Outloud The Selective Mutism Podcast

In this episode Chelsea and Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum talk about Adults & Selective Mutism, the barriers they face, and how to get help.  Resources: https://www.selectivemutism.org  https://selectivemutismcenter.org 

Silence by Antje Bothin Talkative at home, happy and loud But quiet and withdrawn in a crowd Silent at school and in the shop Does this selective mutism ever stop? It is not a choice This hiding of the voice When people are around There is no sound. Like a sudden freeze Being in a tight squeeze Unable to talk Nowhere to walk. Observing and listening is easy to do But asking and joining in is hard to pursue Keep trying and trying again Nothing is ever in vain. If  people only knew That kindness is the thing to do Inclusion, no pressure and some fun in life Is all that is needed to thrive! And there is another one: Incredibly Invisible by Antje Bothin Invisibility was her natural superpower She could do it every minute and every hour She could miraculously hide herself away She had absolutely nothing to say Her mind had the words ready in a crowd But her voice could never be heard aloud Nobody could see her stare Because she wasn’t really there She could dress in red or green And she wouldn’t actually be seen She could do whatever she pleased Nobody would notice if she sneezed She could even take things and leave But people wouldn’t in the slightest perceive The signs that she had been present at all Even if she suffered a terrible fall But she is free now, happy and strong The things she does usually never go wrong Because invisibility is her incredible superpower And she is proud of it like a radiant sunflower!

Nika and her mom, Jana come on Outloud to talk about their experiences with Selective Mutism, what has helped, and words of encouragement for those still struggling.  Nika also tells us about 100 Kind Deeds Day & This Life Rocks! Find her @life_rocks on instagram and https://www.facebook.com/thisliferocks/ 

Chelsea and Michelle the mindset coach collaborate to talk about Selective Mutism, being bilingual, and high sensitivity.  Find Michelle on instagram @Michelle_themindsetcoach on instagram and at michellethemindsetcoach.com

Max talks about growing up with Situational Mutism without diagnosis or treatment, the impact of culture and religion on her experience and how she ultimately overcame SM.   Find her at LinkTree and MaxGetsCurious.com

Using the "SMART" model, we review Chelsea's old Selective Mutism therapy goals and offer ways to improve them.    Habit Tracker: https://keepingupchangs.com/habit-tracker/  Website: Outloudsm.com 

Dr. Alicia Goodman shares her experience with teaching social skills to children with Selective Mutism. We also talk about IEP and 504 accommodations.    Visit Dr. Goodman's website for courses and info on her social skills groups and other treatment options: SimplyPsychServices.com  

Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum joins us to discuss the overlap between Autism and Selective Mutism.   Resources: selectivemutismcenter.org  Visit our website: Outloudsm.com  

Katie gives us an overview of Occupational Therapy and the role it can play in treatment for Selective Mutism.   What is OT? https://www.aota.org/Conference-Events/OTMonth/what-is-OT.aspx   OT vs OTA https://www.aota.org/Practice/OT-Assistants.aspx   OT and Social-Emotional Learning https://www.aota.org/~/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/Children/SchoolMHToolkit/Social-and-Emotional-Learning-Info-Sheet.pdf   OT and Sensory Integration https://www.aota.org/~/media/Corporate/Files/AboutOT/Professionals/WhatIsOT/CY/Fact-Sheets/FactSheet_SensoryIntegration.pdf

In this special episode of Outloud The Selective Mutism podcast, we look back on our first year of podcasting and highlight many key points and important lessons we learned. If you missed any episodes, this is a great way to catch up! OutloudSM.com Selective Mutism Awareness Month T Shirts! Like our Facebook Page: Facebook Page Join our Group: Facebook Group Follow our Instagram: Instagram 

It's that time of year again! Whether you're going back to school virtually or in person, we have tips to help kids struggling with anxiety and Selective Mutism transition back to school during Covid-19. Please share this episode with teachers, therapists, or anyone you know who could benefit! Get to know me templates: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Emoji-Get-to-Know-Me-Activity-1907161 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-To-School-Get-To-Know-Me-Worksheet-1952937 

Maureen from thehighlysensitivechild.com tells us about what it means to be "highly sensitive" and how it relates to Selective Mutism as well as Sensory Processing Disorder. Maureen is a writer and a mom to 2 highly sensitive children.  Resources: https://www.thehighlysensitivechild.com  My Book of Brave: https://www.amazon.com/My-Book-Brave-Journal-Feelings/dp/1542457432  Dr. Aron's Book: The Highly Sensitive Child The Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thehighlysensitivechild 

Chelsea and Meg, a Speech-Language Pathologist, talk about the role of an SLP and the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to treating Selective Mutism.    Visit Asha.org for more information

Follow us at @outloudsmpodcast or click https://www.instagram.com/outloudsmpodcast/ to join our LIVE Q&A on instagram Wednesday 7/29 @ 7 PM EST.

Chelsea and Anne review an article, Functional-Assessment Based Intervention for Selective Mutism (2007) by Lee Kern, Kristen Starosta, Clayton Cook, Linda Bambara, & Frank Gresham. The article explores why Selective Mutism is maintained for two children in school settings and develops function based assessments to increase vocal responding.   Functional-Assessment Based Intervention For Selective Mutism (2007)