Therapeutic Recreation
 Connections
We're in this together

Kristina Couron











Optimal Living Consultancy was established in January, 2011.  I provide Therapeutic Recreation consultation services to various treatment facilities throughout Utah including long-term health care, assisted living, transitional rehabilitation, adult day centers, and other swing bed medical centers.

I graduated from the University of Utah in December 2008 with a Master's degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism with an emphasis on Therapeutic Recreation while concurrently earning a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology.  I earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2002.

Current certifications:
* National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification CTRS 
* Gerontology Graduate Certificate: University of Utah
* Certificate of Training in Recreational Therapy Dementia Practice Guidelines (DPG): American Therapeutic Recreation Association
* Certificate of Completion for Advanced Geriatric Training (DPG): American Therapeutic Recreation Association

I strive to offer Therapeutic Recreational services in efforts of increasing quality of life for older adults.  This includes the promotion of recreational programs to increase individual and community wellness as well as  the identification and removal of environmental constraints for optimal recreational participation.  I focus on strengthening the social, physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being of the client in efforts of achieving the highest possible level of health and wellness.

I was employed with Primary Children’s Behavioral Health from 2005-2011. It was here that I gained experience and knowledge in working with individuals who displayed various behavioral, social and emotional disturbances and chemical dependency problems. I developed and implemented a resource builder program for adolescents in residential and day treatment care. This program included psycho-educational groups, expressive art, relaxation, social/life skills training, equine-assisted therapy, and various other therapeutic skills focused on a holistic approach to meet patient needs.
Contact Us
Consultants 
Tracy Lynn Coleman MTRS, CTRS









I have worked in rehab, long term care, memory units, behavioral units, assisted living and adult day centers.  I enjoy working with geriatrics and watching them become independent again through recreation therapy.  I like educating family members, clients and other Recreation Therapist about recreation therapy and how it can assist others.

I received my Bachelor's degree from Weber State University in Life Style Management with an emphases in recreation and physical fitness science.  I finished my recreation therapy course work through the University of Utah in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism.  I am licensed as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist in the State of Utah and am national certified with NCTRC (National Council of Therapeutic Recreation Certification). 

In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, running, karate, hiking, biking, camping and river rafting.

TRConnections offers hands on training with you and your clients.  

This unique service provides an opportunity for you to assist with an intervention with your clients while learning how to conduct it. Many times we are given a protocol and are not sure how to implement it into our programs. TRConnections not only gives you the tool but teaches you how to implement the intervention with your clients. The following is a list of FACILITY TRAINING'S that we provide. 

Wellness Interventions: Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Wellness 1:1 visits, Healthy Eating Habits,Stress Management, Wellness Jeopardy, Healthy Living Guacamole; Who wants to be a healthy & well millionaire?, Heart Healthy Bow & Arrow, Engage the Senses for Stress Management
Emotional Interventions: Expressive Art, Poetry, Colorology Beading, Self Esteem, Expressing Gratitude, Emotions Art, music & emotion, Self Esteem Suspend, Wheel of Fortune-self esteem, Inspirational rocks, MIndfulness Uno
Cognitive Interventions:Intro to Technology, Timeslips, Touchdown trivia, Musical Crosswords, Pick the date reminisce, Travel to Tokyo, Uno Bingo, Remember When Reminisce, Movie Madness Trivia, Christmas stories
Physical Interventions: Cowboy Hoedown, Tropical Vacation, Chair Yoga, Active Bingo, Chair Chi, Laughter Yoga
Social Interventions:Travel to Mexico, Men's Group (baseball theme), Coffee social/reminisce; Bird watching, Liquid Science; Chopped Chef, Nerf Zombie Apocalypse!, Drum Circle
Sensory Interventions: Camping sensory, winter sensory, Aromatherapy (lemon), fall sensory, familiar tasks​, musical artistic expressions, bird sensory, sensory bingo, Guacamole-low cog; zoo sensory; seasons sensory


Therapeutic Recreation is defined by the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) as a health care and human service discipline that delivers treatment services designed to restore, remediate and/or rehabilitate functional capabilities for persons with injuries, chronic illnesses and all types of disabling conditions (ATRA 1986).

Recreation therapists are standard treatment team members in rehabilitation services. Recreation therapy is listed as a rehabilitation therapy service in the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards. In addition, recreation therapists are designated as treatment team members (based upon need) in the acute brain injury, the post-acute brain injury, and the inpatient rehabilitation standards of the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) includes recreation therapy in the mix of treatment and rehabilitation services used to determine federal compliance in skilled nursing, rehabilitation (physical and psychiatric) and long-term care facilities. Therapeutic Recreation is specifically indicated as a Related Service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
According to the US Department of Labor, "The rapidly growing number of older adults is expected to spur job growth for recreational therapy professionals and paraprofessionals in assisted-living facilities, adult daycare programs, and other social assistance agencies. Continued growth also is expected in community residential care facilities, as was daycare programs for individuals with disabilities." 
General Information about Recreational Therapy
What we do
Recreation Therapists provide recreation services in different settings to meet the individual’s needs. For example therapeutic recreation may be used to  
  • Improve physical abilities including muscle strength balance, coordination, flexibility, mobility and range of motion
  •   Build confidence and self-esteem by focusing on strengths, by developing and enhancing skills and by providing purposeful/meaningful activities
  •   Promote greater self-reliance which is essential to independent living and self-determination
  •   Enrich the quality of life by providing opportunities for creativity and self-expression
  •   Manage stress through activities that relax both mind and body from tension and pressures
  •   Strengthen interpersonal skills by encouraging individuals to join in activities that nurture social relationships and create a feeling of group acceptance
  •   Ease fear anger, isolation, loneliness and despair