Therapy Volunteers International

Program Reviews

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Megan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Invigorating. Eye-opening. Enriching.

That's how I would describe my Therapy Adventure week in Belize. The time we spent with the clinicians was an incredibly humbling and eye-opening experience into what it's like to work full time as a therapist. I loved spending time with the kids and seeing their growth and development and left feeling completely inspired.

Outside of clinic time, the team had organized several fun adventures for us. My favorites were the green iguana conservation project, Mayan ruins, Caye Caulker boat trip and chocolate making. Would also rate the accommodation facilities provided - staying at the Belize Tropical Center was such a highlight. Highly recommend this trip to anyone who is ready for new, unforgettable experiences and is ready for lots of fun!

Pros
  • Eye opening experience
  • Fun excursions included
  • Good accommodation
Cons
  • Getting used to the bugs in the tropical weather
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Lauren
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Panama Trip

Having the opportunity to travel to Panama with Therapy Adventures was a great experience. I love this program because I was able to travel to a new country while also gaining valuable experience in my field of special education and ABA. My group was able to have a training about the children we would be working with our first weekday there. Tuesday-Thursday we were able to observe the therapists (OT, PT, SLP, and special education teachers) that worked at the orphanage working with the children while also having opportunities to work with them ourselves and collaborate with the other therapists. We also were able to bring the children to different places in their city that they never had the opportunity to see. Our first and last day there we had guided boat tours of islands, beaches, and rainforests near us. The whole time I was there I felt safe and we had an amazing driver who took us to and from everywhere during the week. Therapy adventures provides a great opportunity to travel safely while also providing therapeutic work to children.

Pros
  • Work with children with disabilities in an orphanage
  • Learn about therapy opportunities in other countries
  • Explore Panama safely with group
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Melissa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The perfect balance between hard work & play!

It was incredibly humbling to work on functional communication skills with the special children and young adults in Belize at summer camp. I was most certainly impressed with the positive relationships, trust and powerful impact Therapy Adventures is making in the community. The programming offers hope to many families. Everyone on earth deserves to communicate basic wants and needs. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I felt honored to be a small part of this sustainable communication!
The Therapy Adventures leaders and volunteers I joined for the week were intelligent, interesting and beautiful human beings. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversations and connections.
The outdoor adventures such as zip lining and cave tubing were icing on the cake!
I will carry fond memories forever of my time in Belize with Therapy Adventures!

Pros
  • Fun Adventures
  • Perfect Balance of hard work & play
  • Learning all things about Belize and it’s beautiful people!
Cons
  • Saying goodbye to students & team—that was hard!
  • Minimal materials
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Aubree
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

All Around Wonderful Experience

I throughly enjoyed my experience with Therapy Adventures. Not only are they extremely accommodating, but they also plan enjoyable and meaningful experiences unique to the country you travel to. There was a nice balance between experiencing Belize and volunteering in the community. I loved how volunteers were taken at the level they were at. What they had to offer was utilized. This allowed me, a prospective therapist, to feel involved as well as the opportunity to expand my current understanding. This was a wonderful experience to see the interaction between disciplines and see how they can work together to produce progress. I do not have enough good to say about this organization! I would participate in another trip in a heartbeat! Would highly recommend this experience to anyone.

Pros
  • Expand your understanding of the scope of different therapy disciplines
  • Experience new and exciting adventures
  • Make new connections and friendships with people from different backgrounds
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Heidi
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Culture, fun, and a real impact

There is absolutely no infrastructure in Belize schools or hospitals to provide therapies for children with autism or developmental delays. A summer camp run by Therapy Travelers was the first time many of them participated in occupational, behavioral, or speech therapy. I had fun helping them have fun! I was excited to put my actual expertise to use. I learned a lot through collaborating with people from other disciplines and places. We fit in plenty of local fun too! It’s all planned and all inclusive, which makes it easy to make friends with the group. I’d recommend it for those needing experience and those who are experienced enough to share skills.

Pros
  • Fun variety of local experiences
  • Truly impactful
  • Collaboration across cultures and disciplines
Cons
  • Working with limited resources requires flexibility and creativity
  • Be prepared for hot, rainy, buggy environment
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Elizabeth
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belize Trip

This trip was incredible! I felt like it was the perfect balance of doing good and seeing the world. I am an undergraduate and was able to learn so much about Speech, Occupational, and ABA Therapy by shadowing the three therapists there. We got to work one-on-one with the kids as well as in group settings. We also got to spend time exploring, eating amazing food, and going on excursions. I felt like the excursions were very unique to Belize, so we got to know and appreciate the culture as well, which was a huge bonus. Overall, this experience was incredible and I'm so happy I got to go!

Pros
  • Gain clinical experience
  • Explore a new country
  • Get to serve others
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Courtney
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Belize Experience

My experience to Belize was amazing! I am an Occupational Therapist who spent one week serving as one of the volunteers. One of my favorite parts throughout the duration of the trip was learning about and immersing myself into the culture. Everyone we encountered was very friendly. We went on many unique adventures during our time there including zip lining, cave tubing, chocolate making, Mayan ruins, etc which were all fun experiences! We spent 4 days in the clinic working with the kiddos and I was impressed by how positive and open minded the parents/caregivers were when it came to therapy services. They were very appreciative and wanted to learn all that they could about how their kids could receive the services. It was a joy to work with the kids and other volunteers as well. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better experience or group of volunteers that I was with during this trip! We all got along so well and were able to work as a strong team. I highly recommend Therapy Adventures!

Pros
  • Cultural experience
  • Communication
  • Friendliness
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Koraima
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Impactful Eye Opener

This was such an impactful experience due to the fact that you are serving in a different country and surrounded by individuals who want to make a difference. I traveled to Panama with Therapy Adventures and was able to experience so much ranging from a new beautiful environment to a therapeutic orphanage. I got the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and offer support at an orphanage called Casa Providencia. At Casa Providencia, I was able to interact with the children and work alongside such knowledgable staff.
In addition to the orphanage, I had the opportunity to tour around Panama. Panama is such a beautiful place filled with wild life. Spending time in Panama helped me experience a new culture and perspective.

Pros
  • Experiencing new culture
  • Working alongside different disciplines such as OT and Speech
  • Exploring Wild Life
Cons
  • Adjusting to different environment / weather (health)
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Rubi
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Extremely meaningful and rewarding experience!

I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to have traveled with Therapy Adventures. I got the opportunity to immerse myself in a different culture, make a meaningful impact on children in need, explore wildlife, and meet many incredible individuals. Visiting Casa Providencia on Panama was life-changing. I was able to collaborate with staff, play with their amazing kiddos, and train staff on promoting communication. If you are on the fence about going, I would say to go for it! It's really a once in a lifetime experience that you will always remember.

Pros
  • Explore new places
  • Contribute to incredible organizations in need
  • Meet new people
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Sandra
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Therapy Adventures Panama March Trip

Therapy Adventures gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I cannot be more
thankful for. I applied to be a part of the Panama trip in the spring of 2022 and was immediately hooked by the idea of seeing a whole new world while gaining beneficial experience for my future career path in speech-language pathology.
The shift to warm weather from Wisconsin’s freezing temperatures was a wonderful
greeting upon arrival. My group and I were transported to Casa Paraiso, a beautiful base with the most amazing rainforest-like backyard you have ever seen. Our stay was accommodated with any needs we expressed, and we quickly realized how genuine and caring the people of Panama are.
With the most fantastic group of children and staff, Casa Providencia had my heart
instantly. Despite the language barrier, I was able to form the most amazing connections with the happiest group of kiddos you’ve ever seen. Our group leaders were incredible with direction as to how we can help and play and guided us through strategies used in ABA therapy and how we can help the staff apply tools to strengthen their already exceptional methods. My favorite learning experience was being able to work with the Speech-Langauge Pathologist, who focussed primarily on the feeding of the children at Casa Providencia. My group leader was able to translate for me, and I learned the many aspects of feeding and swallowing. As for the staff, I was mesmerized by their care for these children and how strong their connections have grown.
My favorite memory at Casa Providencia was when we were playing outside with the kiddos, and a caregiver asked me if I wanted to play soccer with them. As we included every child that wanted to play in our game, my heart grew warmer with the smiles and laughs, and that is a moment I will never forget.
After our visits to Casa Providencia, we were able to explore the beautiful country of
Panama, I highly suggest looking out the window while in the car! We visited areas such as
Casco Viejo took a boat tour through Gamboa, which included the Panama Canal, and even
spent a day at the beach in the clear Caribean Sea! I must also add that Panamanian food is fantastic; expect lots of chicken and rice, but the Panamanian way!
The trip would not have been possible without our extraordinary leaders, who strived to
teach us while maintaining a balance of fun! I am so thankful to have met these amazing women who have impacted how I view the world and my future.
I am beyond grateful to have been a part of this amazing group, seen amazing sights, and
contributed to an incredible organization called Casa Providencia. Thank you, Therapy
Adventures, for the adventure of a lifetime!

Pros
  • Immersion in new cultures
  • Learning new skills
  • Discover new interests