Information For Therapists
How to Treat Selective Mutism: Information
for Therapists based on treatment procedures developed by the Selective
Mutism Treatment and Research Center (SMC).
At the SMC we have developed an innovative approach to the treatment of
selective mutism, which is based both on clinical experience of over 15 years
and more than 100 cases, and on theoretical knowledge of how selective mutism is
generally viewed and treated today.
Raising awareness of the causes and treatment of selective mutism is vital;
as with most dysfunctions which are anxiety based and result in "acting in"
–introversion, avoidance and timidity, as opposed to "acting out " where the
child is literally screaming for help, SM is often left untreated as the child
causes little disruption to the kindergarten or school. This is not to say that
there is no suffering – the child always suffers profoundly as a result of his
SM, as do his concerned parents.
Failure to treat SM is all the more lamentable as SM is usually highly
responsive to treatment, and early intervention can avoid a host of residual
effects on the child's emotional well-being, and effectively re-channel the
child's development onto a more normative, adaptive track.
The two main underlying innovative components of this therapy are as follows:
the ecosystems approach, which aims to enable the child to move as seamlessly
as possible between the various frameworks in which he lives – home, school and
the outside world, in a harmonious way. The treatment is built upon the SM
child's optimum functioning – usually at home, where he is not hampered by his
anxiety and he can express who he really is –which is at a level of verbal
communication and social interaction that is often literally unbelievable to
those who see him only in school. The treatment acts as a bridge to facilitate
his transferring and generalizing his selectively optimum level of functioning
to all his daily environments.
This underlying view is apparent in the location in which the therapy takes
place – in the home and in the school – in order to extract the child's home
functioning and generalize it to the school or kindergarten.
Which leads us to the second underlying principle: deep respect and belief
in the child's nature, and his home environment – the aim is not to change him,
rather to build on his and his family's strengths. Thus the school may look at
ways to emulate the factors that enable the child to function well at home,
while the parents will be incorporating insights and modes of functioning aimed
at lowering the child's anxiety levels and acquiring long term coping skills
which will enable the child to function well outside the home.
Our treatment is designed to greatly increase the speed and effectiveness of
the therapy; the initial home based therapy and ongoing involvement of the
parents aims to render redundant large sections of therapy that are called for
when treatment takes place in a clinic or only in the school. It is designed to
be a satisfying and empowering experience for the child and his family. A
complete treatment manual, including manuals for therapist, teacher\nursery
teacher and families, can be purchased from our website.
for Therapists based on treatment procedures developed by the Selective
Mutism Treatment and Research Center (SMC).
At the SMC we have developed an innovative approach to the treatment of
selective mutism, which is based both on clinical experience of over 15 years
and more than 100 cases, and on theoretical knowledge of how selective mutism is
generally viewed and treated today.
Raising awareness of the causes and treatment of selective mutism is vital;
as with most dysfunctions which are anxiety based and result in "acting in"
–introversion, avoidance and timidity, as opposed to "acting out " where the
child is literally screaming for help, SM is often left untreated as the child
causes little disruption to the kindergarten or school. This is not to say that
there is no suffering – the child always suffers profoundly as a result of his
SM, as do his concerned parents.
Failure to treat SM is all the more lamentable as SM is usually highly
responsive to treatment, and early intervention can avoid a host of residual
effects on the child's emotional well-being, and effectively re-channel the
child's development onto a more normative, adaptive track.
The two main underlying innovative components of this therapy are as follows:
the ecosystems approach, which aims to enable the child to move as seamlessly
as possible between the various frameworks in which he lives – home, school and
the outside world, in a harmonious way. The treatment is built upon the SM
child's optimum functioning – usually at home, where he is not hampered by his
anxiety and he can express who he really is –which is at a level of verbal
communication and social interaction that is often literally unbelievable to
those who see him only in school. The treatment acts as a bridge to facilitate
his transferring and generalizing his selectively optimum level of functioning
to all his daily environments.
This underlying view is apparent in the location in which the therapy takes
place – in the home and in the school – in order to extract the child's home
functioning and generalize it to the school or kindergarten.
Which leads us to the second underlying principle: deep respect and belief
in the child's nature, and his home environment – the aim is not to change him,
rather to build on his and his family's strengths. Thus the school may look at
ways to emulate the factors that enable the child to function well at home,
while the parents will be incorporating insights and modes of functioning aimed
at lowering the child's anxiety levels and acquiring long term coping skills
which will enable the child to function well outside the home.
Our treatment is designed to greatly increase the speed and effectiveness of
the therapy; the initial home based therapy and ongoing involvement of the
parents aims to render redundant large sections of therapy that are called for
when treatment takes place in a clinic or only in the school. It is designed to
be a satisfying and empowering experience for the child and his family. A
complete treatment manual, including manuals for therapist, teacher\nursery
teacher and families, can be purchased from our website.