By Dave DeFusco
At the 2025 AOTA Annual Conference, Amanda Hoberman, a graduate of the Katz School's Occupational Therapy Doctorate, unveiled a practical solution to a critical gap in healthcare education: an accessible online educational module designed for occupational therapists and other healthcare professionals working with individuals affected by trauma.
Developed under the mentorship of Dr. Amiya Waldman-Levi, director of scholarship and research in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, and Dr. Marissa Barrera, director of the M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology, the project was born from faculty insight but brought to life by Hoberman鈥檚 diligence, creativity and commitment to making an impact.
鈥淭his is a strong example of the scholarship of education,鈥 said Dr. Waldman-Levi. 鈥淲e identified a need for continuing education in trauma-informed care, and Amanda helped translate that need into an accessible, self-directed learning tool.鈥
Research underscores the urgency. Nearly seven in 10 mental health professionals report feeling inadequately trained to assess trauma, and three-quarters feel unprepared to treat it. This training gap also extends to occupational therapy鈥攁 field deeply engaged in helping individuals reclaim independence and functionality after traumatic events.
Trauma can have profound and lasting effects on both physical and psychological health. It disrupts routines, relationships and even the simplest daily tasks鈥攑recisely the areas where occupational therapists focus their care. Yet many practitioners enter the field without the necessary tools or training to recognize trauma鈥檚 signs or respond with evidence-based, sensible interventions.
Hoberman鈥檚 solution was shaped by two guiding theories: trauma-informed care and self-directed learning. With busy schedules and varied clinical responsibilities in mind, she created two free online, self-paced educational modules tailored to the needs of practicing clinicians.
The project began with a Google Forms survey, distributed to practicing occupational therapists. Six clinicians responded to nine questions鈥攅ight open-ended and one close-ended鈥攈ighlighting a lack of formal trauma-related education and a strong preference for brief, flexible training that could be completed in under two hours.
Using this input, combined with a comprehensive literature review, Hoberman built a 12-lesson online course:
- Seven core content lessons on trauma and trauma-informed care
- Five checkpoint lessons with reflection questions and knowledge checks
- Each module began with a clear introduction and three learning outcomes
- Lessons included definitions, the six principles of trauma-informed care, evidence-based interventions and case applications specific to occupational therapy
- Mixed formats, including video, narrative and interactive exercises, made the modules engaging and easy to follow
- Each lesson ended with a reference list for deeper exploration
鈥淭he modules were designed not just for occupational therapists,鈥 said Hoberman, 鈥渂ut also for speech-language pathologists, nurses and other allied health professionals鈥攁nyone working directly with trauma survivors.鈥
Hoberman鈥檚 work was strengthened through three layers of review:
- Expert Clinician Review: An experienced occupational therapist with clinical and academic expertise provided input on content relevance, terminology and practical utility. Recommendations included reorganizing content for better flow and removing or adding examples to better align with common clinical scenarios.
- Focus Group: A 30-minute session with 16 occupational therapy doctorate students yielded feedback on formatting, citation clarity and suggested additional topics, like cultural sensitivity in trauma treatment.
- Module Design Expert: An instructional designer specializing in online learning reviewed the modules for visual clarity, accessibility and pacing. Their editorial suggestions refined the final product, making it smoother and more intuitive for users.
The final modules are publicly available and intentionally designed for busy healthcare providers. Practitioners can complete the training at their own pace in a single sitting or spread it across several days, gaining not just theoretical knowledge but actionable tools for clinical practice.
鈥淭his module fills a critical void,鈥 said Dr. Barrera. 鈥淣ot only does it prepare therapists to better understand their clients' experiences, but it empowers them to create safer, more responsive therapeutic environments.鈥
Hoberman鈥檚 project exemplifies the power of student-faculty collaboration and the role of education in shaping the future of trauma-informed care.
鈥淚 learned how important it is to truly listen鈥攖o the literature, to clinicians, to mentors and to the clients behind every clinical decision,鈥 said Hoberman. 鈥淎nd I hope this module becomes one more step toward making care more compassionate and informed for everyone.鈥
