Dr. Dana Johnson, PhD, MS, OTR/L

For more than 20 years, Dr. Johnson has worked alongside incredible families who have taught her what true resilience, patience, and hope look like. Through this work, she has learned that two things can be true at once: your child can struggle and make incredible progress at the same time.

Recognizing that too many professionals didn’t know how to truly help these families, Dr. Johnson created her YouTube channel, “The Autism + Apraxia Doctor,” and expanded her reach across multiple platforms to educate professionals in the autism field. She specializes in helping individuals with complex autism, whole-body apraxia, and other neurodevelopmental disabilities develop intentional motor skills and improve their overall health.

Her mission is to empower families and professionals to see autism through a new lens, one that recognizes the body-brain connection, promotes health, and opens doors to possibilities many once thought were out of reach. Her work is rooted in a deep belief that her clients are capable, intelligent, and deserving of the support needed to unlock their full potential.

Dr. Johnson is the Founder of Spellers Center Tampa and Atlanta, the Founder of Invictus Academy Tampa Bay, and the co-creator of the Spellers Method™. She holds a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and a Ph.D. in Child Mental Health and Development.
Dr. Johnson is the producer of the award-winning documentary SPELLERS, executive producer of UNDERESTIMATED: The Heroic Rise of Nonspeaking Spellers, and co-author of The Spellers Guidebook: Practical Advice for Parents and Students. She also serves on the Medical Science and Advisory Board for Documenting Hope.