UCR Pre-Therapy Student Organization

Our Values

Collaboration

PTSO is committed to creating a collaborative environment where teamwork and adversity are valued. We aim to create meaningful partnerships by encouraging group collaboration during meetings and social events. We want to work together to achieve shared goals and strengthen connections within our club.

Collaboration

Growth

PTSO is dedicated to upholding growth by instilling personal, academic, and professional development within our members. We provide valuable resources, mentorship, and opportunities to help them learn about different therapy-related careers with seminars and guest speakers during our meetings.

Growth

Integrity

PTSO is committed to upholding integrity through honesty, accountability, and ethical behavior in all our activities and member interactions. We strive to create a club with members who embody these values and do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Integrity

Diversity & Inclusion

PTSO is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion by creating an environment where individuals from all backgrounds are valued and respected. By including the diverse range of career paths within therapy, we focus on ensuring a community where therapists of all majors and fields feel a sense of belonging in our club.

Diversity & Inclusion

Advocacy

PTSO is an organization that advocates for learning about the diverse therapy fields that exist reducing the stigma surrounding both the mental and physical challenges. By introducing more conversations at UCR, we aim to shine light on the ways future therapists can make meaningful impacts in the career paths they choose.

Advocacy

Therapy Types

Therapy comes in many forms, each designed to support individuals in different aspects of their health and well-being. Whether it’s improving physical function, enhancing communication skills, strengthening relationships, or managing emotional challenges, therapy provides valuable tools for healing and growth. Below is an overview of various therapy types, each playing a unique role in helping individuals lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. For more information, please reference our slides from previous general meetings to gain greater insights from guest speakers of the career and the graduate school application process.

Marriage & Family

MFT focuses on improving relationships by addressing conflicts, communication breakdowns, and emotional challenges within couples and families. Therapists help clients navigate life transitions, resolve misunderstandings, and strengthen their connections by fostering healthier communication patterns and emotional support systems.

Physical

Physical therapy helps individuals recover from injuries, surgeries, or medical conditions that affect movement and function. Through targeted exercises, stretching, and hands-on techniques, physical therapists work to restore strength, flexibility, and mobility, enabling patients to regain independence and reduce pain.

Occupational

Occupational therapy focuses on helping individuals perform daily activities (such as dressing, cooking, or working) after an injury, illness, or disability. Therapists use adaptive techniques, assistive devices, and personalized strategies to improve fine motor skills, cognitive function, and overall independence.

Respiratory

Respiratory therapists assist individuals with breathing disorders, such as asthma, COPD, and post-surgical respiratory complications. They provide treatments like oxygen therapy, ventilator support, and breathing exercises to help patients manage their condition and improve lung function.

Radiation

Radiation therapy is a medical treatment that uses targeted high-energy radiation to shrink or eliminate cancer cells. Radiation therapists work with oncologists to deliver precise treatments while minimizing damage to healthy tissue, helping patients manage and fight cancer effectively.

Art

Art therapy uses creative expression to help individuals explore emotions, cope with trauma, and improve mental well-being. Through drawing, painting, sculpture, or other artistic mediums, clients gain insight into their thoughts and feelings, making it a powerful tool for emotional healing.

Speech-Language

Speech-language therapy helps individuals with speech, language, voice, and swallowing disorders. Therapists work with people of all ages to improve communication skills, correct speech impediments, and assist with conditions such as aphasia, stuttering, or developmental delays.

Music

Music therapy uses sound, rhythm, and melody to support emotional, cognitive, and physical healing. It is especially effective for individuals with anxiety, dementia, autism, or trauma, as it engages different parts of the brain to enhance memory, reduce stress, and improve communication.

Counseling

Counseling provides emotional support and guidance for individuals dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, or life challenges. Counselors help clients process emotions, develop coping strategies, and improve their mental well-being through structured conversations and therapeutic interventions.