DanaKae Bonahoom, M.A.

Developmental Specialist
Co-Director SmartStart Developmental Learning Center
Founder Heartworks Intervention Services©
Developer Heartworks In Motion©
DIR® Faculty for ICDL

We first met DanaKae when she came to consult for our youngest child, Marie. The rapport she immediately struck up with Marie was both fascinating and heartwarming to watch.

From her interactions with Marie and the advice she shared with Mark and I, we knew that we needed her to be our guide in the adventure of Marie’s life, to open the floor of opportunity to her. Our deepest wish was for countless other families to also be blessed with DanaKae in their lives.  We asked her in that first meeting, “Where were you when we had our first child 19 years ago?” Our parenting journey would’ve been so much more informed!

DanaKae’s Heartworks In Motion© Developmental Model is tailored to Uniquely Designed Children. DanaKae is at her core a developmentalist and an investigator. Her work is driven by questions, hypothesis, and is solidly grounded in research and experience. Heartworks© is a model designed around a child, and is at its “heart” a model that believes each child is beautifully unique; it is our job to discover who each child is.

DanaKae is a pioneer in redefining the work of child-rearing and childhood education. Her work in understanding that “all behaviour has a communication®”, and her redefining the work of Dr Stanley Greenspan’s concept of following the child’s lead into “following the child’s need®” is nothing short of ground breaking.

She has taken her God-given talents and worked diligently in the lives of literally thousands of children and families. Her wealth of experience includes:

• A Master of Arts Degree
• Teaching Credentials in Special Education
• Extensive training in the DIR®/Floortime model
• Certified member of Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s faculty

She specializes in the use of the Heartworks© Developmental Model with children requiring intervention in the areas of affective regulation, sensory integration, communication, and socialization. Heartworks© identifies the gaps in a child’s development, identifies the child’s unique sensory profile and deficits, and captures the child’s heart and drive by harnessing their internal drivers, enabling them to willingly climb the developmental ladder, regardless of age.

DanaKae personally trains families and professionals internationally to implement the Heartworks© Model across home, school, and community settings. She periodically visits Rosebrook to lend her expertise at assessing each child.

DanaKae has been an early childhood educator since 1982. In addition, she is the founder of Heartworks Intervention Services© (H.I.S.©). Heartworks© is a comprehensive Developmental Model created by DanaKae and H.I.S.© is her international training and consulting company. She has one daughter, Mia, who is herself amazing with children, and works at SmartStart sharing her unique gifts with the children. Mia is a most awesome example of Heartworks© in action!

SmartStart was started in 1992 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, USA by Sharon Lowery

Read more about DanaKae and how she is transforming lives and whole families and education at www.heartworksintervention.com.