Staff Spotlight
Katie Arsenault and Jozen Diguangco, Recreation Therapists
Next up on our highlight of Recreation Therapy month, we catch up with Katelyn (Katie) Arsenault and Jozen Diguangco, two recreation therapists (and former classmates) working together at Richmond Hospital 2West, an acute inpatient psychiatric unit for adults aged 18-65.
A rewarding career
For Jozen, she finds it rewarding as well as a privilege to support patients in regaining their emotional footing and helping them regain connections essential to their well-being. “For people living with a mental health diagnosis, oftentimes, their illness may have distanced them from friends and family, resulting in low self-esteem and little self-confidence,” she says. “I love working in this field because it is a privilege to support individuals overcome barriers, engage in meaningful leisure, realize a more fulsome quality of life, and most importantly regain a sense of autonomy and joy in their recovery journey to live their life in full.”
Katie tells us that her favourite part of the job is connecting with patients and helping them discover and participate in activities. “I have had many meaningful conversations with patients,” she says. “It is so valuable because it allows me to take the time to get to know them on a deeper level.” She notes that although patients usually have short stays within inpatient psych, she is inspired by her patients’ progress when they begin to use the skills they learned on their own.”
Incorporating recreation therapy in a new program
As recreation and leisure are essential tools when it comes to fostering positive mental health, Jozen was motivated by the opportunity to share the benefits of Recreation Therapy on a unit that has never had this type of program before.
Katie was grateful to accept this role right after graduation from the Therapeutic Recreation Program at Douglas College. “I had always known and been passionate about working in mental health. And after I completed my internship at STEPS with VCH, my practice lead connected me to my current position.”
Inspirational moments
When asked about any inspirational moments happening at work, Katie says she’s had too many to count! “The patients inspire me every day with their motivation to participate in the community,” she says. “As well, anytime a patient initiates learning about coping skills, I feel inspired by their determination towards self-exploration.”
Jozen tells us that she is inspired whenever she can do or say something to encourage a person to be truly invested in their well-being and recovery journey. “A patient once shared that working with me made her feel supported and valued during one of the lowest points in her life. She said that I had motivated her to continue with our care plan because she realized that being invested in herself was vital to her recovery journey.”
Wrap-around support
Both Katie and Jozen strongly agree that they feel supported in their roles at Vancouver Coastal Health. “The amazing team on 2West is so supportive of the interventions that we do with patients, and they truly see the value of our service, which I’m beyond grateful for,” says Katie.
They speak highly of their leadership team as they work to carve out their new roles as Recreation Therapists on the unit. “We have an amazing Practice Lead, Serena Maltais,” says Jozen. “She is extremely supportive, knowledgeable and approachable. She has this knack for making you feel like you are her number one priority, yet she has a million things on the go.”
VCH values at the forefront
At VCH, we embrace the values We Care for Everyone, We Are Always Learning and We Strive for Better Results.
Jozen explains they can seamlessly incorporate VCH values into their practice since it lines up with Recreation Therapy core values. “Our practice is inclusive and person-centered meaning that our practice is all about the individual. We focus on individual strengths and abilities, and support our patients in achieving meaningful goals with specific outcomes.”
Katie agrees and adds that by providing patient-centered, culturally appropriate care, their interventions focus on patient goals throughout their recovery. “We practice in a culturally inclusive way to make sure we are incorporating culturally diverse recreation for patients. These values highlight the importance of evaluating our programs and one-to-one sessions with clients, and determining how our interventions can be more intentional and effective.”
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