Dr. Duncan M. Dickson (They/Them)

As a child and young adult, Dr. Duncan spent much of their life struggling to fit in and keep up with peers in educational and work environments created for neurotypical individuals. While they long suspected that their difficulties with executive functioning and regulation were symptoms of a neurodevelopmental condition, they went undiagnosed until early college. When Dr. Duncan officially started seeking an evaluation as an adult, doctor after doctor refused to refer them for a formal evaluation or to treat their symptoms. Repeatedly, healthcare providers incorrectly asserted that they were unable to make a new diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental disorder in an adult since these were considered “pediatric diagnoses.”

Eventually, after years of wasted time, effort, and money, Dr. Duncan was able to meet with a specialist in evaluating neurodevelopmental conditions in adults, and they were formally diagnosed with ADHD. This experience was transformative for them. After years of invalidation from providers, and significant self-doubt as a result, they were finally able to begin the process of understanding and celebrating their neurodiversity. With access to formal accommodations, medical treatment, and skills training, Dr. Duncan found that they were able to utilize their preexisting strengths in combination with these new resources to overcome many of the obstacles that had previously been in their way.

Dr. Duncan has worked in multiple capacities with autistic individuals for nearly two decades. In that time, they’ve repeatedly heard similar stories from clients about their own difficulties accessing appropriate care from knowledgeable professionals as an adult. After years of hearing clients and their family members voice their frustration at the lack of access to evaluations for adults with autism, they created NeurodivUrgent, a safe and welcoming space for adults who feel they may be on the autism spectrum to access neurodiversity affirming care.

Dr. Duncan is a licensed psychologist with extensive training and experience in the evaluation of neurodevelopmental conditions and psychiatric disorders. They received a Master of Arts in Health Psychology from Texas State University before going on to obtain their Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. They completed their predoctoral internship at Children’s Hospital Colorado and their postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Credentials

Licensed Psychologist
Colorado Psychologist License #5665

Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology
(APIT #14302)

Ph.D. in Educational Psychology
Neuropsychology Specialization
University of Texas at Austin

M.A. in Health Psychology
Texas State University