Make a Lasting Impact with Therapy Volunteers International

The overall experience was great! The country is beautiful and very unique with many languages spoken. The sight seeing days were amazing and I enjoyed every second. Therapy adventures did a great job at accommodating many changes in the schedule that would come up. Also, the occupational therapist that we had was wonderful and knew what she was doing! She was able to guide and teach us specific strategies to regulate a lot of the kids which was our main goal for therapy. I do think a longer stay would have been helpful to the kids, we stayed for a week.

Having a level II fieldwork placement in Belize was truly unforgettable! From immersing in a new culture to taking part in meaningful excursions and providing care at both a local school and clinic, every experience was impactful. Amy, our CI, was incredible in guiding us through the unique structure of services there, which is different from what we are used to in the States. She does remarkable work, and the staff and students at the school were just as inspiring. We also got the opportunity to shadow Tammy, the SLP, who was so insightful and fun to be around.

This was such an amazing experience! I had the opportunity to spend a day in Caye Caulker to snorkel and explore the island. On another excursion, I went cave tubing and ziplined through the jungle. The most invaluable part of this experience was working with the students at Stella Maris and the kids in the clinic. Amy, an occupational therapist, and Tammy, a speech therapist, were amazing educators who would answer all of our questions, explain their reasoning for interventions, and overall enriched our learning. I loved leading an OT activity that really helped me to apply what I have been learning in my OT program. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I would recommend to anyone who wants to get out of their comfort zone, improve their therapy-related skills, and make an impact on the children and families in Belize! Thank you, Therapy Adventures International, for this trip!

Had an amazing experience in Belize with Therapy Volunteer International! I valued the opportunity to work in both school and clinic settings, gaining insight into the local culture and the importance of therapy services. It was inspiring to see the creativity and dedication of therapists working with limited resources. This experience deepened my understanding of global healthcare and strengthened my passion for pediatric occupational therapy. I’m grateful for the connections made and the lessons learned along the way.

I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Belize with a group of five, and it was truly one of the best experiences of my life. The entire process—from planning to arriving back home—went smoothly, and the trip was both meaningful and exciting from start to finish.

While there, I worked closely with two incredible professionals: Amy, an Occupational Therapist, and Tammy, a Speech Therapist. They were both so knowledgeable, supportive, and passionate about their work. I learned a great deal from observing and collaborating with them, especially in a hands-on, real-world setting.

Even though we were only there for a week, we packed in so much. We had the chance to snorkel with nurse sharks and manta rays, go cave tubing through ancient river systems, and zipline through the jungle. These adventures helped us experience the natural beauty of Belize in such a memorable way.

One of the most impactful parts of the trip was working with students at a special needs school. We provided occupational therapy services and had the chance to interact directly with the children, which was incredibly rewarding. It really opened my eyes to the importance of therapy in underserved areas.

We also spent time learning about Belizean culture and came to understand just how valuable therapy services are to the people there. The entire experience was both professionally enriching and personally meaningful, and it’s something I’ll carry with me for a long time.

There are not enough words to describe the experience that I had down in Belize working with Therapy Volunteers. This was my second time in Belize and I still can't get over how beautiful the country is. From spending the day at Caye Caulker, to tubing through the jungle, the excursions were such an amazing experience. But, my favorite part of the trip was working with the amazing staff kiddos. Amy and Tammy both fostered fantastic learning environments, answering any questions and explaining their intervention process for each kid that we saw. We were very fortunate to have such an amazing staff down there to help us learn during our Level I experience. This was such an amazing experience and I would recommend this trip, and any other trip, to anyone. Thank you again!

Therapy Volunteers provided a unique and fulfilling way to give back, as I worked with children to evaluate/improve their communication skills. It was inspiring to see the progress made in just a short period and to witness the positive impact on the lives of those I helped. The beauty of Belize added an extra layer of enjoyment to the trip, making it not just a volunteer experience but also an unforgettable adventure. The Therapy Volunteers team was incredibly supportive, providing training and resources to ensure we could make a meaningful impact. I would highly recommend this experience to current students. As a graduate student, I was challenged to go out of my comfort zone and was able to apply new/prior knowledge during my interactions with the kids.

As I reflect on my two-week experience in Belize, I feel an immense sense of gratitude and a newfound appreciation for the occupational therapy profession. This experience has not only deepened my understanding of the diverse applications of OT but also highlighted the profound impact we can have on individuals and communities across different cultural settings. I am thankful to Therapy Adventures for broadening my perspective on global health and reinforcing my passion for pursuing an OT career.

If you are going to Belize for your Therapy Adventures experience, I highly recommend bringing plenty of bug deterrent (spray AND gel cream).