino (center), and Katrina Rawn (right).
