Other Therapy and Assessment Professionals

(NOC 3144)

in All Health

This group includes specialized therapists who use techniques like athletic, movement, art, or recreational therapy to support the treatment of mental and physical disabilities or injuries. They work for hospitals, rehabilitation centres, extended health care facilities, clinics, recreational centres, nursing homes, industry, educational institutions, and sports organizations, or they may work in private practice.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate change in employment not available for this occupation.
  • Estimate 0 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for this occupation.

Compared to: All Health

  • Estimate 3550 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 6335 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$21.00

Minimum

$24.00

Median

$45.77

Maximum

Annual Pay

$3,003

Minimum

$31,255

Median

$74,350

Maximum

Compared to: All Health

Hourly Pay

$16.70

Minimum

$26.60

Median

$43.30

Maximum

Annual Pay

$10,740

Minimum

$43,853

Median

$88,944

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

This group includes specialized therapists who use techniques like athletic, movement, art, or recreational therapy to support the treatment of mental and physical disabilities or injuries. They work for hospitals, rehabilitation centres, extended health care facilities, clinics, recreational centres, nursing homes, industry, educational institutions, and sports organizations, or they may work in private practice.

Job duties

Therapists and other professionals:

  • Assess patients and review reports from physicians, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, counsellors, teachers and other professionals to determine patients' current and potential functioning level.
  • Prepare individualized and group treatment plans either independently or through a multidisciplinary team approach, based on health concerns and on recommendations from physicians or other health professionals.
  • Design specialized therapy programs to maintain, rehabilitate or enhance movement, musculoskeletal functioning and performance in sports, work, and recreation.
  • Implement treatment plans by carrying out specialized therapy sessions employing approaches and techniques like art, drama and music therapy or dance, recreational, sports or other movement therapy.
  • Observe, record observations, and analyze patients during treatment sessions, write progress reports on patient outcomes and consult with other health professionals to evaluate treatment plans.
  • May provide education to clients regarding health promotion and injury prevention, management, and treatment.
  • May conduct research in respective field of specialization.

Sample job titles

  • art therapist
  • certified athletic therapist (CAT)
  • exercise physiologist
  • kinesiologist
  • movement therapist
  • music therapist
  • recreational therapist
  • registered dance therapist (DTR)
  • remedial gymnast
  • remedial therapist

Skills

  • You must have a genuine and sensitive interest in people and their ability to achieve. You must be able to communicate effectively with people and demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility, good judgement, patience, and self-discipline. Therapists must be creative and unique in their approach to each client. The ability to inspire confidence and to motivate clients is important. A strong sense of responsibility, good judgement, and communication skills are also necessary.

Job requirements

  • Kinesiologists usually require a master's degree in kinesiology or human kinetics.
  • Certification for kinesiologists is available through the Canadian Kinesiology Alliance.
  • Sport therapists require a bachelor's degree in sport therapy, or a degree in health sciences with a specialization in sports injury management.
  • Art therapists require a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in art therapy.
  • Music therapists require a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in music therapy.
  • Dance therapists require a bachelor's degree in psychology, and usually require a master's degree in art, drama or movement therapy.
  • Recreational therapists usually require a bachelor's degree in recreation with a specialization in therapeutic recreation.
  • Certification or membership with the appropriate national professional association or provincial counterpart may be required.

Other considerations

  • Those not employed with public institutions or agencies are often self-employed in a private or group practice. There is a distinct training path for each of these professions and no movement between these jobs. Supervised practical training is usually required for jobs in this group. Creative or technical ability in the field of specialization is usually required.

By the numbers

Quick look

315

employed in 2016

74.2%

employed full-time

9.7%

self employed

75.8%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
24.2%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
32.7

median age

Compared to: All Health

36,515

employed in 2016

75.7%

employed full-time

9.6%

self employed

83.6%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
16.4%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
43.5

median age

Where will I likely work?

60.3%

Halifax

$37,959 median annual income
12.7%

North Shore

$28,799 median annual income
9.5%

Southern

$62,589 median annual income
9.5%

Cape Breton

$16,510 median annual income
7.9%

Annapolis Valley

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

87.3%

Health care and social assistance

5.5%

Arts, entertainment and recreation

3.6%

Other services (except public administration)

3.6%

Public administration

What is the age of Employment?

39.0%

25-34

23.0%

35-44

18.0%

15-24

13.0%

55-64

7.0%

45-54

Compared to: All Health

24.0%

25-34

23.9%

45-54

21.9%

35-44

18.4%

55-64

7.7%

15-24

Top levels of education

62.9%

Bachelor

$36,446 median annual income
12.9%

College Diploma

$13,544 median annual income
11.3%

Master

$71,096 median annual income
8.1%

Diploma Below Bachelor

N/A
3.2%

High school

N/A

Compared to: All Health

38.4%

College Diploma

$40,033 median annual income
27.1%

Bachelor

$61,668 median annual income
8.7%

Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary, Optometry

$81,191 median annual income
6.8%

High school

$24,829 median annual income
5.1%

Master

$69,296 median annual income

Education & training

Health and Wellness

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to assume roles as health/wellness professionals in private business and industry, community organizations, and health care settings. They include courses in personal health, community health and welfare, nutrition, epidemiology, disease prevention, fitness and exercise, and health behaviours.

Institutions providing this program

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Human Services

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on the general study and provision of human and social services to individuals and communities and prepare students to work in public and private human services agencies and organizations. They include courses in the social sciences, psychology, principles of social service, human services policy, planning and evaluation, social services law and administration, and applications to particular issues, services, localities, and populations.

Institutions providing this program

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Kinesiology and Exercise Science

College or University Program

These programs focus on the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and biophysics of human movement, and applications to exercise and therapeutic rehabilitation. They include courses in biomechanics, motor behaviour, motor development and coordination, motor neurophysiology, performance research, rehabilitative therapies, the development of diagnostic and rehabilitative methods and equipment, and related analytical methods and procedures in applied exercise and therapeutic rehabilitation.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Music Therapy

College or University Program

These programs prepare students, in association with a rehabilitation team or in private practice, to use music in therapeutic relationships to address patients' physical, psychological, cognitive, emotional, and social needs. They include courses in music theory and performance, human growth and development, biomedical sciences, abnormal psychology, disabling conditions, patient assessment and diagnosis, treatment plan development and implementation, clinical evaluation, record-keeping, and professional standards and ethics.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on the principles underlying recreational and leisure activities, and the practices involved in providing indoor and outdoor recreational facilities and services for the general public.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to apply business, coaching and physical education principles to the organization, administration and management of athletic programs and teams, fitness/rehabilitation facilities and health clubs, sport recreation services, and related services. They include courses in program planning and development, business and financial management principles, sales, marketing and recruitment, event promotion, scheduling and management, facilities management, public relations, legal aspects of sports, and applicable health and safety standards.

Institutions providing this program

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Nova Scotia Therapeutic Recreation Association
Halifax, NS
Toronto Art Therapy Institute
Toronto, ON