I believe people are capable of far more than we sometimes get to see.
But capability and capacity are not the same thing.
A person can be highly capable and still struggle to access that capability when they are overwhelmed, misunderstood, anxious, unsupported or in an environment that does not work for them.
That is where my work begins.
I am Dana Baltutis, a neurodivergent Speech Pathologist, coach, trainer, author, business owner and founder of Attuned Workplaces.
For more than three decades, I have worked alongside children, families, therapists, professionals, leaders and teams. Across all of these settings, I keep coming back to one simple idea:
When we understand the human, we see things differently.
Instead of asking:
What is wrong with this person?
I want us to become curious.
What is happening around this person?
What might be affecting their capacity?
What are we not yet understanding?
What could we change in the environment, the relationship, our communication or the way we lead?
And what becomes possible when we do?
Today, I bring this thinking into workplaces, leadership, professional coaching, supervision and training.
Through Attuned Workplaces, I work with leaders, teams and organisations to move beyond surface-level neuroinclusion and look more deeply at the environments, relationships, communication and leadership practices that influence people’s capacity to contribute and show what they are capable of.
I also coach and supervise therapists, professionals and leaders who want to understand themselves more deeply, develop their confidence and capability, and lead and work with greater clarity and intention.
I don’t believe people need to be fixed.
I believe people need to be understood.
Because sometimes the person isn’t the thing that needs to change.
Sometimes we need to change what is happening around them.
And when we do, we may finally get to see the capability that was there all along.
I have always been curious about people.
I love listening to people, understanding what shapes the way they think, communicate and work, and discovering what helps them access their capability.
My career began as a Speech Pathologist more than three decades ago, but I have never stayed in one lane.
I wanted to understand more.
More about communication. More about human development. More about disability and neurodivergence. More about leadership. More about workplaces. And more about why some environments bring out the best in people while others make it much harder for them to access what they are capable of.
That curiosity has taken me through clinical practice, postgraduate study, leadership, business ownership, coaching, training, writing and mentoring.
I hold a Bachelor of Applied Science in Speech Pathology, a Master of Science in Community Disability Studies and a Graduate Diploma in Educational Management. I am also a Certified Master Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner, coach and DIR Floortime® Trainer, and have worked in Australia and internationally.
For more than a decade, I have been the Director and co-founder of My Therapy House, a multidisciplinary practice in Adelaide supporting neurodivergent children and their families.
Being a business owner and employer has given me another important perspective.
I understand what it means to lead people, build culture, manage competing demands, navigate change, make difficult decisions and carry responsibility for both people and organisational outcomes.
Discovering my own neurodivergence later in life brought another valuable perspective to my work and strengthened my understanding of the interaction between the individual, the people around them and the environments in which they are expected to perform.
Today, I bring these different perspectives together.
Through Attuned Workplaces®, coaching, training and speaking, I work with leaders, professionals, teams and organisations to think differently about people, leadership, communication, neurodivergence and workplace environments.
My approach combines human development, communication, neurodivergence, leadership, coaching and real-world experience as an employer and business owner.
I listen deeply.
I ask the questions that help uncover what may be sitting underneath a situation.
I notice patterns.
I challenge assumptions.
And I help people move from understanding to practical action.
Because when we understand people more deeply, we can lead differently, communicate differently and create environments that allow more people to access and demonstrate their capability.
There is a place in the world for everyone.
My work is about helping create the conditions that make that possible.
Because when we understand people more deeply, we can lead differently, communicate differently and create environments that allow more people to access and demonstrate their capability.
There is a place in the world for everyone.
My work is about helping create the conditions that make that possible.
Being a business owner and employer has given me another important perspective.
I understand what it means to lead people, build culture, manage competing demands, navigate change, make difficult decisions and carry responsibility for both people and organisational outcomes.
Discovering my own neurodivergence later in life brought another valuable perspective to my work and strengthened my understanding of the interaction between the individual, the people around them and the environments in which they are expected to perform.
Today, I bring these different perspectives together.
Through Attuned Workplaces®, coaching, training and speaking, I work with leaders, professionals, teams and organisations to think differently about people, leadership, communication, neurodivergence and workplace environments.
My approach combines human development, communication, neurodivergence, leadership, coaching and real-world experience as an employer and business owner.
I listen deeply.
I ask the questions that help uncover what may be sitting underneath a situation.
I notice patterns.
I challenge assumptions.
And I help people move from understanding to practical action.
It helps leaders create environments where people feel psychologically safe, understood, and able to contribute their best. It also gives employees the knowledge and language to better understand themselves, communicate their needs with confidence, and build stronger working relationships.
When leaders and employees develop this shared understanding, workplaces begin to change. Communication improves, trust grows, misunderstandings reduce, and people feel safer to contribute their ideas and strengths.
Because when people feel understood, they don’t just fit into a workplace.
They belong.
The guide to creating workplaces where people feel safe, understood, and valued.
