TASHA OSWALD, PHD

Tasha Oswald, PhD, (she/her) is a neurodiversity-affirming licensed psychologist and clinical consultant, IFS Level 3 trained and polyvagal-informed. She identifies as a neurodivergent, Caucasian, cisgender female. Dr. Oswald is passionate about addressing the gap in mental health services for autistic adults and youth. For this reason, she founded the adult autism specialty practice, Open Doors Therapy, based in California. She specializes in working with autistic women, autistic working professionals, gifted and neurodivergent individuals, emerging adults on the spectrum, and adults receiving a later life ASD diagnosis. Seeing the transformative power of group therapy for autistic adults, group work is a cornerstone of her practice. Being in the field for nearly 20 years, Dr. Oswald has received extensive training in autism. After completing her PhD in psychology with an autism emphasis, she was awarded an NIH-Funded Autism Research Training Program (ARTP) post-doctoral fellowship. Through this fellowship program, she engaged in interdisciplinary training and research at the world-renowned UC Davis MIND Institute. While at the MIND Institute, she developed and established a therapy group program for young adults on the autism spectrum called the ACCESS Program. She has published autism research in preeminent research journals. Currently, Dr. Oswald is known for her widely read neurodiversity blog and her regular contributions to international media platforms as an authority on autism. A sought-after speaker and advocate, she has delivered presentations at numerous research conferences, autism-focused events, universities, community gatherings, and corporate settings, aiming to increase awareness of mental health issues faced by autistic adults.