Tasha Oswald, PhD (she/her)
Founder & Director of Open Doors Therapy
Licensed Psychologist (CA #30423)
Dr. Tasha Oswald is a neurodiversity-affirming licensed psychologist. She identifies as neurodivergent, with a late-life ADHD diagnosis, and as a cisgender woman. Passionate about addressing the gap in mental health services for Autistic adults and youth, she founded Open Doors Therapy, a leading adult autism specialty practice in California. To extend support to Autistic individuals globally, Dr. Oswald founded the Neurodiversity Training Institute, which provides mental health professionals worldwide with comprehensive training in neuro-affirming care.
She specializes in working with Autistic women, neurodivergent professionals, late-life diagnosed and high-masking Autistic adults and ADHDers, and twice-exceptional teens and young adults. Dr. Oswald understands that traditional criteria for autism and ADHD often overlook women and marginalized groups, leaving them feeling invalidated, confused, and without proper services. This fuels her dedication to helping those on the periphery gain a sense of belonging, acceptance, and much needed support.
Dr. Oswald’s neurodiversity-affirming approach views autism not as a deficit but as a difference in neurology, integral to one’s identity. She helps clients find coping strategies and accommodations to navigate a world not designed for them. Trained extensively in modalities that are non-shaming and accepting of neuro-differences, she is a Level 3 Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist and integrates polyvagal and person-centered approaches. Having seen the powerful and healing impact of group therapy for Autistic clients, group therapy is a cornerstone of her practice.
Dr. Oswald uses a compassionate and non-judgmental approach to help clients reconnect with their innate wisdom about their needs and what works best for themselves. This helps clients embrace their authentic selves. Together, they develop neuro-friendly coping strategies to support well-being, strengthen relationships, and reduce overwhelm and burnout.
You can learn more about Dr. Tasha Oswald, Ph.D. here.
Cindy Brown, LPCC (she/her)
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (CA #5455)
Cynthia “Cindy” Brown is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She has a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Walden University. Cindy identifies as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community as a cis-gender Lesbian woman.
As an autism therapist, she is committed to working with neurodiverse clients and their families. Cindy has over 8 years of experience assisting clients in developing positive choices and healthy coping skills for their lives. Cindy is skilled at customizing her therapeutic approach to meet the individual needs of her clients.
Cindy is trained in TF-CBT, Cognitive Processing Therapy and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. She has extensive experience implementing evidence based modalities and applies Expressive Arts, person centered approach, narrative and motivational interviewing among others as she works with clients. Cindy recognizes the group experience not only helps the individual in group but builds a sense of community for the entire group.
Cindy believes it is a privilege to work with people as a therapist. Her passion helps her quickly build rapport with clients. She is compassionate, creative and happy to have the opportunity to work with clients.
When Cindy works with clients, she takes a holistic view of all the possible factors that are causing stress and discomfort for the client. Then she works with clients to build a “clinical map” to address areas identified by the client. Through this process she and clients become a team. This allows Cindy to assist clients in learning coping skills, help clients overcome strong negative feelings, increase self advocacy and increase successful experiences in their lives.
Dani Dumani, LMFT (she/her)
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA #80159)
Danielle ("Dani") Dumani is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a warm, relational approach and a deep commitment to serving neurodivergent individuals and family members. She specializes in working with those navigating ADHD, HSP, autism, sensory differences, eating disorders, parenting and relationship stress, and life transitions, offering support that is both affirming and down-to-earth.
Dani earned her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, Northridge, graduating with honors with a Humanistic emphasis in Counseling Psychology. Her background includes over a decade of experience in private practice, outpatient treatment centers, and community-based settings. Her training includes Brainspotting, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), grief counseling, and yoga therapy for eating disorders.
Dani brings a unique perspective to her work. She understands firsthand how overwhelming this journey can feel as an individual and as a parent to a neurodivergent child—especially within systems and environments that aren’t built for different brains.
Additionally, Dani has led therapeutic yoga and mindfulness programs in treatment centers, schools, and underserved communities. She is passionate about creating therapy spaces that honor each person’s wiring, voice and rhythm —where masking is never required and authenticity is always welcomed.
Gayle Gingold, LMFT (she/her)
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA #46446, OR #T0526, WA #60716067)
Gayle Gingold is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who has worked with adolescents and parents for over 20 years. Gayle earned her Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University. She received early training at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, CA, the West Coast birthplace of interactional therapy. Having lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, Portland, and Seattle social justice strongholds, Gayle is a defender and proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She loves providing gender diversity education to parents and educators and guiding young folx on their journey of identity formation. A natural champion, she advocates for neurodiverse students as an often overlooked and misunderstood segment of the diversity matrix.
Gayle's approach is warm, pragmatic, and deeply compassionate, with the belief that all clients have the answers within. There are times in therapy when a thought partner is needed, a coach, a guide, but most of all, a witness in accepting the complexities of what it means to be human. Likewise, Gayle enjoys laughter and celebrating her clients' progress. Borrowing from Internal Family Systems, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Structural-Strategic Family Therapy, Gayle also incorporates some spiritual elements into her work when clients find it interesting and helpful.
Gayle, a committed guardian of two fur children, Kismet and Sofie, has successfully piloted two school facility dog programs. When not doing therapy, she appreciates permaculture, hiking with her dogs, being a coffee snob, upcycling, and poetry, with Ocean Vuong as a favorite poet. She respects the work of poet and writer ALOK, who states, "We have been taught to fear the very things that have the potential to set us free".
Danielle Sheppard, LPCC (she/her)
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (CA #444)
Danielle Sheppard is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She has a master’s degree in Clinical Counseling from San Francisco State University with a specialization in career counseling and rehabilitation. She is also a Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) and a certified Job and Career Transition and Development Coach (JCTC/JCDC). Danielle identifies as a cis-gender woman, Jewish heritage, mother of 2, and as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
As a clinician, she is committed to working with neurodiverse clients and their families. Danielle has over 16 years of experience assisting individuals in taking the driver's seat in their own lives, empowering them to be more present and mindful in their lives and in their relationships with others, learning to observe themselves and how their actions are perceived by others.
Danielle specializes in strengths based and solution-focused approaches, mindfulness and narrative therapy, while utilizing a person-centered approach to meet the needs of each individual or family. She recognizes that every person or couple is different in terms of goals, aspirations, and the pursuit of happiness, and that everyone’s path to peace of mind is different. As such, she strives to help each of her clients realize their strengths, values, and ultimate potential. Danielle loves to help individuals see and express the strengths they often overlook in themselves, and finds it an honor to be witness to their journey.
Danielle approaches each client or couple as a unique story to hear and to learn together. She takes a holistic approach to therapy, often encouraging her clients to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into their work together. Danielle’s clients often rave about her natural intuition, down to earth, non-judgmental approach and love her balance of warmth, kindness and ability to provide life changing insight.
Jenny L. Young, LMFT (she/her)
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA #112992)
Jenny Young is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a deep commitment to supporting neurodivergent, highly sensitive, and trauma-impacted individuals. Grounded in both clinical training and intuitive insight, Jenny blends evidence-based therapeutic practices with a compassionate, client-centered presence.
With roots in Redding, CA, and a professional background spanning mental health and accessibility work, Jenny brings over two decades of experience to the healing process. Her therapeutic approach is informed by her own lived experience as a late-identified autistic woman recovering from Complex PTSD. This path has deepened her belief in the resilience of the human spirit and the power of presence, attunement, and the ultimate healing connection within oneself.
Jenny holds a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Simpson University and advanced training in EMDR, Somatic Embodiment and Sand Tray Therapy. She honors the wisdom of the body, the richness of symbolic and mythic understanding, and the importance of creating safe, affirming space for self-discovery and healing. Before becoming a therapist, she worked as a certified sign language interpreter, an experience that deepened her sensitivity to the many ways people communicate and connect.
Outside of her work, Jenny finds restoration being in the natural beauty of Northern California and connecting with the incredible life all around. She is a mother, grandmother, and lifelong seeker who values authenticity, connection, and the sacredness within each individual.
Rico Taveras, MS (he/they)
Client Care Coordinator
As the Client Care Coordinator, Rico is the first person of contact for all clients.
Rico received their Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and East Asian Studies from Rutgers University. Then, they worked in multiple non profit organizations servicing marginalized and underserved communities.
They have prior experience working with diverse communities within the medical field and understand the level of compassion needed to begin the therapy process. Rico will be not only your first point of contact, but a helping hand to begin your therapy journey.