About Us
Yaba Daba Therapeutic Recreation uses music, movement, drama and fun to offer engaging, purposeful recreational programs for all ages. We build each program around a theme and bring everything needed for the activities.
Sam Smadella Albert R/TRO
Sam is a Registered Recreation Therapist who loves to work with people all ages and abilities. Sam did her undergrad at University Of Ottawa before beginning a journey in children's yoga and fitness. She studied courses in healthcare, Child Life, Music, Drama, and various healing arts. She enjoys sharing her passions with others as she helps them to discover their own!
Recreation Therapy
Sam is a Registered Recreation Therapist in the province of Ontario (R/TRO). She has completed her post-graduate certification through Algonquin College and did her internship with Roger Neilson House. Recreation therapy is a healthcare profession which uses recreational activities to help people achieve goals in the five domains of leisure: Physical, Emotional, Social, Cognitive, and Spiritual. Sam specializes in pediatric recreation therapy but loves to work with individuals of all ages.
Children's Yoga and Fitness
Sam studied children's yoga in Toronto while completing the Rainbow Yoga Children's Yoga Instructor training and Sonia Sumar's Yoga For The Special Child teaching training. She also attended the accessible yoga conference in Toronto to learn more about making classes as accessible as possible to everyone. During this time, Sam also completed teacher training for Drums Alive! and CanFit Pro's Children's Fitness Coach.
Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
Following the yoga journey, Sam began working as a physiotherapy and occupational therapy assistant in pediatric health care. She learned how to best support children with sensory needs as well as physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities and differences. During that time, Same worked with children from birth to 18 years old while creating fun treatment plans to help kids and teens achieve their goals.
Behaviour Therapies
Sam has completed the Register Behavioural Technician course, and has up to date CPI Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training. She has completed training in DIRFloortime and uses a combination of attachment and child-led approaches with some ABA principles. She believes in empowering children to express themselves as they want, accepting children's individualities, and promoting creativity.
Music
Sam is a big fan of music and will incorporate music into classes wherever possible. She plays the guitar and sings. She also offers sound baths with a full set of crystal singing bowls and special instruments. Music is a tool that can be shared with everyone regardless of abilities and she loves to share this passion with everyone!
Palliative Care
Sam is passionate about helping people live their best lives regardless of the time that they have left. She uses music, adaptive games, memory-making activities and individual programming to work with individuals and families. She also provides support to children as their grieve a loved one.
.png)