Marie Josee Etienne

Professor Tania Santiago Rodriguez

Recreation Therapy: Facilitation Techniques
21 October 2016
Activity one
Facilitation technique category: Stress Management
Activity title: Silent Ball
Source: www.edutopia.org/sites/default/..stw-glenview-stress-reduction-activities.pd
Equipment: Nerf ball, gator skin ball, or lightweight ball
Activity description: Stress management is a comprehensive variety of techniques and
psychotherapies designed to control a persons level of stress, particularly chronic stress to
improving everyday life. Silent Ball is an excellent stress management tool for people with or
without disabilities. Stress management such as Silent ball builds stress-reducing activities,
decreases self-critical making, increases awareness of our own strengths, decreases frustration,
decreases depression, attention deficit/ hyperactivity, anxiety, psychosis, post-traumatic stress
disorder, etc. It increases positive body image, balance, range of motion, self-awareness,
awareness of others, happiness. The purpose of this lesson is to teach participants a quiet
physical activity to relieve stress. First, the practitioner explains the rules of silent ball: a) the
therapist is the only referee regarding bad passes and missed catches, b) Talking or making
sound is an out, c) Missed catch or bad pass is an out, d) A good throw is within arms length of
the intended catcher and does not include fast balls. (Model of good throw for participants), e)
Participants who are out must remain quiet at their desk. The therapist instructs participants to 1)
remain silent, that is the object of the game. 2) Participants may stay in their desks or position in

any arrangement to facilitate tossing the ball to each other around the room. 3) A participant
must make a good throw to a peer and he or she cannot throwback the ball to the person who
threw it to him or to her. 4) Participant who misses the ball or makes a bad pass is out and must
sit at his or her desk until the next round. 5) Participants must play until all of them are seated;
the last two participants are the champions.
Leadership considerations: CTRS occupations as a teacher in this activity is to explore
various considerations that involved in making adaptations. The specialist advises participants
not to do anything that can cause discomfort or injury in this facility. Before starting the session,
in an indoor environment or outdoor environment, the therapist must conduct a warm up ball
silent and safety with participants to avoid harm. The warm up should contain a follow up
discussion about stress management benefits of a safe physical activity: What are your favorite
physical activity? How does it feel to be frustrated, stressed. Where in your body do you feel
tension of stress? How does it feel to be relaxed and calm? How does your body feel when you
are relaxed and calm? Safety should include avoid missed catch or bad pass, talking or making
sound, a bad throw, ball a adjustment, etc. In addition, some participants with dementia or mania
disorder may need a physician approval to participate in this session.
Adaptations: Participants with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder. Individuals with
attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder require some modifications to increase opportunity for
success and to encourage them to involve fully in their activity. Attention deficit/ hyperactivity
disorder is a range of behavioral disorders arising primarily in children, having such symptoms
as poor concentration, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Practitioners should reduce or expand the

size of the room to promote to participants achievement and independence to perform this
exercise. He or
Adaptations: Participant with Mental Retardation (MR) or Intellectual Disability (ID) may
require adapted ball associated with the limitations of participants. Mental retardation or
Intellectual disability refers to a generalized neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by
significantly impaired intellectual and adaptive functioning. Mental retardation or Intellectual
disability affects the part of the brain that controls thinking and understanding. To ensure a
successful improvement, the recreational therapists must provide movement modification that
allows clients to maintain and increase their range of motion, to strengthen their weak muscles,
improve their circulation, balance, posture, and coordination while performing Silent Ball.
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