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The Empowered Parent with Dana Baltutis
Welcome to The Empowered Parent Podcast Series 2.
This short series is inspired by the Australia and New Zealand Inaugural Neurodivergence and Wellbeing Conference.
Over the next few episodes, we’ll be shining a light on what it truly means to belong, and celebrating the lives, strengths, and stories of neurodivergent people.
I’ll be speaking with leaders, advocates, and thinkers from across Australia and New Zealand who are pioneering change. Together, we’ll explore how families, schools, and communities can move beyond old deficit views - and instead see neurodivergence as a vital part of human diversity.
This series is about hope, celebration, and possibility. It’s about recognising that there is a place in the world for everyone - and that when we create belonging, we all thrive.
Don’t forget to follow along, share your reflections, and join the conversation. You can connect with me at danabaltutis.com or mytherapyhouse.com.au
Let’s celebrate neurodivergence. Let’s celebrate belonging.
The Empowered Parent with Dana Baltutis
Season 2 NEURODIVERSITY - Episode 5: Neurodivergent Families: Finding Your Tribe (Paige Carter, Advocate, Parent Coach)
What happens when the professional becomes the parent? Despite 14 years working in the disability sector, Paige Carter found herself completely lost when her son was diagnosed with autism at age two and a half. That moment sparked a powerful realization: if someone with her experience felt overwhelmed, how do families with no prior exposure to disability navigate this journey?
Paige shares her family's remarkable story of discovery- how her son's diagnosis eventually led to recognizing autism and ADHD in her husband, daughter, and finally herself. With refreshing honesty, she describes this journey not as a burden but as "magic" that transformed her understanding of neurodiversity.
"Neurodivergent people, the way their brains operate, is just incredible," Paige explains, bringing a perspective that celebrates different ways of thinking rather than pathologizing them. As founder of Inclusive Oak, she's created the support system she desperately needed as a new autism parent- a blend of education, community, and connections she calls "the recipe for success."
For parents feeling isolated or overwhelmed, Paige offers practical wisdom: find your tribe, even if that starts online; advocate confidently knowing you're the expert on your child; and recognize when you need rest without self-judgment. Her ADHD gives her "this never-ending energy source" when passionate about something, yet she's learning to honor her need to retreat and recharge when advocacy depletes her.
The conversation vibrates with possibility as Paige discusses her expanding mission to make support accessible to all family members, not just mothers, at affordable rates without NDIS dependence. Her message resonates with hope: as more neurodivergent families connect and advocate collectively, we move closer to a world where neurodiversity isn't just accommodated but genuinely celebrated.
Listen now to discover how finding your community can transform your neurodiversity journey from isolation to empowerment.
Paige's Free Online Masterclass: https://mytherapyhouse.com.au/findingyourvoice/
danabaltutis.com, mytherapyhouse.com.au, https://mytherapyhouse.com.au/your-childs-therapy-journey/ https://www.danabaltutis.com/services
