About Dr. Catherine Eckel

Catherine Eckel, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist with a private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She provides evaluation, treatment, and consultation for children, teens, and adults. Her areas of practice include anxiety, depression, life transitions, learning and school‑related challenges, social and relationship difficulties, stress reduction, and performance enhancement in academics, work, and athletics.

Specialization in Selective Mutism

Dr. Eckel specializes in the treatment of selective mutism. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Selective Mutism Association and co‑founded Freedom Camp, an intensive treatment program for children with selective mutism. She is certified in Parent‑Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism (PCIT‑SM) and has presented on selective mutism treatment at national professional conferences, including those hosted by the Selective Mutism Association and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. She also collaborated with leading experts to develop the Selective Mutism Proficiency Program, an in‑depth professional training focused on evidence‑based treatment of selective mutism.

Consultation, Collaboration, and Community Work

Dr. Eckel regularly consults with parents, teachers, and schools to develop effective strategies and treatment plans for children and teens. She provides educational presentations to school districts and professional groups on a range of child and adolescent mental health topics. In addition, she works individually with adults on concerns related to anxiety, depression, relationships, transitions, stress management, and performance improvement.

Education and Clinical Training

Dr. Eckel earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin, her Master’s Degree from Boston College, and her Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. She completed her internship at the Boston Medical Center Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, gaining experience in the Pediatric Emergency Department, Outpatient Clinic, and Trauma Team. She also trained at the Boston Veterans Affairs Medical Center, providing assessment and therapy services to veterans.

Professional Experience and Publications

After becoming licensed in Massachusetts, Dr. Eckel worked in the Boston Medical Center Growth and Development Clinic, assessing young children and serving as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team. She later joined the Center for Multicultural Mental Health at Boston University School of Medicine, where she directed a program supporting airline personnel and first responders affected by 9/11. During this period, she also published several articles on child mental health.