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The Empowered Parent with Dana Baltutis
Welcome to The Empowered Parent Podcast.
This podcast is a space for parents to learn, reflect, and grow.
Each week, we explore topics that help parents understand themselves and their children more deeply - from communication and connection, to supporting neurodivergent development at home and in the community.
We’ve had wonderful conversations with experts, parents, and professionals - including speakers from the Neurodivergence Wellbeing Conference, and a special series following one mum’s journey in unschooling her child.
Every episode is here to inspire curiosity, compassion, and confidence in your parenting journey.
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 6: Hope in Therapy: Cultural Sensitivity Meets Neurodiversity (Anushka Phal , Educational and Developmental Psychologist, Business Owner, and Community Advocate)
What happens when cultural identity meets neurodiversity? Psychologist Anushka Phal knows this intersection intimately as a Fijian Indian, born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, who received her own ADHD diagnosis as an adult. This revelation sparked both personal healing and a passionate mission to create mental health spaces where multicultural, neurodivergent individuals truly belong.
"When I got diagnosed, I looked back at life and realized there was an explanation for all the things impacting my self-worth," Anushka shares. "It's like watching a thriller movie for the second time – suddenly all the clues make sense." This newfound self-compassion transformed not just her life but her approach to therapy at Unmeed Psychology, the culturally responsive practice she founded in Melbourne.
The conversation explores fascinating questions many clients bring to therapy: "How much of this is my ADHD and how much is just being Asian?" Anushka unpacks how certain traits might be celebrated in some cultures while pathologized in others. Cultural context profoundly impacts how neurodivergence presents – she notes that in Fiji, her ADHD symptoms feel less problematic than in Melbourne's fast-paced environment.
Beyond clinical work, Anushka has created vibrant community spaces where people with intersectional identities can connect authentically. From South Asian queer gatherings to women's circles, these "third spaces" address the disappearance of natural community connections. "When you come from a collectivistic background, having your community makes such a difference to mental health," she explains.
For parents, therapists, and neurodivergent individuals, Anushka offers practical wisdom: strategic whiteboards for capturing thoughts, collection baskets throughout the house, and a profound mindset shift for preventing burnout – "Every time I say yes to something, I'm saying no to something else." Her "spider web thinking" demonstrates how neurodivergent traits can become superpowers when embraced with compassion and understanding.
Listen in for a conversation that might forever change how you view the beautiful intersection of culture, neurodiversity, and the healing power of belonging. Has your experience with therapy acknowledged all aspects of who you are?
https://www.umeedpsychology.com.au/anushkaphal
danabaltutis.com, mytherapyhouse.com.au, https://mytherapyhouse.com.au/your-childs-therapy-journey/ https://www.danabaltutis.com/services