I am pleased to welcome Dr. Allison Wilder, PhD, CTRS/L as our new Editor-in-Chief of  the  American Journal of Recreation Therapy (AJRT). 

   Dr. Wilder is Associate Professor and Faculty Fellow at the Center on Aging and Community Living in the Department of Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire-College of Health and Human Services. 

   Dr. Wilder has many years of research and applied practice in recreation therapy. Dr. Wilder has over 30 years experience as a practitioner of recreation and recreational therapy, with 25 years as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. She received the Faculty Senate Excellence in Teaching award in 2007-2008 from the Metropolitan State College of Denver. 

   Dr. Wilder's academic scholarship includes Leisure and Aging including Theory and Human Service Delivery Models (Assisted Autonomy), Public Policy and Intervention Protocol Development. Additional areas include Efficacy of Recreation Therapy Interventions, Community-Based Health Promotion Programs, Veteran Interventions and Higher Education Development of TR Curriculum, Fieldwork & Service-Learning and Andragogy. These scholarship areas will be to the benefit of exploring the impact of recreation therapy interventions on health and wellness in the community; Promoting Access Transition and Health (PATH) Model outcomes as a framework for recreation therapy services; and exploring and promoting ways in which RTs can address the needs of older adults to reside in their community of choice, and lead meaningful and engaged lives.

   Dr. Wilder is also the Faculty Fellow to the Center on Aging and Community Living at UNH and is very active with the Center in New Hampshire and has worked diligently to improve the lives of older adults. We welcome Dr. Wilder and look forward to the future of recreation therapy and her editorship of the American Journal of Recreation Therapy. Please visit Dr. Wilder at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) booth at the upcoming ATRA conference.

Thank you Nancy!

   It is with saddened heart that I announce the retirement of Dr. Nancy Richeson, PhD, CTRS, FDRT as Editor-in-Chief of the Ameri­can Journal of Recreation Therapy. 

   Dr. Richeson stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief many years ago after the passing of the journal's founding editor, Dr. Linda Buettner.  In her tenure, Dr. Richeson has overseen the transition of AJRT to become the leading practice-based journal in therapeutic recreation. Always current with the latest research, Dr. Richeson emphasized the translation of that research into current practice to the benefit of those across all ages and abilities. 

   Dr. Richeson has garnered many other accolades but I am sure two of her most proud accomplishments are her complete transformation and rebirth of the therapeutic recreation program at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse as well as its recent receipt of the Academy of Gerontology in Higher Education Program of Merit in the Health Professions designation. Note that University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is the first program in the country to receive that designation. 

   While Dr. Richeson is sunsetting her career in therapeutic recreation after 40 years, she looks forward to a long, healthy and active retirement practicing and expanding on the therapies she have developed over the years. As publisher of the American Journal of Recreation Therapy, I offer Dr. Richeson our sincere thanks for her efforts with the journal and her lifelong contributions to this important field!  Please visit Dr. Richeson at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse booth at the upcoming ATRA conference.

                                                             

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      American Journal of Recreation Therapy, is an independent double-blind peer-reviewed print and online journal, that publishes manuscripts related to research, theory, practice and current trends and issues in the field. These include:

- Basic science and research in RT

    

Submit your latest research! 

     Manuscripts are accepted for review as original clinical or basic science research, case reports, clinical reviews, literature reviews, practical application, in-service updates and letters to the editor. Manuscript submission is handled electronically. For author guidelines and additional instructions or to submit a manuscript, please follow our manuscript page link or please visit the journal's webpage, www.recreationtherapy.org

    We take pride in also accepting more holistic manuscripts as well as those that are conceptual in nature or champion inter-professional integration of RT into the broader healthcare field.

    We also consider letters to the editor, guest editorials, review articles and literature reviews. Original manuscripts that contribute to the field of recreational therapy in the management of rehabilitation and/or quality of life for persons of all ages are welcome. Individuals desiring to contribute are invited to make inquires, even if unfamiliar with the procedures for writing and submitting manuscripts. Our goal is to provide original, relevant, and timely information from diverse sources; to write and publish with absolute integrity; and to serve as effectively as possible the needs of those involved in recreation therapy. 

 
     American Journal of Recreation Therapy is the journal of record in the field and features a distinguished Editorial Review Board led by Editor-In-Chief, Allison Wilder, PhD, CTRS/L.  Dr. Wilder has a long standing reputation as a leader in the constantly evolving field of recreation therapy.  

     As Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Wilder guides the journal's leadership role during changing times for health and human service professionals. We are actively seeking papers dealing with all aspects of recreation therapy. 

     To submit a manuscript, please visit our  manuscript page link.  There are no submission, editing or layout fees for articles submitted and published in the journal.  

 
     American Journal of Recreation Therapy features a short time to publish as well as an online edition of the journal that can integrate audio and video presentations not available with the print version.