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We provide assessment and treatment of Selective Mutism and extreme shyness in preschoolers, school-aged children, teenagers, and adults with Selective Mutism throughout Australia. Families in remote and rural areas and nearby can access our service through our ‘Outreach’ program.
Services are also available at the clinic for other childhood emotional and behavioural problems. Adults with Selective Mutism or Social Anxiety Disorder (‘Social Phobia’) can receive treatment from the Clinical Psychologists at our clinic who provide treatment for adults.
Our Psychologists and Speech Pathologists provide face-to-face and video consultations.
GET READY FOR CHANGE
GET READY FOR CHANGE
Comprehensive
Assessment
Evidence-based
Strategies
Integrated School
Program
Online Treatment
for anywhere in
Australia
Abundance of
Resources
Licensed
PractiTIoners
01
Assessment
Your family will be seen by one of our Clinical Psychologists or Speech Pathologists who have extensive training and experience in treating Selective Mutism. All therapists at the clinic use the same strategies developed by the Director and Clinical Psychologist, Dr Elizabeth Woodcock. Families who attend the clinic first undergo a comprehensive assessment. A battery of questionnaires and forms helps to support this assessment, as well as an initial one-hour video consultation with the school. The initial session is held with the parent(s) alone without your child so that you can talk freely about your child’s communication difficulties. This can be face-to-face or over Zoom. Assessment of the child starts with a fun, relaxed game with no initial expectations to talk.
02
CLINIC
The program involves the child and parent, using specific evidence-based strategies to help the child start to communicate verbally with the therapist (using the ‘gold standard’ treatment for Selective Mutism used worldwide called “Sliding In”). Once the child can talk with the therapist without the parent present, the child is helped to communicate to other adults in the vicinity of the office. The clinic also holds small group face-to-face and Zoom sessions to help children communicate with peers. In the clinic sessions, the child is also taught valuable skills in recognising emotions and managing anxiety. These skills help the child learn to face their fears of communicating in other situations such as school and in the community. Parents are taught ways to support their child emotionally at home and manage any behavioural issues. We frequently help children and families with other challenges that occur alongside Selective Mutism such as other anxieties and phobias, noncompliance and tantrums, sleeping issues, school refusal, separation anxiety, self-esteem issues, emotion regulation, academic/performance anxiety, toileting and eating issues, social skills difficulties that arise from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and speech and language difficulties. Each of these can be assessed and targeted as part of the overall treatment program. The clinic program is extremely fun for the child and involves earning rewards for ‘brave communication’. Rewards won’t last forever but are an integral part of the program that keeps the child wanting to come back and striving to face their biggest fear – communication!
03
COMMUNITY
04
School
Children with Selective Mutism usually find it hardest to speak at school. If the Selective Mutism is treated in the clinic alone, it will generally not change their communication ability at school. The Selective Mutism Clinic therefore implements an intensive school or preschool program, providing the classroom teacher and other relevant school personnel with two video consultations each school term to support them to implement accommodations at school that will build the child’s communication. The classroom teacher (or a ‘key worker’ for high school) must be present for these consultations as the main strategies discussed are intended for the classroom teacher to implement in the classroom during their daily teaching as well as in individual sessions with the child and parent. The child is helped to build their communication with the classroom teacher, with each peer in the class, in small groups, and finally in whole-class situations. Many children reach the stage of being able to communicate in front of assemblies. If your child is home-schooled, we can also devise a tailored program for them.
05
COMMUNITY CONFIDENCE SESSIONS
Children with Selective Mutism often find it challenging to communicate outside the clinic, especially in unfamiliar or public settings. If therapy is limited to the clinic, children may struggle to generalise their communication skills to real-world environments. Our Community Confidence Sessions are designed to bridge this gap by supporting children to build confidence in everyday community interactions.
During these sessions, a therapy assistant works with the child to practice communication skills in real-world settings, such as ordering at shops, asking questions to store staff, or interacting with others in the community. These structured sessions provide the child with the opportunity to develop and generalise their communication skills in a supportive and guided way, helping them to build the confidence needed for successful social interactions beyond the therapy room.
06
SOCIAL CONFIDENCE GROUPS
For children and young people with Selective Mutism, generalising communication skills to social settings can be a significant milestone. Once a child has reached Stage 5 communication —i.e., able to talk directly to the clinician and one or two others—our Social Confidence Groups offer a supportive next step to expand their communication skills in a safe and structured environment.
These small groups, matched by age or interests, include just one to three other participants, creating an encouraging space for children and teens to practice social skills through guided conversational tasks and engaging games. For clients with selective mutism, social anxiety, or other challenges, the goals include decreasing avoidance, building verbal and non-verbal communication, and preparing for real-world social interactions.
Our groups can be attended face-to-face, via telehealth, or through a combination of both, offering flexible options to suit the needs of each client and family. The sessions are strengths-based and celebrate diverse communication styles, including neurodiverse approaches. Communication might involve speaking, but can also include writing, drawing, or using messaging apps, depending on what feels comfortable and effective for each individual.
By participating, children and young people can not only enhance their social confidence and interpersonal skills but also set and reflect on weekly personal communication goals. These sessions encourage positive peer relationships, identity development, and a sense of accomplishment as clients build connections with others in a safe, inclusive setting.
07
OTHER SUPPORT
As part of a comprehensive treatment program, we provide support to other agencies or workers who are part of the child’s support team. These can include other Speech Pathologists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Support Workers, Tutors, Coaches, and after-school care centres. This support can be as little or as much as is required to help the child build their communication with these workers, and may involve written handouts about Selective Mutism and strategies tailored for the child, a Zoom supervision session to provide more in-depth discussion of strategies, or occasionally an off-site visit to provide specific coaching of strategies in the environment where the other worker sees the child.
Our Neuro-affirming Approach
At the Selective Mutism Clinic, we take a neuroaffirming approach to treating Selective Mutism (SM), recognising the diversity of neurodevelopmental profiles among our clients and tailoring our strategies to respect each individual’s unique needs, preferences, and strengths.
A key part of our approach is carefully differentiating between aspects of a client’s presentation that stem from anxiety—such as difficulties speaking in certain settings—and those that are intrinsic to their neurodivergence, such as autism. While cognitive-behavioural strategies can effectively reduce anxiety and increase confidence in speaking, we honour traits that reflect the client’s authentic self, such as a preference not to make eye contact or a desire to avoid close friendships. These are respected as personal choices, not problems to be “fixed.”
Our therapy is primarily cognitive-behavioural, employing a gradual, child-led approach that reduces anxiety and builds trust. Clients are empowered with tools like emotional “thermometers,” allowing them to gauge their readiness to work toward speech and other goals. We also adapt our techniques to the client’s preferred communication style—whether verbal, written, or alternative—and consider sensory needs to create a supportive and comfortable environment.
Rewards and motivators are personalised, using strategies that align with the client’s interests and preferences. For neurodivergent clients, we are particularly mindful of avoiding pressure, embarrassment, or rewards that feel incongruent with their identity. Instead, we collaborate with families to develop systems that foster the child’s autonomy and pride.
Our neuroaffirming philosophy prioritises flexibility, respect, and collaboration, ensuring clients feel understood and supported as they navigate their journey. By addressing anxiety while honouring neurodivergent traits, we aim to help each client achieve meaningful progress in self-expression and communication on their own terms.
SESSION FrequencY
- Initially children are seen every 1-2 weeks to get the program underway
- Sessions then become less frequent (e.g., every 3-6 weeks depending upon child’s progress and families’ confidence in applying strategies between sessions)
FEES
- Initial 60-minute assessment costs $310
- Subsequent 50-minute sessions and school consultations cost $280
- Medicare rebates can also be obtained (see your GP/Paediatrician)
- Medicare, private health funds and NDIS (self-managed) may also provide rebates.
Meet ObI, our
Therapy
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WEBINARS
See details of our bestselling webinar, ‘How to Help Your Child with Selective Mutism’ here. In addition, it is also highly beneficial for your child’s progress if you can help the classroom teacher to understand the benefits of watching the 3-hour webinar specifically targeted for schools here. A high school version of the webinar is here.
