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Online Selective Mutism Training Institute
November 6, 2021 @ 8:00 am – November 7, 2021 @ 5:00 pm EDT
Program Overview
The Selective Mutism Training Institute (SMTI) is an in-depth 2-day training course for professionals working with children diagnosed with selective mutism (SM). The workshop is intensive, and skills-based with the goal of increasing competence in providing empirically-supported treatment of SM to professionals with beginner and intermediate exposure and skills in assessing and treating SM. We maintain a high instructor to participant ratio to ensure adequate time for modeling and video role-play of the skills.
This is a unique opportunity for mental health professionals, speech-language professionals and graduate-level trainees to learn cutting-edge, innovative techniques to effectively treat children with 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 clinical settings.
The workshop starts with providing a framework for understanding the etiology of SM, highlighting the role of nature, nurture, temperament, and developmental differences in the onset and maintenance of SM, social anxiety, and other common comorbidities. Strategies for behavioral, developmental, and language assessment will be reviewed, including how to conduct observations of children with SM. Evidence-based interventions will be covered in depth, including behavioral strategies such as stimulus fading, shaping, positive reinforcement, and parent education/coaching. State-of-the-science interventions, such as intensive treatments, group-based interventions, and school consultation will also be taught. Speech and language conceptualization, assessment, and interventions will also be reviewed.
Program Objectives
- After this course, participants will be able to describe etiologies related to selective mutism and appropriate timing for medication consultation.
- After this course, participants will be able to describe effective assessment measures and procedures in the evaluation of children with selective mutism.
- After this course, participants will be able to list levels of communication from nonvocal to spontaneous vocalization in treating children with selective mutism.
- After this course, participants will be able to state empirically-supported behavioral and cognitive treatment including self-modeling, and PCIT-SM (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism) techniques for selective mutism in school, home, and public (social) settings.
Audience
Participants must be either independently licensed or certified, or matriculating in a supervised graduate program in clinical psychology, school psychology, counseling, social work, applied behavior analysis, or speech-language pathology (Mental Health Professionals: Psychologists, LMHC, LMFT, LCSW; Medical/Healthcare Professional; Education Professionals). Other participants will be considered on a case-by-case basis and are encouraged to email info@selectivemutism.org with their particulars to discuss if this training is appropriate.
Prior experience: The SMTI course is primarily intended for those with beginner and intermediate exposure to work with SM.
Continuing Education
This course is in the process for approval for continuing education. Please check back to this website for updates.
Presenter Information
Jami Furr, Ph.D.
Jami Furr, Ph.D. is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Senior Psychologist in the Mental Health Interventions and Technology (MINT) Program, and the Selective Mutism Program at the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University (FIU). Dr. Furr has extensive expertise in cognitive-behavioral treatments of childhood anxiety and disruptive behavior disorders, with a focus on preschool mental health and intensive group treatment programs for children with selective mutism – directing the first randomized clinical trial of the intensive group behavioral treatment for selective mutism in young children. Dr. Furr received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Temple University. Dr. Furr completed her clinical psychology internship at the NYU-Bellevue Clinical Psychology Internship Program and the NYU Child Study Center, after which she completed an NIH-funded Postdoctoral Fellowship in Child Psychiatry at the NYU Child Study Center.
Aileen Herrera, M.S., RMCI
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. She 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. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Selective Mutism Association.
Emily Doll, M.A., M.S., CCC-SLP
Emily Doll is a licensed speech-language pathologist who currently works in an elementary school in Eastern PA. Her caseload includes students in grades K-5 with a variety of social, emotional, cognitive, and academic needs, including students with selective mutism. Emily also participates as a counselor at the Child Mind Institute’s Brave Buddies programs for children with selective mutism.
Prior to working as a speech pathologist, Emily taught preschool for 10 years and worked one-on-one with a student with selective mutism in this setting. Emily received her M.A. in Applied Developmental Psychology with a focus on Language Acquisition from George Mason University and her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from East Stroudsburg University.
She continues to conduct and collaborate in research within the speech pathology field through East Stroudsburg University, where she also serves as a guest lecturer for graduate and undergraduate classes. Her professional interests are in helping children with anxiety and communication needs find the tools to communicate effectively and efficiently with those around them.
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Any cancellations made prior to October 10, 2021 will receive a full refund less a $35 processing fee. No refunds will be given after October 15, 2021.
