Debra Olson-Morrison

Debra Olson-Morrison, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW, RPT-S is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Avila University, where she has taught as an adjunct since 2007 and as a full-time faculty member since 2015. Her dedication to social work education and trauma-informed practices has significantly contributed to the university's programs.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Utah (2009) and an MSW from the same institution (2001).

Dr. Olson-Morrison's research focuses on trauma-informed care, play therapy, and social work education. She is particularly interested in Universal Design for Learning, attachment theory, and the treatment of complex developmental trauma. Her recent work explores the integration of virtual reality in social work education and the development of resiliency skills for college students.

Her scholarly contributions demonstrate a consistent focus on trauma and innovative educational approaches, with a notable shift towards technology-enhanced learning in recent years. She has published on field education, play therapy, and the application of virtual reality in clinical training.

She has received several awards, including:

• Phi Alpha National Award – Faculty Advisor of the Year, Park University (2019)
• Phi Alpha National Award – Chapter Service Award, Park University (2019)
• Faculty Academic Excellence Award, Park University (2018)
• Faculty Fellow Award, Park University (2017-2018) for Universal Design of Instruction

As an advisor for the Phi Alpha Social Work Honors Society, Dr. Olson-Morrison has led the chapter to multiple service awards. She has secured grants for developing a resiliency course integrated into liberal education, creating a Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) on resiliency, and purchasing VR equipment for social work education. Additionally, she helped develop the Pirate Food Pantry at Park University and serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Play Therapy.

Dr. Olson-Morrison is actively involved in the community, serving as a board member for two non-profits and as an area coordinator for the Missouri Play Therapy Association. She also founded a non-profit organization in New Zealand focused on trauma treatment research and education.