Description

Contact: [email protected]

Selective mutism is a complex childhood anxiety condition that significantly impacts participation, learning, and social engagement across settings. Children with selective mutism often have intact language abilities yet experience a profound inability to communicate in specific contexts due to heightened anxiety and nervous system dysregulation. This one-day interdisciplinary workshop provides a comprehensive, practical understanding of selective mutism focused on integrating current research on anxiety, sensory processing, and communication under stress. Participants will explore how sensory sensitivities, environmental demands, relational safety, and communication expectations interact to either support or inhibit a child’s ability to access speech and social communication. Emphasis is placed on neuro-affirming, regulation-based approaches that move beyond behavior-driven or compliance-focused models.

Through case examples, clinical reasoning, and applied strategies, participants will gain tools to:

• Identify selective mutism accurately
• Differentiate it from other communication and developmental profiles
• Assess children without increasing anxiety
• Implement collaborative, child-centered intervention strategies across home, school, and therapy contexts

This workshop is suitable for occupational therapists, speech-language therapists, psychologists, educators, early-intervention professionals, and pediatric clinicians working with children who experience anxiety-based communication challenges.

Outline/Agenda

All times are Singapore Time Zone 

9.00 to 10.15am                   Foundations & Neurobiology of Selective Mutism

An overview of selective mutism as an anxiety-based condition, including key features, differential considerations, and common misconceptions. This session introduces the neurobiology of anxiety and explains how nervous system responses, particularly the freeze response, affect speech, voice, and participation

10.15 to 10.30                       Morning Break

10.30 to 12.00                       Sensory Processing and Regulation

An exploration of how sensory processing differences and environmental demands influence anxiety and communication access. Participants will examine sensory contributors in learning and therapeutic settings and learn how predictability, environmental adjustments, and regulation-supportive practices can reduce stress and support participation

12.00 to 12.45                       Lunch

12.45 to 2.15                          Communication Access Under Anxiety

This session focuses on how anxiety impacts communication across contexts. Participants will gain insight into why communication may be available in some settings but inaccessible in others and how reducing interactional and linguistic pressure supports meaningful participation through verbal and non-verbal communication

2.15 to 2.30                            Afternoon Break

2.30 to 4.00                            Assessment, Intervention & Collaborative Practice

A practical, integrative session bringing together assessment principles, intervention strategies, and collaborative approaches. Participants will explore how to support children with selective mutism across home, school, and clinical contexts, with attention to cultural considerations and interdisciplinary teamwork.

Learning Objectives:

Workshop participants will be able to: 

• Session 1: Foundations & Neurobiology of Selective Mutism
  Participants will be able to explain selective mutism as an anxiety-based, nervous system-driven condition and differentiate it from other developmental and communication profiles commonly seen in pediatric practice

  Session 2: Sensory Processing and Regulation
  Participants will be able to identify sensory and environmental factors that contribute to anxiety and reduced participation in children with selective mutism and recognize opportunities to adjust demands to support regulation

  Session 3: Communication Access Under Anxiety
  Participants will be able to describe how anxiety impacts communication access across settings and apply strategies that reduce interactional and linguistic pressure to support meaningful participation

  Session 4: Assessment, Intervention & Collaborative Practice
  Participants will be able to apply interdisciplinary principles to assessment and intervention planning for children with selective mutism, in collaboration with caregivers across contexts

Provider Name: Bridging Talents

Presenter: Maude Le Roux, OTR/L, SIPT, ADHD-RSP, DIR Champion and Expert Training Leader

Bio: Maude Le Roux is a global trainer in multiple methodologies and a mentor to therapists from multidisciplinary teams. She opened her practice, A Total Approach in Glen Mills, PA, USA in 2001. Maude started her training career in 2007 and opened her online academy in 2019. She has designed the Developmental Pathways Model (DPM), which she applies to her own unique assessment and intervention protocol for major diagnosis such as Dyspraxia, ADHD and Executive Functions, Autism, Reading and Writing Disorders, and Trauma and Attachment. Maude served 9 years on the Board of Directors for ATTACh and currently serves on their Advisory Board. She also serves on the Advisory Board for LSWorks (Neuralign program). She is a co-author of two books and more recently wrote a chapter on Trauma and the Body in “Healing Connections” which launched in September 2024. Maude received an award for “Continued child advocacy” through the ATTACh organization in September 2024. She also received the Champion Award through ICDL in November 2024. Maude has a “whole child” approach to care and intervention and equipping the child, while empowering the parent is at the core of who she is as a clinician and trainer.

Target Audience: Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, Educators

Educational Level: Intermediary

Instructional Methods: PowerPoint, Group Discussion, Video

Contact Hours: 5 hours, 45 minutes

Registration: Contact [email protected]

Questions? Email [email protected]