Why Aya

Aya Ninomiya

Occupational Therapist
&
Learning Support Advisor

Japanese and English

About Me

I'm bilingual and love living a cross-cultural lifestyle.

My love for learning about different cultures and lifestyles came from growing up in Europe and the U.S. while having a Japanese family to come home to every day. There was always ‘something' different about my home life to that of our neighbors and I loved it.

I've maintained this way of living by immersing in new destinations weeks to months at a time. I'll take opportunities to keep living across borders and learning from those who live a different way from what I know.

After working in Tokyo for 7 years, I opened my online practice as COVID-19 took over our daily routines around the world. So, the start of my location-independent work style left me in the most land-locked, home-bound period of my life!

C'est la vie 😉

Please share my work with families and schools who do not have access to in-person OT or learning support!

Work Experience

School

Learning Support Coordinator, KAIS Elementary & Middle School (Aug 2014 to Jun 2019)

Occupational Therapist, Independent Practitioner (Mar 2014 to Aug 2016)

 

Community

Clinical EducatorAustralian Catholic University in Vietnam (Nov 2019 to Dec 2019)

Program Director, Integrated Support Program in Tokyo (Jun 2016 to Jun 2018)

 

Outreach

Occupational Therapist, Harvey & MacLauren in Aichi  (May 2012 to Aug 2013)

English Teacher, Escuela Montezuma in Costa Rica (Jun 2008 to Aug 2008)

Teacher Assistant, Northern School for the Blind in Thailand (Jul 2007)

 

Professional Training

Licenses

Board Registered, Australia — OCCP0001798484

Board Registered, Japan — 外50

 

Certificates

Basic DIRFloortime Practitioner, Basic Certificate, IDCL

Alert Program

Mental Health First Aid

 

Clinical Training

Community Mental Health, 

Community Development Project, 

Remote Health, Alice Springs Hospital & Remote Outreach Team

Inpatient Rehabilitation, 

Acute Care, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

 

Education

Master of Occupational Therapy, University of Sydney (2010 to 2012)

Bachelor of ArtsInternational Relations, Comparative Society & Culture, International Christian University (2005 to 2009)

Peace Studies, Haverford College (2007 to 2008)

 

Contributions

Publications

“Options for Japanese Returnees with Developmental Delays” in Welcome Home: A Practical Guide for Parents of Returnees, Appendix 2 (January 2018)

  Blog Posts

Generalization of New Skills to Different Environments” (August 2020)

Occupational Therapy for Kids Living Internationally” (August 2020)

Understanding Your Child at School” (June 2020)

Promoting Mindfulness as a School-Wide Practice” (June 2020)

The Importance of the Home-School Connection in International Schools” (June 2020)

Teletherapy in International Schools” (June 2020)

Finding Comfort Through Self Regulation” (April 2020)

How an International School Celebrated Autism” (April 2020)

  Podcast

TCK Home Interview” (May 2020)

  Workshops

“School Readiness Skills & Parent Support” — TELL (Tokyo, March 2015)