Therapeutic Recreation
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Therapeutic Recreation Programs offers an after school program, summer day camps, aquatic programs, and social/leisure programs for children, teens and adults with disabilities.

​Our programs serve individuals with diagnoses that​ include Autism Spectrum disorder, ADD/ADHD, Down syndrome, learning disability, mild to profound intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury, hard of hearing, visual or physical disability.​

Our mission is to provide programs and services to individuals with disabilities that will…​
  • Enrich quality of life
  • Meet community needs
  • Enhance skill development, leisure education and recreation participation
  • Increase independence through individualized goals and objectives
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 Our Programs
​​​​​Our program offerings vary throughout the year, so be sure to check our online registration system​ for current offerings or send us an email at PRTherapeuticRecreation@vbgov.com​​

We offer: 

​​Therapeutic Recreation programs promote community recreation and are not intended to provide behavior therapy interventions, tools or techniques. Participants will be expected to manage their own behavior with minimal staff intervention and must have a desire to participate in programming. Participants requiring 1:1 assistance are welcome with their own assistant/attendant. (Assistant/attendant serves as a “volunteer” and must adhere to department volunteer policies/procedures; which will include completion of criminal background check).

 Our Staff
​​​​​Therapeutic Recreation Programs employ full-time CTRS’s (Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists) and part-time paraprofessionals to implement programs and ser​vices. CTRS’s are professionals credentialed through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). Part-time staff are paraprofessionals who assist participants during program activities, provide behavioral support and redirection, and assist supervisor with implementation of activities.

Meet Our Full-Time Staff:​

Shannon

Colleen Wittig, Recreation Services and Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator
Received a B.S. in Recreation and Leisure Science with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation from Montclair State University.  Colleen has over 39 years of experience in the field of working with individuals with special needs, 28 of those years in the field of recreation. She is a speaker and trainer on topics such as Americans with Disabilities Act, Creating Naturally Inclusive Environments, Behavior Management, and specific disability awareness. Colleen is currently pursuing her certification as an ADA Coordinator.  Colleen enjoys spending her free time with her family, listening to Jimmy Buffett, fishing and playing golf.​

KathyKathy Williams, CTRS, Recreation Supervisor

Kathy graduated from Virginia Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Leisure Studies with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation. She was born and raised in Virginia Beach and started working for Therapeutic Recreation Programs as a part time staff in 1985. She is actively involved with other organizations that include Virginia Beach 4-H Summer Youth Camp  Program, Virginia Recreation and Park Society (VRPS), and Southeast Recreation Therapy Symposium. In her free time, Kathy enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being outdoors and exploring new places.

BillBill Parker, CTRS, Recreation Specialist II

Bill has a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation from Longwood College. He has over 20 years of experience working in community parks and recreation, with the majority in Therapeutic Recreation Programs. Bill gained invaluable experience through jobs in mental health/substance abuse and residential treatment settings prior to employment with the City of Virginia Beach. He is a certified instructor in the Mandt System and teaches staff the relational and technical skills of this curriculum.  Bill enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and watching baseball/fast pitch softball. 

caitlynCaitlyn Hall, CTRS, Recreation Specialist I​

​​Caitlyn is a graduate of Virginia Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Leisure studies with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation. She is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). She has been working/volunteering with children with special needs since high school and found her passion for the field of TR while volunteering with the Around Town program and in her internship at Norfolk TR. She started as a volunteer with TR Programs and then held positions as both an activity assistant lea​der and leader. She is also currently certified as a Water Safety Instructor and enjoys working with participants in the TR Learn-to-Swim programs. When not working, she enjoys going to the beach, playing soccer, cheering for the Auburn Tigers and the Atlanta Braves, and spending time with family, friends, and her dogs Beau and Honey (or any dog really).​

CaseyCasey King, CTRS, Recreation Specialist I​

Casey has a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Leisure studies with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation from Virginia Wesleyan College. He is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. He has been working/volunteering with children with special needs since his freshman year of college. He got his passion for the profession from his mother who was a CTRS at VB Psych. He has a background of working in a behavioral health setting as well as community recreation. He has worked part-time for Therapeutic Recreation Programs in all of their programs and was an All Camp Leader for Camp Explore. When not working, he enjoys going to the beach, watching & playing baseball, golfing with his dad, traveling, and spending time with his family & friends.​

SandraSandra Rose Rogers, CTRS, Recreation Specialist I​

Sandra Rose Rogers graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Studies with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation from Old Dominion University. She started as a volunteer with the City of Virginia Beach Therapeutic Recreation summer camp, completed an internship with the City of Virginia Beach TR department and worked as an Activity Leader prior to her current position. She found her passion for working with individuals with disabilities during her volunteer year with AmeriCorps in 2007 where she worked in a special education classroom in Philadelphia, PA. She enjoys volunteering and spent two years of her life volunteering as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay working in education and youth development. When not working she enjoys running at First Landing State Park, biking, kayaking, traveling with her husband, gardening and spending time with her pug, Maggie.​

 Registration Info
​​Registration Procedures

Course registration for Therapeutic Recreation Programs is easy and offers many options: 

  1. Online - 24 hours a day! ​Payment must be made with Visa or MasterCard. 
  2. By mail - Submit Course Registration Form to Kempsville Recreation Center, 800 Monmouth Lane, Virginia Beach, 23464. Registration received prior to the initial registration start date will be processed the following business day, in the order in which they are received.

  3. In person at any recreation center on a first come, first serve​d basis.

​Reduced Fee Eligibility

When registering for a reduced fee eligible program, the reduced fee application​ must be completed and approved prior to registering for the program. The reduced fee/fee waiver must remain active throughout the program duration.​

All participants must ...

  • Possess a valid Recreation Center Membership Card or Day Pass (obtain through any community recreation center).

  • Adhere to Parks and Recreation’s payments, cancellation/refund, and reduced fee eligibility policies​​

Before the program begins, NEW participants must also:

  • Complete and submit the participant information forms in the Therapeutic Recreation Programs Participant Packet.

  • Return these forms with original signatures to the TR Office at Ke​mpsville Recreation Center

  • Attend an In-person Intake (interview) with a TR program supervisor who will contact you and set up a date/time after all forms are received.

Active participants:

  • Will be contacted for a review of your files annually if participation occurs regularly.

  • Those who have not participated in programs in over a year, will require completion of new forms.

  • If your medical status has changed or if you have been hospitalized, please contact a TR program supervisor to update your file.

Please note: There is a minimum of 5-business days processing time for review of class lists, confirmation of placement, and for staff to contact new participants. At that time, new participant packet forms will be given a deadline for submission.​

 Volunteer

Volunteer Opportunities

Rewarding opportunities to volunteer with Therapeutic Recreation Programs are available throughout the year. Youth and adult opportunities are available in a majority of the programs. Please contact a Therapeutic Recreation staff member for more information at (757) 385-5990.

​Participants’ assistant/attendant serves as a “volunteer” and must adhere to department volunteer policies/procedures; which will include completion of criminal background check.

Internship Oppor​tunities

Therapeutic Recreation Programs unit offers internship opportunities under the supervision of a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). Download and complete an intern application. 

The process of interviewing applicants/acceptance of interns will begin on these dates:

  • ​Winter/Spring Internships: September 1
  • Summer Internships: January 1 ​
  • Fall Internships: March 1

For more information about internship opportunities, please contact the Parks & Recreation Internship Coordinator, Sherri Lee at (757) 385-0407, or by email at slee@vbgov.com.​​

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Contact Information

 Registration Start Dates
TR Winter/Spring Programs
January 8 at 6:00 pm​

TR Summer Programs
March 21 at 9:00 am​

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