How moral treatment has influenced the practice of recreational therapy today

Recreational therapists typically read about moral treatment in their introductory textbooks, which indicate that recreational therapy (RT) has its roots in moral treatment. Recreational therapists, however, are typically not provided the opportunity to gain an understanding of how moral treatment developed and the basics that underlie its practice. Nor are they aware that many principles taken from moral treatment are being applied within the practices of those in the recreational therapist profession today. This article describes the beginnings of moral treatment, how it influenced psychiatric care in the United States, its demise, and, most importantly, what it has brought to the practice of contemporary RT.