Exploring Self-Compassion and Perceptions of Recreation Therapists' Professional Quality of Life

Abstract

This study explores the professional quality of life (PQoL) of therapeutic recreation specialists (TRS) and the influence of self-compassion on PQoL. Through exploring this phenomenon with TRSs’ that identified as having a high PQoL it was found that PQoL was created and influenced by: (1) the professional’s authentic sense of self, (2) their meaningful relational competence, and (3) balancing many roles. It was found that the TRSs’ interviewed focused on building and developing their positive emotion through: (1) utilizing strengths, (2) mindfulness and emotion regulation, (3) engaging and sharing passions, and (4) building a sense of community at work. Engaging in strategies that build and develop positive emotion allowed the participants to lessen their need to use coping strategies like self-compassion in order to have a high PQoL. This research allows for a deeper understanding of what creates and enhances the PQoL for TRSs’.