Dana Baltutis

Dana is passionate about communication and relationships and works from an evidence-based foundation. Dana has worked as a Speech Pathologist since 1989 and in her own private practice since 2007 as a DIFloortime^® Practitioner. She is a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist with Speech Pathology Australia and was the first Speech Pathologist to be DIRFloortime^® Certified in Australia.

Dana believes language is a complex process which involves understanding spoken words and, more importantly, understanding people’s intentions, non-verbal communication, what their bodies are doing and what is happening in their space.

Dana supports the therapy team to work with children’s language and social-emotional development in a sensory-motor and play environment, respecting the child’s individual profile and the context of their relationship with their parents, siblings, peers and other people who play a significant role in their life.

Dana:

• is a certified Hanen^® Speech Pathologist in It Takes Two to Talk^®, More than Words^®, Learning Language and Loving It™ and Talkability™ training
• is a certified Marte Meo^® Therapist
• has an ‘Expert DIRFloortime^® Provider’ qualification through the Interdisciplinary Council of Development and Learning (ICDL)
• is a certified Profectum Academy Trainer in the DIR Model and Foundational Capacities for Development (FCD)
• is a certified NLP Practitioner
• is a certified Time Line Therapy^® Practitioner

She has worked with Georgina Ahrens, DIRFloortime^® Certified Occupational Therapist, in Sydney providing DIRFloortime^® family consults and professional and parent training locally, nationally and internationally.

Dana provides supervision, mentoring and support to staff and other professionals. She is available for consultation with parents by arrangement, and facilitates parent coaching through her 6-session program, The Empowered Parent.