About Dr. Woods
(photo by Christina Houn)Dr. Sara E. O’Neil Woods
Sara Woods, Ph.D. (née O’Neil) is a clinical psychologist specializing in comprehensive, neurodiversity-affirming assessments across the lifespan. She completed her 2-year postdoctoral fellowship focusing on autism, ADHD, and related differences at the University of Washington Center for Human Development and Disability Child Development Clinic in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the APA-accredited University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She also completed an APA-accredited predoctoral internship at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans where she participated in trauma-focused training in assessing people across the lifespan from toddlers to elderly people.
Dr. Woods provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations to people of all ages. Dr. Woods has published articles on autism, parenting, reading, and emotion regulation. Her research interests include neurodiversity-affirming autism assessment, emotion socialization, the meaning of autism from multiple perspectives, effective communication of diagnoses, reading, and social development. In addition to working directly with individuals and families, Dr. Woods also contracts with agencies like the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and schools (to provide independent education evaluations).
Dr. Woods is passionate about helping children and families to improve their lives by equipping them with knowledge and skills while helping them to discover the strengths that they already have. In addition to working at Discover Psychology, Dr. Woods is also a psychologist at the UW Autism Center in Tacoma where she provides assessment and therapy to individuals and families. Dr. Woods also offers consultation and training to students, other providers, and companies.