Sam Smadella is a recreational therapist who has always had a passion for helping others. Whether it's in palliative care, child care, or diverse communities, Sam always finds herself making an incredible impact wherever she goes. She is extremely passionate about art and its use in therapy, which she has refined into sharing her musical skills with others to help with self-expression. Although Sam is a newer member of CNIB Lake Joe, her impact has already been felt, and we are so happy to have such a bright spot on our CNIBLakeJoe@Home team!
Jake: How did you first hear about CNIB Lake Joe?
Sam: I was working with one of the kids who went to CNIB Lake Joe, and we wrote a book together. He mentioned a bit about it, so that was probably the first time I heard about CNIB Lake Joe. I am a recreational therapist, so I do all sorts of recreational programs, and I saw that CNIBLakeJoe@Home was hiring. So, I applied and got to join the community.
Jake: When did you realize music was a passion of yours?
Sam: As a kid, I took voice lessons, performed in competitions, and about ten years ago, I first picked up a guitar and tied that into my therapeutic practice. Every person can appreciate music, so it was really special for me to tie that into working with all different types of people. Working with the deafblind community, I use different vibration types and different methods for people to experience music without sound. Getting to see the difference it makes in palliative care through a legacy they can leave behind through songwriting and seeing how it affects and pulls together different communities is really fantastic.
Jake: How did you find a way to blend your passion with your profession?
Sam: It's really natural, actually. Therapeutic recreation is all about connecting to the five domains of leisure, so I work with people in the physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and cognitive. Music has the ability to cross all of those domains through dancing, songwriting, socially, emotionally, and it's a naturally spiritual experience. I use it with all ages, abilities, and talent levels.
Jake: How has working at CNIB Lake Joe affected your outlook on the blind community?
Sam: I learned a lot, actually. Before I started with CNIB, I was getting involved with my mom because she was experiencing some sight loss. She was getting into the programs and wasn't sure if it was for her at first because she still had some sight. A common misconception when you think of sight loss is someone who has no vision at all, which definitely isn't the case. Sight loss is more on a spectrum. Now, my mom is experiencing the programs herself since I've been involved and is enjoying it thoroughly. What I love about the sight loss community is that they throw away any barriers they may face, and they find ways to do what they're passionate about despite barriers.
Jake: Are there any new and exciting programs we should know about?
Sam: Yes! We started one recently called ‘Music and More’, which is basically a virtual glee club. We’ll be working on specific songs, and everybody gets to sing different parts of it, getting to know harmonies, vocal techniques, and instrumentals. I'm super excited about this one because it gives everyone an opportunity to learn different parts of each song.