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ATRA SoCal : 2026 Session Description
October 17–19, 2026
The Embassy Suites, Brea, California
2026 ATRA Annual Conference – Session Descriptions
October 17–19, 2026 | Brea, CA
The following is the Session Descriptions for the 2026 ATRA Annual Conference in Brea, CA. All sessions, times, and presenter information have been confirmed, though final adjustments may occur due to unforeseen circumstances onsite.
For a visual Calendar view, please visit: Schedule at a Glance
For information on our On Demand Conference offerings, please visit: ATRA SoCal On Demand
Continuing Education (CEUs):
NCTRC pre-approval is pending fr all sessions for CEUs.
Once the program is pre-approved; For questions related to specialty certification areas, please refer to the PDF version of the program for designation icons and CEU-eligible sessions.
Code of Conduct:
All attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and guests are expected to uphold the ATRA Conference Code of Conduct.
To review the Code, view it here.
Note on Non-ATRA Activities:
Please note that any events or activities not listed in the official ATRA SoCal program are independently organized and not affiliated or sponsored by ATRA. ATRA is not responsible for independently coordinated events, meetups or activities not articulated in this program. Individuals interested in non-ATRA sponsored activities should contact their respective organizations directly for details.
From Participation to Belonging: Exploring Community Adaptive Sports as a Pathway to Connection
Session Description
Previous literature has indicated that belonging is an important outcome of participation in mainstream sports, yet within adaptive sports, it is often reported as a secondary or inductive outcome rather than an intentionally integrated construct in research design. This session presents findings from a scoping review exploring belonging among individuals with disabilities engaged in community adaptive sports, grounded in Hagerty’s Theory of Human Relatedness, emphasizing valued involvement and fit. Results indicate that adaptive sports facilitate belonging through opportunities for individuals to feel needed, supported, and aligned with their environment. Implications for recreational therapy highlight the importance of intentionally designing adaptive sport interventions to target belonging as a primary therapeutic outcome through person-centered programming.
Learning Outcomes
1. Define the concept of belonging within adaptive sports using Hagerty’s Theory of Human Relatedness, including the core pillars of valued involvement and fit. 2. Examine how community adaptive sports programs facilitate belonging among individuals with disabilities, based on findings from a scoping review. 3. Apply implications from the scoping review to recreational therapy practice by identifying strategies to intentionally design adaptive sport interventions that target belonging as a primary therapeutic outcome.
Practice Area: Select ALL that Apply
Community
Research
Target Audience
New Graduates/New Professionals
Educators/Researchers
Mid-Career Professionals
Seasoned Professionals
Primary Presenter
![[photo]](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2dab7e5d185171ce72c4189ed7631114.png?d=https://proposalspace.com/images/no_photo.png&r=PG&s=50 "Derek Whaley, University of North Carolina Wilmington")
Derek Whaley, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Biographical Information
Dr. Derek Whaley is an assistant professor of Recreational Therapy at The University of North Carolina Wilmington. As a CTRS Derek practiced recreational therapy, primarily in behavioral health with youth and adults, for 10 years in a number of different states (i.e., North Carolina, Montano, Wyoming, Alaska, and Michigan). Derek has specialty in presenting on interactive topics including adventure therapy and adaptive sports topics. Additionally, Derek has been educating recreational therapy students for over 7 years at three institutions.
Co-Presenter/Panelists
![[photo]](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/66528a6bbe1d80e08e421f0f0541dc38.png?d=https://proposalspace.com/images/no_photo.png&r=PG&s=50 "Kaitlin Mueller, Slippery Rock University")
Kaitlin Mueller, Slippery Rock University
Credentials
PhD, LRT, CTRS
Biographical Information
Dr. Kaitlin Mueller is an assistant professor of Recreational Therapy at Slippery Rock University. She worked as a recreational therapist in sub-acute rehabilitation and geripsych before obtaining her advanced practice RT degrees to become a professor. She has been educating recreational therapy students for over 8 years at three different institutions. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of students into the profession while rejuvenating seasoned practitioners with new tools to serve their clients!
![[photo]](https://8ca84662c5b8f0cff50d-4baaaf97d63fd7b01243e1b1c57f0cc1.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/3553/profile_f3604b2c80a8330c32085da1cac6f507.png "Allie Thomas, PhD, CTRS, Texas State University")
Allie Thomas, PhD, CTRS, Texas State University
Credentials
PhD, CTRS, CARSS-I
Biographical Information
Dr. Allie Thomas is an assistant professor of Recreation Studies at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX where she has been educating RT students for over 16 years. Additionally, she has extensive expertise in providing numerous adaptive sports experiences for individuals with disabilities, including Veterans and members of the Armed Forces. She has spoken at numerous conferences throughout her career, both as a presenter and keynote speaker.