Therapy Volunteers International

Program Reviews

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Emily
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Once in a lifetime chance!

I went with Therapy Adventures to Belize to fulfill one of my program fieldwork requirements for my Master of Occupational Therapy and it was amazing!!! Definitely a unique opportunity to follow an OT in another country, learn about another culture, and have excursions on our days off! They took care of us very well - all food, transportation, and lodging was included and planned for us. We spent our time at a local school for children with disabilities and a clinic with an SLP and BCBA and we came with an OT. I would definitely recommend to OT students!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
We ate a cashew fruit on our hike to do cave tubing!
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Jessica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belize - Therapy Adventures

I was able to complete a week long service in Belize through Therapy Adventures! Everything was well planned out and felt safe throughout our trip. We had some much fun working with the kids and learned so much. Everyone we met were super nice and helpful in anything that we needed. The excursions were an awesome bonus. Would definitely recommend Therapy Adventures to anyone who is looking to give back and have fun at the same time! I feel that this experience helped me grow as a person, as well as a clinician.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Have fun and be adventurous!
Pros
  • Food
  • Good People
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Colleen
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belize August 2023

This trip was really incredible. From meeting other volunteers from all over the states to the fun excursions, and most importantly-volunteering in the clinic to provide services to the children. The country is beautiful and the people from Belize are so friendly and appreciative of us helping their children. I felt so welcomed and safe! Driving around the country was so beautiful and the fresh fruit was amazing! I will never forget this experience! If you’re thinking about it, do it!! It was an incredible experience and opportunity.

Pros
  • Fun
  • Impactful
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Katie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Better Belize It Was an Amazing Experience!

The July volunteer trip to Belize was an amazing experience! I loved meeting other therapists and having opportunities to collaborate and learn from other disciplines. As I prepare for a new school year here in the states, this trip reminded me why I love what I do as a SLP! It was a privilege to meet the families in Belize and work with the children in play based sessions as well as community outings to the pool. The excursions were all well organized, and it was so fun to explore and learn more about beautiful Belize.

Pros
  • Meeting other therapists
  • Great balance of volunteer time as well as time for excursions
Cons
  • Bugs!
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Angelina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Can’t Belize It!

So many awesome experiences and adventures - from swimming with sharks to visiting Xunantunich, a famous Maya archeological site. I also found it super helpful in getting experience as an undergraduate student and making valuable connections. But I think this would be a great experience for people of all experience levels. The women here were so kind and I’m grateful to have got to know them. Additionally, it was very fulfilling to be able to help kids who have very few resources and to be part of that initiative to improve Belize’s disability resources.

Pros
  • Friends
  • Life long memories
  • Volunteer work
Cons
  • Bugs
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erica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belize volunteer opportunity

This experience was a great way to bring me back to my roots and why I got into this profession. We get so used to our day to day schedule and volunteering in Belize reminded me why I do what I do. I went in July with a great cohort of new friends and we did more of a camp style were we worked on play skills with the kids and also brought them out in the community. I was nervous I would be bored without the structure but honestly you just have so much fun interacting with the kids and parents you just zone in on the service you’re providing. On our off days we got to explore what Belize had to offer. I highly recommend therapy adventures!

Pros
  • Meeting new people
  • Seeing profession in different country
  • Applying skills to children/families who may not have resources
Cons
  • Mosquitos in July
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Michelle
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing experience!

This volunteer opportunity had such a positive impact for my personal and work life. It was a great way to give families support/strategies while learning from other therapy disciplines. I found encouragement in working as a team and discovered new ways to connect with my kiddos to facilitate expanding on their language skills. Our group leader, Grace, helped everyone feel comfortable and provided everyone with great feedback. It was a bonus to do excursions with this team of therapists and build upon relationships outside of a work environment. I highly recommend!

Pros
  • Building connections across therapy disciplines.
  • Supporting families who would not easily be able to access therapy services for their children.
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Danica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Therapy Adventures Belize

This trip truly changed my life. It was my first time ever traveling internationally and alone, and I am so glad I did it. I got first hand experience in speech pathology and clinical application. We also went snorkeling, ziplining, and hiking! Amazing meals were provided and the workers were incredible. Not a HUGE amount of direct, hands-on experience; this was understandable, however, because the group I attended with was fairly young. I 100% would recommend this trip to anyone looking for an adventure.

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Olivia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Helping those in need and seeing the beautiful country!

This was my first study abroad experience and it was so amazing to meet other people from across the US. I loved getting to work with them in Belize to aid the therapist in play based therapy. I learned a lot of helpful tools I can bring into my future in the speech therapy field.
All the excursions were amazing too! We did snorkeling which was my favorite! I enjoyed seeing all the culture and the Mayan ruins. We experienced all the classic Belizian dishes provided by the tropical education center and restaurants near by.

Pros
  • The amazing food
  • Drivers from the Belize Zoo
  • Getting to see where locals go for food and fun
Cons
  • Not enough communication about the other people on the trip.
  • The last day flying back home, our flights were far apart so I had to wait at the airport.
  • I would have liked some recommendations for which travel insurance to get or what the best time to buy plane tickets.
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Amber
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Therapy Adventures

This trip was the perfect blend of being a volunteer and a tourist. We spent 3 days completely dedicated to working and volunteering with the professionals in their everyday clinic. The other 3 days were spent doing excursions and exploring the country. I met so many wonderful kids and learned so much from observing them in school and in their therapy sessions. The children are just the best and it’s really amazing to see how excited they get when they are pulled to go to therapy.
It’s very interesting to see the differences in two different countries and I think it’s an opportunity that just can’t be passed up. I also met so many wonderful people including the professionals and other volunteers. They made this experience so much fun. The professionals I got to work alongside were very kind and helpful; they answered any questions I had for them. I would 100% recommend this to someone. It was an experience like nothing I’ve ever done before.

Pros
  • The children made it so much fun! They were so excited to be there.
  • Perfect blend of volunteering and exploring.
  • The people you will meet and the food you will eat