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.
Cynthia Z. Hansen, Ed.D., ET/P, is an Educational Therapist/Professional in private practice, and a twice-exceptional and gifted education consultant. She has California Professional Certifications in Gifted and Talented Education and Twice Exceptional Education. 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 Masters of Education and three Teaching Certificates from UCLA, her post-masters certificate in Gifted and Talented Education from UCSB, a California Certificate in Twice-Exceptional Education, and was granted Educational Therapist/ Professional status under the high standards of the Association of Educational Therapy. 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.
Along with her student and parent advocacy, she provides professional development and consults with a variety of schools, both public and private, in Southern California and online across the world. 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. Cindy also worked with the Ventura County Indian Education Program and Gifted programs within the Ventura Unified School District.
Dr. Hansen is a guest speaker in teacher preparation symposiums around the world and presents her methods and research to parents and educators at national conferences including the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC), 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 executive function challenges 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.”
