~About Danielle McLellan-Bujnak~

Some are born with innate gifts that are further cultivated through years of passionately devoted education and experience, and Danielle is one of these people. Her life’s path is to support families in every aspect of care and education throughout the lifespan, guiding parents, educators and care partners in raising and nurturing children in a way that sets them up for success in becoming happy and functional adults, and supporting adults in their declining years to maintain their personal agency and joy in living.  

Ms. McLellan-Bujnak's wealth of knowledge is unparalleled in the field. Her background in research and education allows her to provide cutting-edge support that supports all family members to feel safe, heard, and deeply understood. In her more than two decades of experience in working with families, she has curated myriad bespoke solutions; time and again, she has been able to create a harmonious and productive household through the tools derived from her intuition, experience, and education.  

Ms. McLellan-Bujnak sees that every child - and every adult - is a unique and unrepeatable human being, with unique needs and desires. Her superpower is regulation; she comprehends the inner dynamics of the minds of children (and adults), and she can observe and understand the intricacies of an infant’s or child’s nervous system, and fine-tune the structures and actions of the household to create a space for them to engage with the family in a positive way, while respecting the authentic needs of other family members. 

Raised by a parent who was trained by a long-time personal mentee of Dr. Maria Montessori, Ms. McLellan-Bujnak's early years were suffused with the wisdom and values of the Montessori approach, which she credits for the resilience and confidence she developed throughout the course of her childhood. In the Montessori style of learning, children are encouraged to develop their personal agency by learning for themselves, rather than for others, all while being actively supported in developing a profound and authentic empathy through warm personal connection. 

Ms. McLellan-Bujnak developed the Respectful Approach to Human Development, Education & Care™ as a combination of her own highly authentic Montessori upbringing with elements from Steiner/Waldorf® Education®, RIE® and the Reggio Emilia Approach®, indexing these early childhood practices with current research in the neuroscience of human development. 

Danielle’s introductory in-person Respectful Care® course has guided more than 150 caregiving professionals in their teaching and learning journeys, and the Advanced Course in Respectful Care® (also for professional caregivers) is currently in its second cohort.  

As a trusted advisor and lifespan development consultant, Ms. McLellan-Bujnak's specialized plans consider the family as a whole; she integrates the needs of everyone in the household to facilitate a peaceful sanctuary for all involved.