March 2025 Dear SMA Community, While there is a strong body of evidence supporting the effectiveness ofindividual, child-focused behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapies fortreating youth anxiety, as clinicians, researchers, and caregivers,… Continue reading Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions
Category: Living With SM
SMA December Communication A Story of Hope: Austin’s Journey
December 2024 Dear SMA Community, As we reflect on the past year, we are filled with immense gratitude for allthe strides we’ve made in supporting individuals and families affected byselective… Continue reading SMA December Communication A Story of Hope: Austin’s Journey
Traveling and Vacationing with Selective Mutism
With the summer season upon us, families are planning and orchestrating family vacations. This article focuses on two typical types of travelers, 5 ways to help children cope when away… Continue reading Traveling and Vacationing with Selective Mutism
Celebrating Progress and Success Within Selective Mutism Intervention
May 2024 “Believe in yourself and you can achieve greatness in your life” – Judy Blume Dear SMA Community, While exposure practice is a critical component of SM treatment, a… Continue reading Celebrating Progress and Success Within Selective Mutism Intervention
Selective Mutism and the Holidays
November 2023 Dear SM Community, It is known as the most wonderful time of the year, but for people with selective mutism the holidays can be very stressful. Family gatherings,… Continue reading Selective Mutism and the Holidays
How to Explain Selective Mutism to Friends and Family
August 2023 Dear SM Community, People generally have a hard time understanding Selective Mutism (SM). Even some experienced mental health professionals have a difficult time conceptualizing SM symptoms and what… Continue reading How to Explain Selective Mutism to Friends and Family
Using Technology to Increase the Generalization of Gains
Dear SMA Community, The last two years have truly been like no other in many of our lifetimes, between the COVID-19 pandemic, the racial pandemic, and now the war between… Continue reading Using Technology to Increase the Generalization of Gains
A Parent’s Perspective on Empathy: How I Stepped Out of My Comfort Zone to Better Understand My Daugher with Selective Mutism
About two years after my daughter’s diagnosis with selective mutism, my husband and I were invited to her school to do a presentation on SM to the teachers at a… Continue reading A Parent’s Perspective on Empathy: How I Stepped Out of My Comfort Zone to Better Understand My Daugher with Selective Mutism
7 Tips To Help Extended Family And Friends Interact With Your Child With Selective Mutism
How to open up a conversation about selective mutism and how to help with the important people in your child’s life Less than one in 5 adults has ever heard… Continue reading 7 Tips To Help Extended Family And Friends Interact With Your Child With Selective Mutism
Top 5 Ways SMA Made a Difference in 2021
From our first-ever virtual annual conference to launching a new website, 2021 was quite the year. Together, we have accomplished much this year to raise awareness, educate and support those… Continue reading Top 5 Ways SMA Made a Difference in 2021