ATRA SoCal : 2026 Session Description

Sami Dowling brings over 16 years of healthcare experience to her work as a CTRS, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Physical Therapist Assistant. Her passion for helping others was shaped early by growing up with a father who used a wheelchair, where she witnessed the resilience and adaptations required in daily life. Across years of practice with diverse physical conditions, Sami observed that recovery is influenced not only by physical healing but by discovering what “fills a person’s bucket”, what brings joy, purpose, and motivation. This insight guided her toward recreational therapy. Sami’s career began in physical therapy and massage therapy, but she found her true calling in recreational therapy. A lifelong connection to the outdoors, nurtured through childhood experiences and years as a camp counselor, consistently reinforced her belief in nature as a powerful contributor to well-being. After a profound year of personal loss, Sami turned inward, recommitting to practices she knew were restorative: journaling, meditation, and intentional self-reflection. During this period, a guided meditation envisioning her “ideal future” revealed a clear sense of purpose and the concept that would become Re-Tx Yourself. This experience led her to pursue her master’s degree and bring the vision to life. Her graduate research in forest bathing and attention restoration theory allowed Sami to integrate evidence-based practice with nature-based sensory experiences. Today, she combines clinical expertise and evidence-based approaches to help individuals reconnect with restoration, reflection, and resilience through Re-Tx Yourself.

CTRS, MSRT

Gina Hess is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist with a Master’s degree in Recreational Therapy from Grand Valley State University. She currently works in the community setting with Home and Community Recreation Therapy (HCRT), supporting individuals living with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). Gina is passionate about creating meaningful, person-centered interventions that promote independence, community reintegration, and overall well-being. Her clinical interests include nature-based and evidence-informed approaches to rehabilitation. Her graduate research focused on the effects of forest bathing for individuals with TBI, which she presented as a poster at the most recent ATRA Conference. Through her work, Gina is committed to advancing the role of recreational therapy in community-based rehabilitation and highlighting innovative approaches that enhance quality of life. She brings both research insight and hands-on experience to her practice, advocating for the powerful impact of Recreation Therapy.

CTRS, CDP, CDES

Maddie Postma is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP), and Certified Dementia Engagement Specialist (CDES) with over six years of experience serving older adults in senior living communities. For the past three years as a CTRS, Maddie has specialized in developing meaningful, evidence-based recreational programming for individuals living with dementia, with a strong focus on dignity, inclusion, engagement, and quality of life. Maddie’s passion for serving individuals with disabilities began in childhood. Growing up alongside a brother with a severe developmental disability, she was determined to help him experience the same adventures and opportunities as other children — even when those experiences needed to be thoughtfully adapted. That commitment to accessibility and inclusion ultimately led her to recreational therapy, a profession that perfectly combines compassion, creativity, and adventure. Throughout her career, Maddie has worked in diverse settings, including providing adaptive recreation for individuals with autism in extreme outdoor sports environments. These experiences reinforced her belief that every person deserves access to joy, challenge, and meaningful engagement — regardless of cognitive or physical limitations.