Taeko Colbert

I’m Tae Colbert, Ed.S., MA, LCMHC, NCSP. (She/Her)

Welcome!

Navigating life’s systems, expectations, and social structures can often force us to camouflage who we are just to survive. One of the most common ways we do this is through masking: suppressing our natural responses, hiding distress, or mimicking social expectations to blend in. If you are feeling burnt out, anxious, depressed, lost, overwhelmed, or disconnected from your true self after years of holding up these barriers, I am here to help you find a path toward a more authentic and manageable way of living.

Who I Am & My Background

I bridge the gap between comprehensive psychological evaluations and direct clinical support. I hold a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in School Psychology from the University of the Pacific. As both a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) and Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), I bring a deep, holistic understanding of both clinical mental health and neurodevelopmental/educational systems.

My Approach

I view mental health through a Bioecological lens: meaning I look beyond individual symptoms to understand how your entire environment shapes your well-being. From family dynamics and social hierarchies to broader systemic barriers, we will explore how external forces impact your internal world.

My clinical framework is integrative, combining humanistic, narrative, psychodynamic, and motivational interviewing techniques with a decolonizing, person-centered focus.

Who I Serve

I work with teens (13+) and adults navigating:

• Neurodivergence: ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Learning Differences
• Mental Health: Anxiety and Depression
• Systemic & Masking Fatigue: Unpacking the emotional toll of camouflaging and surviving rigid environments

Together, we will unpack the ways you have used masking and other forms of camouflaging to survive different systems, while exploring past patterns, honoring your lived experience, and building internal motivation for meaningful change.

What to Expect in Our First Session

Your first session is a gentle, low-pressure space designed for us to connect and build trust, no performance or masking required.You don't need to have everything figured out before we meet.

During our first 50 minutes, we will:

• Create a Safe Space: Establish an unhurried, neurodiversity-affirming environment where you can speak freely and arrive as your authentic self.
• Explore Your World: Discuss what brings you to therapy, the environmental systems impacting your daily life, and how masking or systemic stress may be showing up for you.
• Bridge Diagnostic Insights: If you have prior testing or evaluations for ADHD, ASD, or Learning Differences, we can explore how those insights translate into your real, everyday life.

Collaborative Goals We Set Together

We will work together to set realistic, personalized outcomes that support your well-being, such as:

1. -Unmasking & Energy Preservation: Identifying survival strategies that lead to burnout and building ways to navigate rigid systems comfortably.
2. -Self-Advocacy & Agency: Rewriting your personal narrative with compassion and stepping away from self-blame.
3. -Manageable Daily Routines: Developing practical tools for executive functioning, anxiety, depression, and daily stress.