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Thao Taylor
About
Welcome! Exploring the possibility of autism can be an important journey of self-discovery. You don’t have to navigate that process alone. I'm here to guide you. I’m a Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience working with individuals across the lifespan, including those with autism and other neurodevelopmental differences. My professional background includes psychological assessment, autism spectrum disorder, behavioral health, and clinical consultation, with a particular focus on understanding how neurodiversity can influence the way a person experiences themselves, relationships, work, and everyday life.
I believe an assessment should be more than a series of questions or a diagnostic label. It can be an opportunity to better understand oneself, your experiences, and the strengths that make you who you are. My goal is to create a comfortable, respectful environment where you can be yourself, ask questions openly, and know that your experiences are being genuinely heard and understood throughout the assessment process.
My interest in working with autistic and neurodivergent individuals comes from a deep respect for the diversity of human experiences and the importance of understanding each person within the context of their own life.
For many adults, pursuing an autism assessment can be an important step toward making sense of experiences they may have struggled to explain for years. Some may recognize patterns in themselves after learning about autism later in life, while others may have spent years adapting to environments that did not always fit the way they naturally think, communicate, or experience the world.
I feel privileged to have the opportunity to help you explore these questions without judgment. An assessment can provide you greater self-understanding and, when appropriate, help identify supports and strategies that align with the way you actually function, not simply with expectations of how you “should” be.
My approach is affirming, collaborative, and strengths-based. I do not view autism through a lens of deficits or assume that there is one way an autistic person should think, communicate, or navigate the world.
Instead, I focus on understanding the whole person, including your strengths, interests, communication style, relationships, sensory experiences, coping strategies, and the ways you have learned to navigate your world. I recognize that adults may have developed significant skills for adapting, compensating, or masking their differences, and I take the time to understand the experiences behind those adaptations.
Throughout the assessment, I will create a space where you can speak openly, honestly and authentically. My goal is not to tell you who you are, but to help you better understand your own experiences through a thoughtful and comprehensive clinical evaluation. Whether you are seeking answers, a greater understanding of your feelings and behaviors, or clarity about whether autism may explain some of your lifelong experiences, I want the assessment process to feel respectful, collaborative, and meaningful.
