OUR TEAM
Having worked with various children and families of different backgrounds have made us realise how effective a closely knit relationship with parents/caregivers can significantly enhance and improve the lives of these beautiful children and we strive towards that by creating a platform for parents /caregivers to gain knowledge and skills.
The company was started by a group of behaviour case supervisors and senior therapists trained in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) who have been in the field for many years working with children affected by autism spectrum disorder. Together we want to create a dynamic group environment for more effective learning with the aim of providing comprehensive therapy services to families.
OUR TEAM
Jean Foo
Managing Director & Case Consultant
M.Ed, BA (Psychology)
Cert. of Professional Practice (Level 2) (Strategies for successful special needs support) (The College of Teachers, UK)
Ms Jean Foo is the co-founder of The Colourful Mind and also one of the case consultants. She graduated from National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Mathematics and went on to pursue her Master in Education at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia.
Upon returning to Singapore, she started working with children, teaching Math and Science. Her encounter with several special needs children then made her decide to pursue her career in the special needs field. She joined an international ABA service provider end 2005 where she received her training in ABA for both individual and group settings. After several years, Jean moved on to another centre that offered mainstream preschool programme as well as therapy services. After a year there, she was leading the therapy segment and was involved in training the staff, consulting, developing programmes and individual educational plans for the next 4 years.
Since then she has been working with individuals with Autism, Global Developmental Delay, ADD, ADHD, Selective Mutism and other learning disabilities. After becoming a mother, she is better able to understand the constraints that the families face and seeks to help them in more practical and achievable ways. The Colourful Mind was also started with that in mind.
Tayen Wee
Programme Director
BSc. Health Sciences
Mr Tayen Wee holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from Deakin University, Australia. Since 2007, he has been working with children who have varying special needs. He was in charge of setting up curriculum and running the Early Intervention programs at an international ABA service provider's Elementary School. Before joining that company, Tayen was a Junior Soccer Coach working with both mainstream and children with special needs in Melbourne Australia.
Tayen was given an opportunity to acquire an existing business. As the business owner of a laundry and drycleaning company with over 20 employees, the business model allowed Tayen to setup vocations that allow people with special needs to work in. Tayen also designed and implemented training for all staffs, with particular focus on special needs awareness and customer service.
Tayen is the current Programme Director at The Colourful Mind. Since its inception in 2013, he has been directly responsible for staff training and case management. Additionally, Tayen provided shadow-aide support in mainstream schools and collaborating with teachers and principals to devise integration plans.
Dr. Tanisha Vanen
Consulting Psychologist
Psy.D. (Clinical Psychology)
Dr. Tanisha is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Maryland (USA), and a Registered Psychologist (Singapore). She graduated with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) from the United States.
Dr. Tanisha completed both her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This comprised of rotations within the Pediatric Developmental Disabilities and Pediatric Feeding Disorders clinics. Prior to this, she worked in an outpatient hospital and community mental health center in Chicago, offering diagnostic assessments, therapy, social skills and parent training groups for a range of neurodevelopmental disabilities and mental health challenges. Upon her return to Singapore, Dr. Tanisha worked as an in-house Clinical Psychologist at an international school, and started up her own private practice.
When working with individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families., Dr. Tanisha places added emphasis on involving and coaching parents and caregivers. She focuses on individualising strategies to meet each child’s unique needs, and incorporates relevant members of the child’s team to ensure that the child is advocated for and well supported.
Apart from her clinical practice, Dr. Tanisha is a lecturer for various psychology modules at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels. She is further committed to supporting siblings of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities through The Singapore Sibshop.
Ms Anna Ng graduated from University at Buffalo with a Double Degree in Psychology and Business Administrative. It has aways been Anna's passtion to work with young children. She used to help out at childcare centres during her school holidays and have always enjoyed it. When she started private tutoring in 2012 while pursuing her degrees, she came across a child with special needs and it occured to her that the special children in Singapore is not adequately supported and since then, she decided that she wants to make a difference in the special children's society.
As quoted from her "Only when I'm working with children, I do not need to stop being a kid.", Anna loves seeing the widest smiles on the children's faces even at the slightest happening. Anna strongly believe in play-based learning and fostering independence. She'll always have a sense of fulfillment when she sees the children she teaches becoming stronger individuals as they grow.
Anna Ng
Centre Manager /Senior Behaviour Therapist
BA. (Psychology), BSc.
Miss Yian Ling graduated from HELP University, Malaysia with a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) in 2018. She began her career at The Colourful Mind as a Behavior Therapist, after having undergone intensive training in ABA. Her love and dedication for this field has driven her to embark on this journey. She is highly motivated in empowering children who face challenges in their learning development to grow into more independent and resilient individuals.
Prior to her work in The Colourful Mind, she involved herself in a Global Volunteering Programme to teach in a classroom setting of a junior high school in Taiwan. This has broadened her experience in working with children from different social and cultural backgrounds.
In her spare time, she enjoys travelling and watching movies. Not to mention that she was a Soprano singer in her choir team, she has always had special passion for singing!
Sim Yian Ling
Senior Behaviour Therapist
B.Psychology (Hons.)
Miss Nur Aisyah is a diploma holder in Arts and Theatre Management. After her graduation in 2018, she decided to sign up as a Youth For Autism (YFA) for one academic year. Her first-hand experience working with the autism community has played a meaningfully significant role in her learning endeavours. Through this humbling experience that she gained, it has sparked her interest to work with the special needs community.
Journeying alongside with experienced and like-minded people at The Colourful Mind, it has enabled her to attain a better understanding of children with special needs. She is also constantly motivated to put her creative thinking at work when guiding the children through their stumbling blocks.
In her own time, she enjoys doing digital/non-digital illustrations, exploring new places, trying out new recipes and has an appreciation for batik. Not to mention, she is also a cake-aholic!
Nur Aisyah
Senior Behaviour Therapist
Dip (Arts & Theatre Management)
Lukas Tan
Behaviour Therapist
BSocSci Hons (Psychology)
Mr Lukas Tan graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Psychology (Hons) in 2021. His keen interest in the field of psychology as well as the local mental health scene has led him to his current pursuits, and he aspires to continue his journey as a practitioner and advocate of mental health needs by going into clinical psychology in the near future.
After having prior experience as a teacher aide in an autism school, Lukas was inspired to work with kids and youths with autism as he believes that as individuals, they have so much more to offer. According to him, the reason why he joined the practice is best summed up in one word – “potential”. Indeed, he believes that with the necessary support and intervention, individuals with autism can unlock and harness their potential in order to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.
In his free time, Lukas participates in activities that are aesthetically appealing to the senses, be it engaging in amateur photography and photo editing, or going for hip-hop dance classes. He also likes to unwind by watching animal videos on Youtube (particularly dogs and cats), as well as hanging out with friends on weekends for chill nights out.
Miss Delynn Lim graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Psychology. She has always been fond of kids and enjoys spending time with them.
During her undergraduate years, she volunteered at social services and interned at private centres that work with children with special needs. Through her internship experience as a teacher assistant, she came to believe that these children are capable of overcoming their challenges through appropriate intervention. Her motivation to help them eventually propelled her to work at The Colourful Mind as a behaviour therapist. She hopes to be able to contribute to the special needs field by guiding the children to reach milestones successfully and achieve more fulfilling lives.
Outside of work, she likes to try out various baking recipes, visit good coffee places, and explore different hiking trails!
Delynn Lim
Behaviour Therapist
BSocSci Hons (Psychology)
Ashleigh Phua
Miss Ashleigh Phua graduated from National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Psychology (Hons). She has always loved interacting with young children, which sparked her decision to enter the early childhood and adolescent sector.
Over the course of her university education, she sought out various internships that allowed her to connect with children and adolescents between the ages of 3 and 18. These meaningful experiences strengthened her passion for children and families in the special needs community. Working with this community allows her to be instrumental in building children up by walking alongside these children to reach their best potential. She finds motivation in the continuous achievements she sees day by day.
In her own time, she enjoys exploring new cafes and finding good coffee fixes around Singapore. You can also catch her dancing together with friends at dance studios or any dance spaces around our island!
Behaviour Therapist
BSocSci Hons (Psychology)
Alycia Chee
Behaviour Therapist
BA (Psychology)
Miss Alycia Chee graduated from Singapore Institute of Management- University at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology). She has always been interested in the mental health and special needs scene.
She discovered her passion for the special needs community after her internship as a special needs teacher assistant in 2018. Through this experience, she learnt to empathise and effectively communicate with them. She further explore the community through volunteering for various projects where she work with children, youths and adults with special needs. During her university years, she also took on an assistant EIPIC teacher position and was able to positively impact the children she works with. Through her years of experience and meaningful interaction with the special needs community, she hopes to continue impacting lives as a therapist at The Colourful Mind.
Aside from being a therapist, she is working as a Financial Consultant for 4 years now. She also conducts mental health workshops and volunteers for different causes. In her free time, she enjoys going for spin classes, watching korean dramas and spending time with her loved ones.
Miss Iqah is a diploma holder in applied drama and psychology. Upon realising her interest in Psychology she decided to pursue it as a major and is currently a part-time student in Singapore University of Social Science.
During her diploma studies, she interned as an after school care teacher at a primary school. Upon graduation, she took up the role of an assistant teacher at a preschool. Since she enjoyed working with children, she wanted to have more involvement in the children’s life hence she decided to join The Colourful Mind.
When she is not at work or studying for school, you can find her doing some needle work and creating hand made jewellery. Besides that, she does traditional Malay dance during the weekends.
Nursyafiqah
Behaviour Therapist
Dip (Applied Drama & Psychology)
Miss Lim Li Yun graduated from the Singapore Management of University with a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology). She enjoys interacting with children and has always wanted to work with children.
Throughout her undergraduate studies, she took up children and adolescent-centered internships that allowed her to leave a positive impact on those whom she interacted with. Her last internship with an early intervention center gave her insight into how much impact and fulfillment she could derive from working in the special needs field, thereby pushing her to venture into this field! She strives to put in her best effort and grow alongside the children at The Colourful Mind.
During her free time, she enjoys being out in nature and partaking in various sports such as skating and climbing!
Lim Li Yun
Behaviour Therapist
BSocSci (Psychology)
Meena
Miss Shanmugham Meenatchii graduated from Singapore Institute of Management- University at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology). Her interest in working with young children has always been strong.
Throughout her undergraduate years, Meena worked in a variety of professions that involved children, which sparked her interest in the sector devoted to individuals with special needs. She then took on an internship at The Colourful Mind as a result. Meena discovered during her internship that she can influence children in a positive way, which motivated her to strive more and become a behavioural therapist at The Colourful Mind. Meena wants to continue making a difference and working with children in achieving their goals.
Meena likes to volunteer and works as a freelance photographer in her free time. She often creates drawings and clay sculptures as well. She also likes to go for walks and play hockey!
Behaviour Therapist
BA (Psychology)