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Selective Mutism Training Institute for Caregivers of Children with Selective Mutism
April 23, 2022 @ 9:00 am – April 24, 2022 @ 3:30 pm EDT
Selective Mutism Association Presents the Selective Mutism Training Institute for Caregivers of Children with Selective Mutism
Location: Online Training
Time: 9:00-3:30 PM Eastern Standard Time on April 23 and April 24, 2022
Cost
Participation early bird registration: $250
Please note that this training is offered in English and translation services are not provided. If you need special accommodations to attend this training, please email Dr. Lisa Kovac, SMA Executive Director at info@selectivemutism.org prior to registering.
Program Overview
The Selective Mutism Training Institute (SMTI) is an in-depth 2-day training course for caregivers of children/youth (ages 3-17) diagnosed with selective mutism (SM). The workshop is intensive and skills-based with the goal of increasing caregiver competence in utilizing empirically-supported treatment strategies for SM. We maintain a low instructor to participant ratio to ensure adequate time for modeling and video role-play of the skills. Registration will be capped at 30 participants.
This is a unique opportunity for caregivers of children with Selective Mutism to learn cutting-edge, innovative techniques to effectively address SM. Small group, video consultation with the course instructors following the 2-day training is included in the cost, allowing participants to further apply the skills in their own unique settings.
The workshop starts with providing a framework for understanding the development of SM, highlighting the role of nature, nurture, temperament, and developmental differences in the onset and maintenance of SM, social anxiety, and other common co-occurring disorders. Evidence-based behavioral and cognitive interventions will be covered in depth. This training will give you the skills needed to assess how and with whom your child is communicating in different contexts and help move those skills forward. In addition, caregivers will learn treatment strategies to improve family interactions and child participation in extracurricular activities, to negotiate playdates with other children, and to solicit help from others to support your child’s progress. This training will also cover critical school intervention and how to help your children succeed in this environment.
In addition to traditional (e.g., weekly) treatment, other treatment formats will be discussed, including intensive treatments, group-based interventions, and school consultation. Parental self-care, practical applications of treatment (e.g., playdates), and accessing additional support will also be reviewed.
Program Objectives
- After this course, participants will be able to describe ways in which selective mutism develops and appropriate timing for medication consultation.
- After this course, participants will be able to state empirically-supported behavioral and cognitive treatment strategies, including PCIT-SM (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism) techniques for selective mutism in school, home, and public (social) settings.
- After this course, participants will be able to list three strategies to effectively engage school personnel and educational staff when implementing relevant treatment strategies specific to youth with selective mutism.
- After this course, participants will be able to list various forms of caregiver self-care when supporting children with selective mutism.
Audience
Participants who would benefit from this training include all caregivers of children with selective mutism. This training course is not intended for professionals.
Prior experience: The SMTI course is primarily intended for those with beginner and intermediate exposure to work with SM.
Presenter Information
Brittany Bice-Urbach, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a clinical psychologist at the Child Development Center, a developmental clinic through Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Dr. Bice-Urbach has a clinical specialty in treating children and adolescents with anxiety disorders through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a primary focus on treating children with Selective Mutism. At the Child Development Center, she has developed a SM program offering assessment, individual therapy, group treatment, and family/school consultation and training to support children with Selective Mutism. She is involved in supervision of student trainees and has given several national presentations at the National Association for School Psychologists Annual Convention on the topic of addressing symptoms of Selective Mutism in a school setting. She also has prioritized training for medical facilities and pediatricians on detecting symptoms of Selective Mutism and supporting children and their families through the journey in finding appropriate treatment resources. Dr. Bice-Urbach also serves on the Board of Directors of the Selective Mutism Association.
Rachel Busman, Psy.D., ABPP, is a licensed clinical psychologist and the Senior Director of the Child & Adolescent Anxiety and Related Disorders Program at Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants (CBC). Dr. Busman has extensive experience providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other evidenced-based treatment to children, teenagers and young adults struggling with anxiety disorders and other related mental health disorders. Dr. Busman has extensive experience in the assessment and treatment of Selective Mutism and runs Voices Rising, an intensive group based SM program. Prior to joining CBC, Dr. Busman was the senior director of the Anxiety Disorders Center and Director of the Selective Mutism Service at the Child Mind Institute, in addition to the Director of Brave Buddies. Dr. Busman is the former president of the Selective Mutism Association, the nation’s largest network of professionals, families, and individuals with selective mutism. She is certified in PCIT-SM and is a within agency trainer. Dr. Busman is also certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.
Aileen Herrera, M.S., LMHC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the Clinical Director of the Mental Health Interventions and Technology (MINT) Anxiety Program at the Center for Children and Families (CCF) at Florida International University. She has extensive clinical training in cognitive and behavioral treatments for children and adolescents, with a special emphasis on selective mutism. Aileen supervises student trainees and provides weekly and intensive treatment in English and Spanish for children and teens with anxiety and directs specialty programs for youth with selective mutism. Aileen runs the Brave Bunch Summer Treatment program at FIU, an intensive group-based SM program. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Selective Mutism Association.
