Austin Speaks and Introduces New Book in Canada

The following article titled "Austin Speaks and Introduces New Book in Canada," appeared in the Winter,2011, issue of the ATRA Newsletter:

ATRA Past-President and Distinguished Fellow David Austin was the featured speaker at the Alberta Therapeutic Recreation Association Symposium held in Calgary in October. The Canadian ATRA Symposium was the largest ever held with a record attendance of more than 150 participants.

Austin delivered the keynote address titled “Traits Recreation Therapists Should Possess” and presented on his Health Protection/Health Promotion Model. In another part of the program he read from his newly released book, Lessons Learned: An Open Letter to Recreational Therapy Students and Practitioners (Sagamore Publishing). Following his readings, reaction panel members provided their reflections on the readings.

Judging from the remarks of the reaction panel members and ATRA’s sales of Austin’s new book, Lessons Learned seemed to be well received by RTs attending the Alberta symposium. The entire 75 copies ATRA had ordered to sell at the symposium were sold out during the first day of the meeting.

Following the symposium Austin reflected that “Canadian RTs are extremely welcoming and are rapidly advancing recreational therapy in their country. I hope we in the United States will have continuing exchanges with our Canadian colleagues as they have much to offer us and we too can be helpful to them.”