ATRA SoCal : 2026 Session Description

Your first ATRA Annual Conference is more than an educational event. It is an opportunity to connect with the people, ideas, and experiences that will shape your future as a recreational therapist. Designed specifically for students, this interactive session will help you confidently navigate the conference while introducing you to the broader recreational therapy community. Meet ATRA's leadership, discover how to maximize your conference experience, learn the value of professional involvement, and begin building a network of peers and mentors that can support your career long after the conference ends. Whether this is your first conference or your first step into professional involvement, you'll leave with practical strategies, meaningful connections, and a greater sense of belonging within the recreational therapy profession.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to: Develop a personal strategy for maximizing educational, networking, and professional growth opportunities throughout the conference. Explain how involvement in ATRA and other professional activities contributes to career development and advances the recreational therapy profession. Establish new professional connections with students, ATRA leaders, and recreational therapists that can support future learning, mentorship, and career opportunities.

Students