ATRA SoCal : 2026 Session Description

Thea Kavanaugh, a recreational therapist, is the founder of REAL Therapeutics, LLC. She has 20 years of experience working with youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in school and community settings. As a consultant and contractor, she integrates direct client support with systemic program development. Thea currently contracts with the New Mexico Health Care Authority’s Developmental Disabilities Supports Division to manage the Socialization and Sexuality Education (SSE) service. In this role, she leads quality assurance and educational outreach for the state’s DD Waiver Medicaid program. Additionally, she facilitates the ‘Friends and Relationships Course’ as an independent provider in Southwest New Mexico. Thea’s focus on sexual health began while providing leisure education in public schools, where she noted a lack of relationship guidance for students with disabilities. She found that standard social skills training did not address the complexities of human connection or sexual wellness. By combining clinical recreational therapy with education, she works to reduce isolation and remove barriers to intimacy, ensuring individuals have the resources to live self-directed lives.