Koi Wellness with Aya Porté
Join empowered parents and caretakers of children and teens, confidently practicing my proven strategies for ease and enjoyment at home, school, and beyond. The Koi Wellness newsletter provides tools to achieve confidence and self-reliance for your children, so they can finally feel the relief that comes from being understood.
The Eye Exercises I Mentioned Last Month
Hey Reader! Last month, I shared a conversation about the experiences that have shaped my journey as an occupational therapist. Toward the end of that conversation, I talked about two patients with long-standing neck pain who experienced meaningful improvements after completing a series of simple eye-movement exercises. Several people were curious about those exercises, so I wanted to share a little more. Our eyes, neck, and balance systems work closely together. When that connection isn't...
🎆 From One Spark...
Hi Reader, This month, I wanted to share something a little different. Instead of writing a traditional article, I sat down for a conversation about the experiences that shaped not only my journey into occupational therapy (OT), but also the way I approach every person I work with today. It all started with a simple question from a classmate during my senior year of high school in Japan. Looking back, that conversation taught me lessons about advocacy, meaningful participation, and listening...
🍞 Bread doesn’t follow your schedule—
Hello Reader, A few years ago, I stepped away from work feeling completely burned out and enrolled in a French bread course in Tokyo. I learned how to bake beautiful loaves—baguettes, boules, croissants. You can see more of them here, here, here, and here! Fast forward to recently, I decided to try again at home… and let’s just say, the results have been far more humbling. What I forgot is this: Bread doesn’t care about your schedule. There are steps you can’t rush. Moments where you have to...
🍳There Is No “Right Way”
Hello Reader! A little something about me—I love to cook and bake. This past year, I found myself cooking more than I have in a long time. But what stood out wasn’t how often I cooked—it was how differently I cooked depending on my environment. Over time, my “system” kept changing. Cooking in college looked different from cooking with roommates. Read more about this on the blog! Read the Blog Post Cooking alone in Japan felt different from cooking during a busy move to Texas. And each version...
〰️ Progress Isn’t Linear: One Conversation Changed Everything
Hi Reader! Lately, my Instagram feed has been full of “Japanese convenience store hacks.” Quick meals. Thoughtfully packaged snacks. Full lunches assembled in minutes. Every post makes me miss Japan a little—and reminds me how much everyday environments shape how we live. Growing up, I assumed 7‑Eleven was Japanese. I was shocked to learn it started in the U.S. Despite sharing the same name, the experience in each country feels completely different. In Japan, convenience stores (konbini) are...
🔝 Progress Isn’t Linear...
Hi Reader! One of the most meaningful reminders of why I do this work arrived in my inbox recently. It was a message from a former student—now a college-bound young adult—thanking me for a lesson they hadn’t fully appreciated at the time. Not a worksheet. Not a goal we tracked. But a moment that quietly reshaped how they understood themselves and their ability to grow. It was a full circle moment, from being told I would never succeed (read the article here), to empowering others to do just...
🧺 Carrying What Works Forward
Hello Reader, The start of a new year often brings a mix of emotions—hope, curiosity, hesitation, and sometimes quiet fatigue. New routines, new expectations, new environments. Even when change is welcome, it asks us to pay attention to what’s working—and what isn’t. This past year, I was reminded of that in an unexpected way while traveling to Germany for the first time. Everywhere we stayed, shared beds were made the same way: two people, two comforters.No tug-of-war.No negotiating...
2️⃣5️⃣ Closing the Year with Intention
Hey Reader! As the year winds down, many of us feel the same tug—gratitude and fatigue, side by side. There’s pressure to finish strong, yet a quiet part of us just wants to pause and breathe. Before setting new goals, take a moment to look back. What worked? What surprised you? What small victories are worth celebrating? Reflection …is about honoring growth and letting rest become part of progress. In therapy and in life, I often return to the “Big Rocks” idea: if you fill your jar with sand...
ABA vs. OT: Working Together—and When Each Makes the Difference
Hey Reader! If you’ve ever heard phrases like “We need an ABA plan” or “Let’s bring in OT” and wondered what those really mean for your child—you’re not alone. Both ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) and OT (Occupational Therapy) support children with developmental or behavioral challenges. But while their tools may look similar, their lenses are different. The Lense ✩ ABA focuses on behavior—using data and reinforcement to understand what’s happening and why.✩ OT, on the other hand, looks at...
Let’s Be a Full Team: From Opposite Sides to Shared Support
Hey Reader! Have you ever found yourself on opposite sides of the same goal? A teacher wants more focus, a parent wants less pressure, a therapist wants measurable progress—and everyone is working hard, yet somehow, it feels like you’re not quite on the same side. The truth is: we all want the same thing. For the child to thrive. When we start seeing each other as teammates instead of separate roles, everything shifts. The parent brings comfort and deep knowing. The teacher brings structure...
Join empowered parents and caretakers of children and teens, confidently practicing my proven strategies for ease and enjoyment at home, school, and beyond. The Koi Wellness newsletter provides tools to achieve confidence and self-reliance for your children, so they can finally feel the relief that comes from being understood.