Selective Mutism
Specialist assessment and therapy for children, young people and adults
Communication is about more than speech. Selective Mutism affects every aspect of a person's life, from relationships and education to employment, independence and emotional wellbeing. My approach is centred on understanding the individual behind the silence, recognising their strengths, experiences and the factors that may be making communication difficult.
Whether you are a parent seeking support for your child, a teenager preparing for the next stage of education, or an adult wanting to feel more confident communicating at university, work or in everyday life, I provide specialist assessment, therapy and consultation tailored to your individual needs.
I work collaboratively with clients, families, education settings, workplaces and other professionals to develop practical, meaningful support that helps individuals communicate with greater confidence and participate more fully in everyday life.
Understanding Selective Mutism
Selective Mutism is a recognised anxiety disorder in which a person is consistently unable to speak in particular situations, despite speaking comfortably in others. It is not a choice, oppositional behaviour or a language difficulty. Instead, the anxiety response temporarily prevents speech in certain environments or with particular people.
Alongside Selective Mutism, I also support individuals who temporarily lose the ability to speak when they become overwhelmed by significant stress, sensory overload, emotional overwhelm or autistic shutdown. Although these experiences are different from Selective Mutism, both can have a profound impact on communication, participation and wellbeing.
No two people experience these communication difficulties in the same way. Understanding the factors contributing to an individual's communication profile is the first step towards providing meaningful, personalised support.
Who I Work With
Children, young people and adults with Selective Mutism.
Individuals experiencing temporary loss of speech associated with overwhelming stress, sensory overload or autistic shutdown.
Individuals with co-occurring differences, including autism and other speech, language and communication needs.
Young people and adults with longstanding Selective Mutism.
Families, education settings, workplaces and multidisciplinary teams.
How Assessment and Therapy Can Help
Meaningful progress begins with understanding the individual rather than focusing solely on speech.
Comprehensive Assessment
Assessment is holistic and explores the factors influencing communication, including speech and language skills, anxiety, sensory processing, emotional wellbeing, nervous system regulation, relationships, environmental demands and any co-occurring differences. This deep understanding shapes support that is individualised, practical and meaningful.
Individualised Therapy
Depending on your needs, support may include direct therapy, parent coaching, consultation with schools or workplaces, adapting the communication environment and collaborative working with other professionals.
For individuals whose Mutism is primarily maintained by anxiety, therapy may also include evidence-based behavioural approaches, such as graded exposure, when appropriate. These approaches are most effective once the individual feels safe, understood and ready to take the next step. The pace of therapy is always guided by the individual and their personal goals.
The Goal: The aim is not simply to increase speech. It is to build confidence, reduce barriers to communication and support meaningful participation in the situations that matter most to the individual.
What Meaningful Progress Looks Like
Meaningful progress looks different for everyone:
For a child: Joining in with a classroom activity, playing comfortably with peers, or saying their first words at school.
For a teenager: Contributing in lessons, developing friendships, attending college with greater confidence or advocating for themselves comfortably.
For an adult: Speaking in a job interview, making a telephone call, participating in workplace meetings or feeling more confident communicating in everyday social settings.
Everyone deserves to feel heard, understood and able to participate in everyday life. My role is to work alongside individuals, families and professionals to create the conditions in which communication, confidence and participation can grow.
Free 15-Minute Initial Telephone Consultation
I offer a free 15-minute telephone consultation to discuss your concerns, gain an understanding of the communication needs involved, and explore how Speech and Language Therapy may be able to help.