Therapy does not stop mattering when a session ends. But for parents already juggling school, appointments, meals, work, siblings, routines, and everyday life, adding another list of therapy exercises can quickly become overwhelming.
In part two of this conversation, Brian Keene, OTD, OTR/L, talks with Nicole Dahl, VP of Marketing at Korro AI and the parent of an autistic son, about making therapy carryover more realistic for families.
Nicole shares her own experience of receiving home programs while her son participated in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, feeding therapy, social groups, and other supports. She remembers the pressure of trying to remember what to practice and wondering whether she was doing enough between appointments.
That experience is part of what drew her to Korro, a technology platform that uses interactive games and computer vision to help children practice therapist-selected skills through movement and play.
Listen to the Full Episode
Use the podcast player on this page to hear Brian and Nicole’s full conversation about home practice, caregiver mental load, technology, play, and helping children carry skills beyond the therapy session.
Memorable Quote
“Korro makes it easy. It’s one less thing I have to worry about.”
In This Episode We Discuss
Why home therapy programs can become another source of stress
How play and technology may make practice more engaging
How Korro uses a phone or tablet camera to recognize movement
Why children do not need a controller to interact with the games
Supporting skills connected to dressing, coordination, movement, and regulation
Adapting activities to a child’s abilities
The occupational therapy concept of the “just right challenge”
How therapists can adjust goals and review information from home practice
Why short, consistent practice can be easier than long assignments
Building clear screen-time boundaries into a routine
Helping parents support progress without expecting them to become therapists
Key Themes From the Conversation
Home practice has to fit real family life
A home program can be clinically useful and still be difficult for a family to consistently complete. Nicole describes the familiar experience of receiving worksheets or exercise lists and then trying to remember everything several days later.
The conversation reframes carryover around a practical question: how can we make practicing a skill easier to fit into something the family is already doing?
That might mean practicing dressing during the actual morning routine, building hand skills through play, or adding a short movement activity before dinner.
For a deeper look at this topic, read our full guide:
How to Make Practice Easier for Autistic and Neurodivergent Children
Children are more likely to participate when practice is engaging
Brian and Nicole discuss how Korro turns selected therapy skills into games in which children control an avatar with their body movements. Instead of holding a traditional controller, the device’s camera recognizes movement.
The episode includes examples such as climbing on Mars, helping a character move across glaciers, finger-based activities, breathing exercises, and other interactive experiences.
That does not mean every child needs technology for home practice. The larger idea is that motivation matters. Therapy goals can often be practiced through interests, games, routines, and activities that already make sense to the child.
The “just right challenge” matters
Brian highlights one of his favorite occupational therapy concepts: the just right challenge.
If something is far too easy, a child may lose interest. If it is far too difficult, frustration can take over. Effective practice often sits somewhere in the middle, challenging enough to build a skill while still giving the child a realistic opportunity for success.
This is also why individualized therapy matters. A strategy that works beautifully for one child may need to be changed considerably for another.
Parents should not have to become the entire therapy team
One of the strongest parts of Nicole’s story is her description of the pressure she once felt to be OT, PT, speech therapist, and everything else at home.
Parents absolutely play an important role in helping children use skills across different environments. But caregiver involvement should not mean recreating a clinical therapy session every night.
Good carryover can be simple. A therapist can help identify one or two meaningful skills, show the family how they fit into everyday routines, and adjust the plan when something is not working.
Common Questions Parents Ask
How much therapy practice should we do at home?
There is no universal amount that works for every child. A realistic plan created with your child’s therapist is often more useful than trying to squeeze a long list of exercises into an already busy week.
Does home practice have to look like a therapy session?
No. Many skills can be practiced naturally through dressing, meals, play, chores, movement, community activities, and other daily routines. The goal is meaningful participation, not turning your living room into a clinic.
What if my child refuses their home therapy activities?
Talk with your child’s therapist about what is making the activity difficult. The task may need to be shortened, adapted, connected to an interest, or adjusted so the challenge better matches your child’s current abilities.
Why This Conversation Matters for Families
Progress does not happen because a parent creates the perfect home program.
It happens through many small opportunities for a child to explore, practice, participate, regulate, make mistakes, and try again.
Technology such as Korro is one possible tool for creating those opportunities. Everyday routines are another. Play is another.
What matters most is finding strategies that respect the child, fit the family, and connect back to goals that actually improve participation in daily life.
If home practice is becoming a nightly battle, that is useful information for the therapy team. Therapy should be collaborative, and the plan can change.
Resources Mentioned
Korro AI
Korro uses computer vision and interactive experiences to support therapist-guided occupational therapy practice in clinical and home settings.
Pure Hearts Therapy Services
Learn about neurodiversity-affirming occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, aquatic therapy, and parent coaching.
Explore Pure Hearts Therapy services
About the Guest
Nicole Dahl is VP of Marketing at Korro AI and the parent of an autistic son. Her family participated in multiple therapies and support programs throughout her son’s childhood. That lived experience gives Nicole a parent perspective on the difficulty of maintaining home programs, understanding therapy goals, and balancing the desire to support progress with the realities of family life.
Today, her son is attending college, a milestone Nicole reflects on during the episode while discussing the value of support, consistency, and giving children opportunities to develop skills over time.
Related Resources for Parents
If you found this episode helpful, you may also enjoy:
Home-Based Therapy: 5 Benefits of In-Home Pediatric Care for Children with Disabilities
Occupational Therapy Month: How OT Helps Children Achieve Everyday Skills
Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy: Supporting Your Child’s Unique Strengths
Explore more parent resources at:
https://pureheartstherapy.com/blog
If you’re looking for a deeper breakdown of this topic, check out our full guide here:
How to Make Practice Easier for Autistic and Neurodivergent Children
