Clarissa Gosney, PsyD

Pinnacle Counseling and Psychological Testing Center

Clarissa Gosney, Psy.D. specializes in treating Selective Mutism.

Watching a child who had never spoken to another adult outside of her own home (before therapy) proudly trot around a grocery store asking for help from numerous employees… Seeing a child talk to her teacher and classmates after 3 years of non-verbal school attendance… Hearing that a young woman was able to successfully transition to a young adult’s community therapy group AND verbally engage with all of the group members and counselor… Getting a call from a parent excitedly sharing that her daughter, whom had never spoken in school before, not only just completed her first-ever oral presentation, but answered 20-minutes worth of students’ questions afterward because her classmates were so excited to hear her talk for the first time! …These are the stories that fuel my passion for working with individuals with Selective Mutism (SM).

Alongside the rest of our team at Pinnacle Counseling and Testing Center, I offer an array of treatment options for children and adults with Selective Mutism. Two-to-three times per year, I help run Pinnacle's Outside Voice SM camp, which serves children and adolescents. I also provide individual and family therapy for clients of all ages with SM and other anxiety disorders. After my clients become comfortable speaking with me in the therapy setting, I take them on exposure activities in the community to practice their bravery out in the real world. From local restaurants to grocery stores, I help my clients verbally engage with others to practice asking for help, ordering food, and communicating their needs. I not only train families on how to continue treatment in the home and in the community, but I also train teachers, school psychologists, school counselors, speech and language pathologists, and other school officials on how to work with children and teens with SM in the school setting. I also work on-site at local schools to provide trainings and consultation, and to help my clients begin to speak with their teacher, classmates, and other members of their school support team.

I firmly believe that the best treatment is one where my client’s entire support team is working together toward a mutual goal: free speech.

I am licensed and living in the state of Utah. However, I am also licensed to provide in-person and telehealth services in Hawaii and California. I am also covered under PSYPACT, allowing me to provide ongoing telehealth and short-term in-person services in all other PSYPACT States. To see what states are included, visit https://psypact.gov/page/psypactmap