Selective Mutism Awareness

01/10/2025

October is Selective Mutism Awareness Month!!

What is Selective Mutism?

Selective Mutism (sometimes referred to as Situational Mutism) is a severe anxiety disorder where a person is unable to speak in certain social situations, despite being able to do so freely in others.

Selective Mutism is not a choice but a physical inability to speak. In certain social situations, they experience such intense anxiety around speaking that the freeze response is triggered. They want to speak but literally can’t get the words out.

Those with SM are not ‘just shy.’ They are struggling with something far more complex than just shyness.

Selective Mutism is a condition that is lesser known and often misunderstood and this can prevent children from getting the help that they need. It’s important that parents, teachers and professionals are able to recognise the signs of SM, so that they are able to receive the right support.

Please educate yourself and help break the silence surrounding Selective Mutism.

20/08/2025

Many may assume that Selective Mutism is just about lacking self confidence. But it’s not. I know what it is like to receive comments from people who may mean well but don’t understand. While those with Selective Mutism can and do often struggle in this area the root cause of the disorder goes way beyond. Selective Mutism is a very real and debilitating anxiety where a person is
physically unable to speak in specific social settings but can do so freely in others.

09/08/2025

31/07/2025

The Selective Mutism Foundation Conference is coming up this September!! Join the conference in Canada or online globally. Register and get your tickets today!

For individuals with Selective Mutism there is an opportunity to join the conference online for free. Contact Dr. Bork, Selective Mutism Foundation for more information on how to register.

Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity!!

18/07/2025

Did you know that not all individuals with Selective Mutism are completely silent?

High profile and Low profile are the terms used to describe the two different presentations of SM.

High profile SM is where the individual is consistently unable to speak at all in certain situations or with certain people. A child may be completely unable to speak at school, or they might for example be able to speak to a peer or two but not adults.

Low profile SM refers to when the person can sometimes speak a little in situations that makes them anxious. It can sometimes be harder to spot and may be more overlooked. The reason that they are sometimes able to respond to questions is because the fear of disapproval outweighs the fear of talking. In other words, they muster up the courage to speak despite still being extremely anxious.

Both high and low profile Selective Mutism causes extreme anxiety around communication in specific social settings and both require support and intervention to help the individual overcome their anxiety.

11/07/2025

08/05/2025

In this post I talk about bilingualism and what my experience has been growing up.

Studies suggests that there is an increased risk in developing Selective Mutism in children who are bilingual and/or multilingual. Bilingualism does not cause SM, however in children who are already anxious there is an added stress of having to speak another language in which they are less comfortable or familiar with. It's important to take into account any additional struggle that someone who speaks more than one language may face when supporting a child with Selective Mutism.

28/04/2025

Overcoming selective mutism isn’t something to compare or compete over—because growth isn’t a competition.

Just like in spring, some flowers bloom early, some bloom late, and all are beautiful in their own time. Someone else’s progress doesn’t mean you’re behind—it just means their path looks different than yours. And that’s okay.

Your pace is enough. Keep going—your time to bloom will come. 🧡🌸

07/04/2025

Selective Mutism and Verbal Shutdowns are often confused with each other. While they may sometimes appear to seem similar, they are not the same. So what is the difference?

Selective Mutism is an anxiety disorder where a person is unable to speak in certain social situations, while being able to do so in others. It can be described as an intense fear or phobia of speaking in certain settings or around specific people. The mutism follows a pattern that is consistent and context-dependent.

Verbal Shutdowns are most commonly something that autistic and/or neurodivergent individuals may experience where a person may lose the ability to speak in response to overstimulation, overwhelm or stress, etc.

While a person may experience both, they are quite distinct and it’s important to understand the difference.

11/03/2025

If you did something that felt uncomfortable, it counts as bravery. 💪🏻

No matter how small it looks to others - it's worth celebrating. 💛

Bravery grows when we take the small steps seriously, and when we give our kids credit for their effort, knowing that "trying their best" looks different every day.

13/02/2025

In this post I share about an experience when I once tried to speak to a teacher about an assignment in college.

Selective Mutism is not a choice or a refusal to speak. We want to speak, but in some situations we physically can’t do so. Please be patient and understanding. Often the words are there, but they won’t come out.