About me

View my clinic space and get to know my voice and mannerisms.

Qualifications and Experience

Welcome to Cocoon Clinical Psychology, my name is Jill Woods and I am a mother of two boys, 2yrs and 4yrs, and two miniature schnauzers. I am originally from Dundalk Co. Louth and now live and work in south Dublin. I started Cocoon Clinical Psychology in 2025, after 10 years working as a clinical psychologist for the HSE, in order to achieve a better balance between being a mum and a clinician. Having myself received diagnoses of neurodivergence in adulthood, my specialist interests and areas of expertise are related to neurodivergent profiles of females and gifted (twice-exceptional) individuals. My goal is to share my knowledge, expertise and personal understanding of the challenges such wonderful humans can often face, and to support children and their families who often struggle to have their experiences validated and recognised, due to a poor understanding of the presentations of autistic, high-masking and gifted children and adults. 

If you or your young person would like to see more of me, in preparation for visiting the clinic, please click the button below. (under-construction please check back in Jan 2025)

"Autists are the ultimate square pegs, and the problem with pounding a square peg into a round hole is not that the hammering is hard work. It's that you're destroying the peg." – Paul Collins

"[So-called] Mild autism doesn't mean one experiences autism mildly . . . It means YOU experience their autism mildy. You may not know how hard they've had to work to get to the level they are." – Adam Walton

BA Behavioural Science (Psychology and French) with distinction - American College Dublin (2004)

MSc Foundations of Clinical Neuropsychology with distinction - Bangor University (2008)

PhD Clinical Psychology - University of Limerick (2018)  Distinction and Patrick Brosnan medal for research excellence in clinical psychology.

I have worked as a clinical psychologist with the HSE for over 10 years across child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), adult mental health services, early intervention (EIT), assessment of need (AON) and adult disability teams and I have spent the last 5 years working as a Primary Care lifespan clinical psychologist in Shankill, Co. Dublin. I have also worked with individuals following brain injury at Acquired Brain Injury Ireland as a neurorehabilitation assistant and assistant psychologist, and as a trainee clinical psychologist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) on Rochestown avenue. In these roles I conducted neuropsychological assessments with Brain injury, spinal injury and limb loss patients, to inform evidence-based therapeutic interventions and rehabilitation (including CBT, ACT, Mindfulness...), following significant and traumatic life changing events. I facilitated well-being groups and mental health workshops with patients and provided psychologically informed training to medical and nursing staff. I have over 15 years' experience working in teaching and support roles with autistic children, children with intellectual disabilities and children with other or co-occurring neurodevelopmental/genetic and mental health conditions and their families and schools. 

Professional achievements and affiliations

I am a Chartered member of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and a full member of the division of Clinical Psychology. 

• Special Interest Group in Neurodiversity - Full Member

• Special Interest Group in Autism - Full Member

I have had my research published in peer review journals relating to Brain Injury Rehabilitation (hemi-spacial neglect post stroke), and my doctoral work on the development of a CBT-informed Therapeutic Model of Resilience.  

I have been awarded the Patrick Brosnan award for research excellence at University of Limerick (2019).