2022 ATRA Annual Conference VIRTUAL Conference

“Evidence-based practice”, “Mixed-methods”, “Systematic review”, “Randomized control trials”, “Qualitative study”... Have you wanted to take a deeper dive into understanding these terms and others associated with the research process? Maybe you have pondered potential research projects where you work as an RT, but need direction on where to start? Well, this presentation is for you! The purpose of this presentation is threefold: to provide knowledge of the basic research process, to educate practitioners on research methods trends, and to give skills on how to formulate a research study to answer your everyday questions in practice. Topics like ethical review boards and the journal publication process will also be briefly discussed.

1. Participants will be able to verbalize 2 justifications for the need to increase evidence-based practice in the RT profession.

2. Participants will be able to verbalize the basic steps of the research process and at least 3 types of research methods.

3. Participants will be able to write at least 1 research question applicable to their facility by the end of the session.

Research
All

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The International Sign of Accessibility (ISA) for designed and implemented in 1968. This symbol or icon represents an image of disability that is outdated and no longer acceptable for the public perception of disability. A new icon has recently been developed and there is a nationwide movement for social change to accept and adopt the new accessibility icon. Learn about this new icon of disability accessibility and what the recreational therapy profession can do at the national, state, and local level to promote this social change.

1) Participants will verbalize an increased awareness of the two versions of the International Sign of Accessibility (ISA)
2) Participants will verbalize knowledge of the role of Recreational Therapy in promoting advocacy for individuals with disabilities.
3) Participants will verbalize knowledge of steps to adopt the Accessible Icon Challenge at the national, state, and local level.

Adaptive Sports
Behavioral Health
Child and Adolescent
Community
Higher Education
Management
Military/Veterans
Older Adults
Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine
Research
Schools
All

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Therapeutic group facilitators may benefit from the narratives of their patients coupled with the use of theory. This presentation will focus on an auto-ethnographical account of the presenter's personal journey with cancer through the review of a journal kept during and after treatment. Two major themes will be discussed focusing on the value of social comparison opportunities with others that are experiencing illness as well as the evolution of emotions leading to post traumatic growth. A major component of this session will center on the development of recreational therapy based support programs for clients with various health conditions using these two psychosocial constructs.

1. Understand the psychosocial construct of post traumatic growth
2. Verbalize how patients may benefit from social comparisons in illness
3. Identify tangible ways to promote post traumatic growth and social comparisons within recreational therapy practice

Behavioral Health
Community
Other

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As animal-assisted interventions (AAI) are implemented in professional settings at higher rates than ever before, more best practices for working with therapy animals are emerging to protect all involved. Organizational data from one of the largest therapy animal organizations in the world will be presented along with recent findings in the literature related to AAI. This information will set the stage for a discussion on standards of practice that should be integrated when working with therapy animals, whether a professional partners with their own pet or works with volunteer teams to deliver their services.

Participants will be able to differentiate between the key terminology in the AAI field, including: animal-assisted interventions, therapy animal, service animal, and emotional support animal.
Participants will be able to identify the key steps that must be taken to prepare clients and fellow colleagues for the provision of AAI.
Participants will be learn how to utilize behavior charts and weekly assessments to ensure safe AAI that not only protects participants but upholds the highest standards of animal welfare.

All

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This session will provide an overview of the Clinical Procedures in Recreational Therapy class at Temple University in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This presentation will examine how the course was altered from a community-based clinical course providing services to individuals in community and healthcare settings to completing the APIE(D) process through telehealth and in-person sessions with other students at the university. We will discuss the benefits of this restructuring of the class, as well the challenges of this structure and how faculty worked to address and overcome them. A description of innovative teaching techniques used to prepare students for the clinical experience and will be discussed in this session, as well as an examination of how this educational model allowed for student-to-student mentoring and advertisement of the RT program to students not majoring in recreational therapy.

1. List three potential benefits of pairing clinical students with underclassmen for the clinical experience.
2. Describe an innovating teaching method that builds upon itself throughout a semester to promote readiness to lead the APIE(D) process.
3. Discuss adaptive teaching techniques that adapt to current issues such as need for telehealth, Covid-19, student mental health status, and more.

Higher Education

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This presentation will overview the utilization of TR services in the emergency room setting, specifically with patients presenting to the ER for psychiatric symptoms. Within this presentation, unique features and challenges of working as a CTRS in this setting will be presented, as well as techniques used to serve the specific needs of patients presenting to the ER with psychiatric concerns, including patients in psychiatric crisis. Topics discussed will include the implications for TR services in the emergency psychiatric setting, common psychiatric presentations in the ER and specific TR interventions/the role of the CTRS in the ER workflow, based on the experience of creating and implementing a full time TR program in a New York City emergency room.

Recognize barriers to and opportunities for TR interventions within the psychiatric emergency room setting.

Explain the features of common psychiatric emergency presentations and techniques to utilize TR practice to enhance the treatment of these patients.

Identify the role of TR in disposition planning from the emergency room.

Behavioral Health

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Romantic relationships take on a new role when encountering a change in health status. Many couples and caregivers/partners* in the wake of stroke are in dire need of therapeutic and educational intervention to connect in a healthy romantic relationship. This innovative session will describe the psychosocial effects of stroke and brain injury, the concept of romantic relationships after this type of brain injury, and current information concerning this overlooked area of intimacy. This session will provide RT's with specific therapeutic interventions to address this health concern through RT interventions.

Identify at least two therapeutic needs for caregiving intimate partnerships
Demonstrate knowledge about at least two therapeutic interventions with caregiving relationships
Identify at least three clinical outcomes from interventions for caregiving relationships

Community
Military/Veterans
Older Adults
Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine
Research

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The following session will demonstrate how RTs, coaches and adaptive sport programmers can evaluate the biomechanics of the wheelchair push with simple or more sophisticated methods. The presentation will examine the use of the SmartwheelTM and other visual imaging strategies to evaluate and teach a more efficient and effective push technique. Special emphasis will be made to discuss a better wheelchair push technique to help promote better sport performance and more importantly protect the athlete from injuries resulting from inappropriate push techniques.

1) Participants will verbalize knowledge of three types of possible injuries resulting from adaptive sport push techniques. ​

2) Participants will verbalize knowledge of 5 outcomes measured by a Smartwheel push evaluation. ​

3) Participants will verbalize knowledge of how to set up a visual push analysis for the adaptive sport athlete. ​

4) Participants will verbalize knowledge of how to promote more effective wheelchair push biomechanics.

Adaptive Sports
Community
Higher Education
Military/Veterans
Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine
Research

0.1

The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) provides comprehensive inpatient eating disorder treatment for pediatric patients. Excessive exercise is a common feature of eating disorder pathology, and patients often require extensive therapy to unlearn old exercise habits, reintroduce exercise safely, and learn new, health-promoting exercise habits. As integral members of the treatment team, recreational therapists at UIHC are responsible for exercise prescription, exercise education, and facilitation of therapeutic exercise activity, including yoga and aquatic therapy. This session will review the current literature on exercise prescription for eating disorder treatment, describe the evidence-based programming provided at UIHC in detail (including photos and a video tour), review and demonstrate facilitation techniques, discuss embodied cueing, and provide techniques for writing embodied progress notes.

(1) Identify the 11 guidelines for using exercise therapeutically in EDO treatment.
(2) Identify at least three safety considerations for the application of therapeutic exercise with EDO patients.
(3) Identify at least three ways to write embodied progress notes for maximum impact.

Behavioral Health
Child and Adolescent

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Transition programs for students with developmental disabilities, ages 18-22, focus on vocational skills and functional academics. Students graduating from these programs tend to have more leisure time than their typical peers suggesting the need for more training in leisure education. This session will look at survey results from special education teachers in these programs to better understand the needs of their students in regards to leisure training. Survey results also examined teachers knowledge and training regarding implementing leisure education programs for their students. How can recreational therapist support both groups to obtain the best possible outcomes?

1) Understand the current training of special education teachers in regards to leisure education
2) Understand the needs of students in transition programs in regards to leisure education
3) Identify the implications for recreational therapists

Community
Schools

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In our presentation, we will discuss various considerations of caring for individuals with Intellectual Disability/Autism Spectrum Disorder in the inpatient psychiatry and emergency psychiatry hospital settings, including specific TR interventions and treatment techniques. Interventions and techniques discussed will cover a broad range of various intellectual levels of functioning, discussing barriers to treatment and varying treatment goals within hospital care. Additionally, the presentation will discuss various implications of caring for these patients on the long-term basis in the hospital setting from a TR perspective, including but not limited to multi-disciplinary team dynamics, environmental/behavioral modification, discharge planning/community re-integration for group home placement from the hospital setting and the overall role of the TR professional in hospital care for this population.

Identify at least three hospital-based Therapeutic Recreation interventions within the five realms of wellness for patients with Intellectual Disability/ASD.

Recognize two environmental or behavioral barriers to hospital-based Therapeutic Recreation for this population and formulate strategies to overcome these barriers.

Identify at least three community re-integration interventions to prepare patients for discharge to various settings.

Behavioral Health
Other

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Anxiety-based disorders are often characterized by struggles with anxiety sensitivity. Interoceptive exposure (IE) therapy is a well-validated treatment for improving anxiety sensitivity and reducing the occurrence of anxiety and panic attacks. Recent research has indicated both aerobic and resistance exercise training (RET) as novel approaches for addressing anxiety sensitivity, primarily for their ability to generate the physical sensations characteristic of anxiety. RET also works as a mastery experience, improving self-efficacy in addition to working as a form of IE therapy. This session will focus on teaching CTRSs from various settings the APIE process for RET as IE, both when working with individuals and in groups.

a) Define anxiety sensitivity and 5 common symptoms
b) Identify 3 strategies for implementing RET in TR practice settings for both individuals and groups
c) Identify at least one standardized assessment for testing outcomes of RET as IE in their specific setting

Behavioral Health

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The presenter will discuss how to form an approach that utilizes recreational therapy and person centered care. Feel like you're running out of ideas and you just don't have time? Or like the ones you're working with always say no? Maybe you're just getting started and need a little support! Either way, this is the presentation for you! Stephanie will help you regenerate your motivation and ideas to recreate your approach and contribute to a successful interaction with the older adult population. Topics within this presentation will include briefly understanding dementia, diseases and symptoms, the environment and its roll to a successful approach, behavior/reactions, communication, and routine. The presenter will give tips and resources for caregivers, CTRSs, family members, and others working with the older adult population. At the end of the presentation there will be a common questions section where Stephanie will provide the answers for further clarification.

1. The learner will be able to list 3 diseases that have dementia as a symptom in the older adult population.
2. The learner will be able to identify 3 components to address in the environment for a successful approach.
3. The learner will be able to identify 3 communication styles for older adults.

Older Adults

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Among Individuals with serious mental illnesses social media can be used as a way to increase civic engagement (Brusilovskiy, Townley, Snethen, & Salzer, 2016). When social media is used as a tool there are so many possibilities including self expression, finding local activities, social groups, and local organizations. For those who may be struggling to get out and try new things, social media is a great way to start expressing themselves and exploring their options.

This session will help RTs to learn how to use social media as the modality for a self-expression themed program. They will leave with an outline of a session that uses Instagram to achieve client goals.

1. Distinguish the different platforms of social media and their possible uses within Therapeutic Recreation Programs
2. Identify the benefits of social media as an intervention.
3. Develop an outline for a self-expression themed session using Instagram
4. Employ strategies involving Instagram to capture a photo, caption and post to the platform.

Behavioral Health
Child and Adolescent
Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine
Schools
All

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Operation Growth is research project centered around exploring the impact of Heroes on the Water (HOW) programs on post-traumatic growth (PTG) in military veterans. HOW provides kayak fishing events to service members, emergency responders, and their families. This research project hopes to provide insight on the impact of recreation, specifically kayak fishing, on growth in hopes to emphasize the connection between recreation and PTG. This session will provide an overview of PTG, HOW, common needs and treatments of veteran population, and the outcomes of Operation Growth.

Participants will be able to define post-traumatic growth
Participants will be able to ID up to 5 domains of post-traumatic growth
Participants will be able to ID at least 1 need for treatment for Veterans
Participants will be able to ID at least 1 way Heroes on the Water kayak fishing programs have impacted post-traumatic growth in Veterans

Military/Veterans
Research

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The United States is becoming increasingly divided, leading to an influx of tribalism, intolerance, and polarization. This manifests as a disconnect that is felt both within academia and patient care settings. As health care professionals, we are called to teach students and model to them how to care for all patients, regardless of their backgrounds and beliefs.

Several factors are believed to contribute to this “disconnect”, including a lack of viewpoint diversity. Heterodox Academy defines viewpoint diversity as “the state of a community or group in which members approach questions or problems from multiple perspectives” and it “enables colleges and universities to realize their twin goals of producing the best research and providing the best education.”

This session will describe the current polarized climate and how students, faculty, and practitioners alike can overcome this “us vs. them” mentality and foster viewpoint diversity to mitigate polarization. Highlighting data-informed best practices, this session will explore the importance of viewpoint diversity and how its pursuit can enhance inclusion, open-inquiry, and patient care.

1. Describe the current landscape from polarization and viewpoint diversity perspectives
2. Discuss the “polarized mind” and how lack of viewpoint diversity manifests in fear, echo chambers, and disconnect
3. Implement strategies to foster viewpoint diversity in higher education and practice

Behavioral Health
Higher Education
Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine
Research
Other

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At Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, we are dedicated to providing holistic care for children and adolescents experiencing mental and behavioral health challenges. We aspire to serve as champions in providing stigma-breaking care for children and youth with psychiatric conditions as well as their families and caregivers. The Big Lot’s Behavioral Health Pavilion (BHP) is the largest facility on a pediatric medical campus devoted to mental and behavioral health. This session will review severe behaviors often encountered by Therapeutic Recreation (TR) when treating a patient with a mental or behavioral health disorder and will cover how the APIE process can be utilized to support managing behaviors within care. Lastly, case studies will be discussed to share our approach and programming, as well as, to highlight the value of TR in populations requiring management of severe behaviors.

1) By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify at least 3 severe behaviors that can be encountered when working with a patient with a mental or behavioral health disorder. (FDK 15)
2) By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify at least 3 techniques for managing severe behaviors. (IMP 36, IMP 41)
3) By the end of the session, participants will demonstrate an understanding of how TR can utilize the APIE process in working with patients with serve behavioral challenges. (IMP 38, IMP 40)

Behavioral Health
Child and Adolescent

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In this educational and interactive session, participants will learn about the Montessori-based model of care and how to effectively apply this philosophy and approach in a memory care setting. This strength-based holistic approach is designed to foster independence, positive emotions, and meaningful engagement for persons living with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and related dementias. Utilizing Montessori-inspired principles, participants will identify and practice effective communication techniques and approaches that build rapport and connection. Participants will explore how to adapt the environment using visual cues and purposeful programming. Participants will be encouraged to create person-centered activities and interventions intended to inspire, connect, and enhance well-being and quality of life.

Objective: Participants will be able to identify and demonstrate 3 verbal and non-verbal communication approaches that foster independence and increase participation.

Objective: Participants will be able to design and implement 3 visual and sensory tools for adapting one’s environment intended to enhance cognitive functioning, autonomy, and positive emotions.

Objective: Participants will create and apply 5 recreational/leisure activities adapted for persons living with dementia that facilitate creative expression and purposeful engagement.

Older Adults

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This presentation will cover how to adapt everyday activities for independence. Everything from a night out with friends/family, shopping, days on the water, and everything in between.

Participants will have better knowledge of:

Implementing adaptive strategies in the community with clients.

Increase knowledge of awareness and advocacy of services in the community.

Increase knowledge of equipment/adaptations and problem solving to overcome obstacles in their community.

Child and Adolescent
Community
Older Adults
Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine

0.15

This session will provide an overview of the Equine-Assisted Services Consortium definition and ATRA's work on solidifying RT role in EAS. Not only will the definition and literature review be discussed, the findings from the ATRA EAS and RT task force will be described.
Future implications for the recreational therapists who work with EAS will be explored.

The session participants will be able to:
1. describe the consortium definition of EAS and the changes proposed through ATRA's advocacy
2. list the evidence in the literature that supports EAS in the field of RT
3. explain future implications for RT working with EAS.

Adaptive Sports
Behavioral Health
Child and Adolescent
Community
Military/Veterans
Older Adults

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Have you ever been interested in working as a Recreation Therapist in the public school system? Have you ever wondered what one of the smallest settings to hold RT looks like on a daily basis? Come explore the components to being a RT in the schools. We will go through the student population, a typical day, assessments used, treatment team members, documentation, and common interventions.

- Participants will be able to identify what a typical day for the Recreation Therapist looks like.
- Participants will be able to identify at least 3 other members of the treatment team that the Recreation Therapist works with.
- Participants will be able to identify at least 4 interventions that are useful for the population.

Schools

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This session will address the theory and philosophy behind inclusion. More specifically, it will address the idea promoted by some advocates of inclusion that integrated programming is superior to adaptive programming for people with disabilities. Many of the myths and misconceptions underlying this idea will be examined utilizing critical thinking skills from a person-centered perspective. A close examination of the replication crisis, research methods, and validity/reliability's impact on TR research will be discussed. An alternative, more balanced approach to adaptive vs. inclusive programming will be described.

1. Participants will be able to identify ten common myths about the superiority of inclusive programming.
2. Participants will be able to identify three research study design mistakes that can impact the results of that study.
3. Participants will be able to supply a rationale for providing both adaptive and inclusive options for their clients with disabilities.

Adaptive Sports
Behavioral Health
Child and Adolescent
Community
Higher Education
Management
Research

0.1

Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio is one of the nation’s top pediatric hospital systems. In March of 2020, the Intensive Pain Rehabilitation and Education Program (IPREP) was established, consisting of a multidisciplinary day treatment program to treat children and adolescents with chronic pain. In this session, the role of therapeutic recreation (TR) will be introduced including services offered for chronic pain management. Additionally, a discussion of a literature review completed by the TR staff within the program will be studied and key themes will also be presented. Lastly, there will be a detailed look at the current interventions and how these can be utilized in a multitude of settings across the profession. This session will benefit a therapist working directly or indirectly in chronic pain.

1) By the end of the session, participants will be able to understand Therapeutic Recreation’s role in Chronic Pain management. (FDK 14, IMP 42)
2) By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify at least 3 themes identified during a literature review for Therapeutic Recreation within chronic pain. (ADM 44, ADV 56)
3) By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify at least 5 interventions for Therapeutic Recreation in chronic pain. (IMP 38, IMP 40)

Behavioral Health
Child and Adolescent
Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine

0.1

Today’s Therapeutic Recreation Specialist plays an integral role in supporting mental health education in many different settings and contexts. An essential component to supporting mental health for those we serve includes instruction in social and emotional skills, or the provision of social and emotional learning (SEL). SEL focuses on the acquisition of skills to develop a healthy identity, manage emotions, establish and maintain relationships, make decisions and get and achieve goals (CASEL, Fundamentals of SEL. 2022). With an emphasis on experiential practice for participants, this presentation will focus on SEL core competencies, best practices for incorporating SEL into Therapeutic Recreation program design, and exploring the role that Therapeutic Recreation Specialists play in normalizing, advocating for, and modeling SEL skills day-to-day.

After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Define social and emotional learning (SEL) and explore its impacts on those we serve
2. Describe 5 core SEL competencies as defined by CASEL
3. Understand the benefits of integration and practice of SEL
4. Describe how Recreational Therapists are well-positioned to advocate for and apply SEL as part of an interdisciplinary team
5. Practice and apply SEL strategies to increase personal social and emotional competence and resilience.

Behavioral Health
Child and Adolescent
Community
Schools

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By definition personal branding is “The conscious and intentional effort to create and influence public perception of an individual by positioning them as an authority in their industry, elevating their credibility, and differentiating themselves from the competition, to ultimately advance their career, increase their circle of influence, and have a larger impact,” (Entourage Marketing, LLC, 2022). Recreation Therapists have an opportunity to position themselves on social media as an expert in the field of Therapeutic Recreation, share their personal and professional values, bring awareness to problems relating to their specialties, educate on the benefits of purposeful recreation and increase public awareness of Therapeutic Recreation. Social media can be used as a tool to further advocate for the field of Therapeutic Recreation.

This session will teach participants the three reasons to start a personal brand, and educate them in the ways they can use a personal brand to increase public awareness of RT.

1. Understand the concepts of and elements of a personal brand and personal branding

2. Identify the contributions having a personal brand makes to increasing public awareness of RT

3. Prioritize the next steps to elevating or starting a personal brand strategy by using the provided worksheet

All

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This session will provide participants the opportunity to review theories that can shape TR service delivery for people with SUD. Theories relevant to both RT and SUD will be reviewed, as will using theory to inform all portions of the APIED process. An example of a theory-based model for care will be shared, along with guidance on how to implement this at participants’ agencies.

1. Understand the benefits of using theory to inform practice.
2. Identify three key theories related to both RT and SUD care.
3. Understand the steps in developing theory-based program design.

Behavioral Health

0.1

Background: Clinicians’ utilization of valid and reliable standardized assessments is critical to monitoring clients’ progress. The Rehabilitation Measures Database (RMD) is an on-line resource providing information regarding standardized assessments. The RMD has grown into a widely-used educational resource for researchers, clinicians, faculty, and students with over 530 free access summaries of psychometric data, professional recommendations, and references to literature on specific measures. This presentation will describe RMD’s history, use of standardized assessments and measurement principles for physical rehabilitation and therapeutic recreation, discuss the development and maintenance of the RMD, describe opportunities for recreation therapists’ and educators’ participation, and outline current plans and future directions for RMD expansion.
Methods: We collaborate with clinicians, researchers, faculty and students in the development and updating of RMD instrument summaries. An Author Toolkit guides RMD contributors in creating uniform, standardized instrument summaries. Students in health sciences programs create or update instrument summaries as part of a research class assignment. We use Google analytics to monitor the utilization of the RMD.
Results: The Author Toolkit contains instructional documents and educational resources related to measurement that serves as the foundation of the RMD. We recently expanded the Author Toolkit to include instructions for adding Common Data Elements, clinical practice guidelines, and professional association recommendations.
Conclusions: The RMD helps students, clinicians, educators, and researchers in health sciences select instruments with good psychometric properties. Clients benefit from test scores that are reliable, valid, and sensitive to change, and provide them and their clinicians with evidence of therapy progress.

1. Describe the Rehabilitation Measures Database and how to use it.
2. Identify the relevance to use in Therapeutic Recreation.
3. Discuss how to incorporate the Rehabilitation Measures Database into coursework.

Higher Education
Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine
Research

0.1

Despite decades of growth and accomplishments in the field of recreational therapy (RT), the need to promote RT as a legitimate treatment modality still exists as new and greater healthcare challenges emerge. Although “Awareness and Advocacy” is listed as one of the 10 job task domains (2014 NCTRC Job Analysis Survey), diverse and increasing job expectations make it difficult for RT practitioners to find feasible ways to advocate by themselves.

Regardless, we cannot (and should not) rely on a handful of leaders to do everything necessary to advance the field of RT. Advocacy is a professional imperative (Kirsch, 2015) and to move our field forward, everyone has a role and must contribute.

To that end, this session will address critical issues facing RT today, and describe easy and proven actions that RT practitioners can implement to address the issues and advocate for the RT field and practice. Examples include simple advocacy techniques in marketing, mentoring, legislation, expanding RT programs, using EBP, garnering administrative and community support, and enhancing occupational prestige.

A reference list as well as a handout with examples and links to resources will be provided.

1. State at least five (5) accomplishments of RT/TR field over the last 75 years;

2. Identify at least five (5) current critical issues related to the RT field that warrant awareness and advocacy;

3. Identify at least (5) specific advocacy techniques that RTs can use to address the issues in their own settings and the RT field.

All

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