Sacred Heart University
Center for Healthcare Education
4000 Park Avenue
Bridgeport, CT
“The Knowledge We Carry: Legacy, Lifelong Learning, and Leadership”
In this year’s Katherine Harris Keynote, Michael Gans reflects on the enduring impact of mentorship, the critical importance of translating knowledge, and the evolving role of leadership in physical therapy. Through personal stories, professional insights, and a tribute to the legacy of Kathy Harris, this keynote explores how our shared experiences shape the future of our profession.
Attendees will be invited to consider how legacy lives on—not just in memory, but in the values we uphold, the evidence we apply, and the communities we build. From association engagement to clinical innovation, this talk challenges us to lead with purpose, stay curious, and carry forward the knowledge that defines who we are.
(schedule is subject to change)
7:00 – 8:00AM | Registration, Exhibitors, Breakfast and Poster Setup | |||
Track | Room 1 | Room 2 | Room 3 | Room 4 |
8:00- 9:30am | Lifestyle Medicine for the Physical Therapist: Integrating Health and Wellness in Clinical Practice | Mending Broken Beats: Key Actions in Management of Heart Failure | Preparing for the Unexpected: | 8:00 – 8:45am 8:45 – 9:30am |
9:30 – 10:45am | Exhibitor Hour / Poster Presentations / Chair Yoga | |||
10:45 – 11:45am | Understanding and De-stigmatizing Functional Neurologic Disorders: Promoting Connection Across Practice Settings | Mindfulness and Yoga for Cardiac Patients: A Therapeutic Approach for Rehab Professionals | Clinical Confidence: Building the Soft Skills to Thrive in Physical Therapy Clinical Placements and Practice
| What I Wish I Knew as a New Pediatric Physical Therapist |
12:00-12:45pm | Katherine Harris Keynote Address | |||
12:45–1:45pm | Lunch, Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation | |||
2:00-3:00pm | When Your Goose is a Little Loose: | Motion Meets Hormones: | Cultivating Connections: Enhancing Student-Faculty Relationships in DPT Programs | Evidence Elevates: |
3:00 – 3:15pm | Afternoon Break / Chair Yoga | |||
3:15 – 4:15pm | The Balancing Act: | Motor thrills for motor skills: Use of adapted ride-on toys to encourage manual motor function in children with upper extremity impairments | Collaborative Management of Sports- Related Concussions: Roles of Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers | |
(schedule is subject to change)
For educational events with a registration fee.
Please email ctapta@libertysquaregroup.com with your request to cancel your registration.
APTA CT members: It is easier to “log in” (top menu) first and then come back to this page.
If you are an APTA member in another state, reach out to ctapta@libertysquaregroup.com for a discount code.
| 7:00 AM | Registration, Exhibitors, Breakfast, & Poster Setup | ||||||
| Room | Room 304C | Room 310 | Room 325 | Room 104 | |||
8:00 – 9:30am
| If You’re Not at the Table, You’re on the Menu: How State Laws Dictate Physical Therapist practice and What You Can Do About It Maryclaire Capetta, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT | Introduction to Advanced Strain and Counterstrain for the Autonomic Nervous System – An Integrated Systems Approach from Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT) Thomas A. Giammatteo, DC, PT, Ph.D., IMTC | Is it Autism: Differential Diagnosis and Management from a Physical Therapy Perspective Mary Elizabeth Parker, PT, PhD, PCS | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Physical Therapist: Theory and Clinical Application Andrew Sullivan, PT, DPT, ScD, OCS, SCS, FAAOMPT | |||
| 9:30 – 11:00am | Exhibitor Hour & Posters | ||||||
11:00 – 12:00pm | Pathway to Wellness: Enough Talk, Take Action Michelle E. Wormley, MPT, PhD, CLT | High Intensity Gait Training and Exercise with individuals with neurologic dysfunction and significant motor impairment Mary Gannotti, PT, PhD, Jill Kossbiel, PT, DPT, Erika Ozdemirer, PT, DPT, Chase Cole, SPT, Bethany Ladd, SPT, Leila Miller, SPT | Closing the Gap: Revolutionizing Our Approach to Diastasis Recti Danielle Dunn, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC | It May Be Their Meds: The Role of the Physical Therapist in Deprescribing Karen Blood, PT, DPT, DHSc | |||
| 12:15 – 1:00pm | Katherine Harris Keynote Address: | ||||||
| 1:00 – 2:30pm | Lunch, Annual Membership Meeting & Awards Presentation | ||||||
2:30 – 3:30pm
| Optimizing Patient Care: How AI is Transforming Physical Therapy Neeraj Baheti, PT, DPT, SCS, OCS | The Golden Years of Shoulder Care: Balancing Interventions for Atraumatic Rotator Cuff Tears in Seniors Kaleigh Chen PT, DPT | Differential Diagnosis in Children with Multisystem Involvement: A Physical Therapy Perspective Mary Elizabeth Parker, PT, PhD, PCS | Managing the Unique Challenges Associated with Recovery from Critical Illness Jim Smith, PT, DPT, MA, FAPTA | |||
| 3:30 – 3:45pm | Afternoon Break and Snack | ||||||
3:45 – 4:45pm
| Is it Harassment or the Disease Process? Rebecca Slocum, PT, DPT, RAC-CTA, CDP and Jennifer Rucci, MA, CCC-SLP | Engagement and Motivation in Rehabilitation Across the Lifespan Cristina Colon-Semenza, PT, MPT, PhD | Physical Therapy as a Catalyst to Address Health Disparities Experienced by Adults with Cerebral Palsy Mary Gannotti, PT, PhD | Integrating Mindfulness in Post op Surgery Patients Monica Jain, PT, DPT |
For each educational session attended, the attendee will receive approved contact hours for that session.
The attendee may receive up to 5 competency points (contact hours) if they attend the entire day.
During the last session, a document with a QR code to a verification form will be shared. Please complete this form for the certificate of completion. Not a fan of QR codes? You may list your name on this document to receive the form link via email.
If you need to leave prior to the last session, please stop by the registration table for the link.
Attendees should park in the South Garage. All early bird registrations will receive a parking voucher
Park in South Garage and walk to the Student Union on Hillside Rd. Registration will be on the third floor
