Dr. Cindy Hansen specializes in the needs of the gifted and high potential community by assisting adults and children to embrace and fortify their complex learning profiles.
Dr. Cynthia Z. Hansen, EdD, BCET®, is a Board Certified Educational Therapist in private practice and a twice-exceptional and gifted education consultant. She holds California Professional Certifications in Gifted and Talented Education and Twice-Exceptional Education. Dr. Cindy is an award-winning educator, a SENG Model Parent Group Facilitator, and the President of Tri-County GATE Council serving Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties in California. She is on the advisory board of The G Word, a film about giftedness due for release in 2023, and has been on the boards of the Association for Educational Therapy and California Association for the Gifted. She earned her doctorate in Social Justice and Equity for Neurodiverse Learners at the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education in Studio City, CA (part of the Bridges Education Group). Dr. Hansen’s focus is on using games and interactive tools to help students embrace their complex natures and build self-agency as they develop a positive self-identity.
Dr. Hansen received her Master of Education and three Teaching Certificates from UCLA, post-master’s certificate in Gifted and Talented Education from UCSB, a California Certificate in Twice-Exceptional Education from the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education, and was granted the designation of Board Certification Educational Therapist under the high standards of the Association of Educational Therapists. Cindy was named to the Social-Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) Honor Roll in 2013 for her work with Twice-Exceptional (2e) students and was honored twice by the Tri-County GATE Council for her advocacy and support of gifted students in the Ventura Unified School District and at The Knox School of Santa Barbara.
After serving as their president for twelve years, she continues to support Tri-County GATE Council which serves Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties along the central coast of California. Among her school affiliations, she has been the Coordinator of Educational Services for The Knox School of Santa Barbara for Gifted Children during its inaugural years; headed Instructional Support Services for Ojai Valley School, and was an Instructional Specialist for advanced students at University Preparation Charter School at UCI Channel Islands. Dr. Cindy also worked with the Ventura County Indian Education Program and Gifted programs within the Ventura Unified School District.
Dr. Hansen is a consultant and guest speaker in teacher preparation symposiums locally, nationally, and around the world, presenting her methods and research to parents and educators. A sampling of conferences includes, the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children International Conference (WCGTC), the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC), William & Mary 2e Conferences (W&M2e), Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG), the Association of Educational Therapists (AET), and the California Association of the Gifted (CAG). She also designs and presents workshops for parent groups and educators throughout Southern California.
“My passion for serving the twice-exceptional community and gifted students with learning obstacles began with my two very different children who became my first students and mentors as they journeyed between learning differences, asynchrony, ‘boredom,’ and self-discovery.”
