Dr. Marcia Eckerd, Ph.D.

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Get to know Psychologist Dr. Marcia Eckerd, who serves patients via telepsychology throughout Connecticut.

Dr. Eckerd is a seasoned professional in the field of Clinical Psychology, holding a Ph.D. and specializing in working with neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder and with nonverbal learning disabilities. She offers therapy, diagnostic evaluations and consultations. Having written professional journal articles on diagnosing adults and on diagnosing adult women, she has expertise in evaluating and working with undiagnosed adults, with a special emphasis on women who are generally overlooked and misunderstood.

In her role as a therapist, Dr. Eckerd works with adults ages 18 and older who exhibit autistic traits, addressing issues related to social interactions, depression, anxiety, and flexibility. Her therapeutic approach is neurodiversity-affirming and tailored to each client, incorporating cognitive therapy, strategic coaching, and emotional regulation techniques. She emphasizes the whole person, including their strengths as well as their challenges.

As a diagnostician, Dr. Eckerd recognizes the overlapping nature of conditions such as ADHD, trauma, depression, anxiety, gender nonconformity, and eating disorders with autism. Her work underscores the transformative impact of self-understanding for neurodivergent individuals. 

With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Eckerd offers her wealth of knowledge and insights to consulting with neurodivergent adults, professionals, families, schools, employers, and organizations. Her focus on understanding issues related to neurodiversity positions her as a valuable resource for navigating the complexities of this field.

As a recognized leader in her field, Dr. Eckerd extends her expertise to speaking engagements and writing. Recently, she has presented at the US Autism Association World Autism Conference (2023), the Autism Today World Summit (2023), the Autism Parenting Magazine Summit (2021 and 2023), and the Learning And the Brain Conference co-sponsored by The Harvard, MIT, Johns Hopkins and Tufts Schools of Education (2020, 2021), as well as for the Autism Advocacy Network (AANE.org, 2022) the US ANJ Autism Center of Excellence (2021) and other parenting organizations, webinars and podcasts. In addition to writing for professional journals, she has a PsychologyToday.com blog, “Everyday Neurodiversity,” and writes for multiple online magazines, newsletters, and websites. 

Dr. Eckerd has a strong social media presence on LinkedIn, Facebook (Everyday Neurodiversity) Instagram (Marcia Eckerd), X ((@docmarcia )and her YouTube channel “Everything Neurodiversity,” shared with Robert J. Bernstein, the co-author of her upcoming book.

Dr. Eckerd is a professional board member of Autism Today and NeuroClastic.com, and an active member of professional organizations including the American Psychological Association, the National Register of Health Service Psychologists and PsyPact, a consortium allowing cross-jurisdictional practice in 32 states. She’s on the adjunct Medical Staff in Psychiatry at Norwalk Hospital.

Dr. Eckerd graduated Yale University in the first class of women, magna cum laude and with honors. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the City University of New York in 1982. She completed an internship and fellowship at NY Hospital-Cornell Medical Center (now NY Presbyterian Hospital).

On a more personal note, Dr. Eckerd enjoys her favorite vacation spots in Maine and Asheville, N.C. Her hobbies include kayaking, hiking, art, photography and attending theater and opera.

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