2025 UOTA Annual Conference

Trauma Informed Educator I – Credential Course

Open to all! You do not need to be an educator to attend.

Certified Micro-Credentials (TIE)

Earn certified micro-credentials that validate your expertise in trauma-informed education, enhancing your professional portfolio and demonstrating your commitment to ongoing learning.

Presenter: The Community Resilience Initiative – Rick Griffin – trainer. https://criresilient.org/

Course Content 

THE SCIENCE OF TRAUMA-INFORMED

This section lays the foundation for everything that follows. This section delves into the intricate workings of the human brain, emphasizing its predictive nature. Understanding how the brain predicts threats and resources enhances our comprehension of human behavior. We will explore concepts such as the fight, flight, or freeze responses and the brain’s wiring to seek resources and rewards. This knowledge illuminates why certain behaviors emerge after traumatic experiences, rooted in our fundamental need to protect and sustain ourselves.

TRAUMA’S IMPACT ON BEHAVIOR

Building on our understanding of the brain’s response mechanisms, the second section, “Trauma’s Impact on Behavior,” connects biological responses to trauma with observable behaviors. This segment highlights how the instinctual need to avoid threats and seek resources and rewards can manifest in misunderstood or misinterpreted behaviors, especially in educational or therapeutic settings. By examining the science, participants gain insight into the complex interplay between trauma and behavior, fostering deeper empathy and understanding for those they work with.

ADDRESSING TRAUMA

The final segment, “Addressing Trauma,” goes beyond teaching a limited set of strategies. It empowers you to develop effective, adaptable intervention techniques tailored to the diverse range of human behavior. By understanding the underlying principles and neuroscience of behavior, you will learn to create personalized approaches that are applicable across various situations and individuals. This flexibility ensures that interventions are not only effective but also responsive to each person’s unique needs and experiences. Equipped with comprehensive assessment tools, you will be able to implement strategies that are both practical and impactful, promoting positive outcomes in a wide array of contexts. The CRI ROLES strategy serves as a key component of this training, providing a multifaceted approach to effectively support individuals impacted by trauma.

Duration: 7 hours total (Includes a 30 minute food break and 2 15-minute breaks)

Date: Friday, November 7, 2025

Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Location: Utah Valley University, Orem Utah Campus. Clark Building, Room 510/511

Cost: $150.00 (early registration – price increases to $200 on November 1)

TIE Micro-Credential: Given upon passing accompanying course exam (included in the cost) that can be taken after the course.

UOTA Networking Dinner

Join us for an engaging evening of connection and collaboration at the Utah Occupational Therapy Association Networking Dinner, held the night before our annual conference. This relaxed gathering offers a unique opportunity to meet fellow occupational therapy professionals, share insights, and build meaningful relationships across specialties and settings. Enjoy a delicious meal, lively conversation, and a chance to strengthen our community as we prepare for a day of learning and inspiration. We look forward to seeing you there!

Please note, that you do not need to be a UOTA member to attend this dinner. This is a networking event open to all OT practitioners in the state of Utah.

Date: Friday, November 7, 2025

Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Location: Utah Valley University, Orem Utah Campus. Clark Building, Room 510/511

Cost: $15.00 (early registration – price increases to $28 on November 1)

Hotel discounts are available for conference attendees this year. Rooms are limited, so book fast!