Parents Helping Kids with SM: What’s Too Much? What’s Not Enough?

Recorded Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Speaker: Leeann Fogelson, PhD | Kurtz Psychology
This webinar is geared toward parents and caretakers.

Watch on YouTube the Webinar Parents Helping Kids with Selective Mutism: What’s Too Much? What’s Not Enough?

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Description: For loving caregivers, it is challenging to see your child in distress. It can be difficult to grapple with the fact that ‘rescuing’ a child from moments of distress can actually do more harm than good. When we make it too easy for an anxious child with selective mutism not to talk, we inadvertently reinforce their habit of avoidance. It teaches them, “Yes, this is too scary, and it should be avoided.” Overly supportive parent behaviors are often referred to as “accommodation” and can look like answering a question for your child or ordering for your child at a restaurant. At the same time, there will be many situations where your child with SM is not ready to engage verbally and you do need to step in. Join Leeann Fogelson, PhD, from Kurtz Psychology Consulting PC, as she helps you think through important questions: What should I do or say in the moments of my child’s distress? What does the research tell us? What is the difference between accommodation and providing effective supports? When is it appropriate for me to speak for my child?

Speaker: Dr. Leeann Fogelson is Kurtz Psychology’s Psychology Intern and will be competing her Post-Doctoral Fellowship with the Kurtz Psychology team starting July 2021. Dr. Fogelson conducts individual, family, and group therapies with children, adolescents, and their caregivers. Dr. Fogelson is trained in diagnostic assessments and evidence-based clinical interventions for both children and adolescents. She has a strong foundation in multiple treatment modalities including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Behavioral Parent Training (BPT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy adapted for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM), Parent Management Training (PMT), and Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP). In addition, Dr. Fogelson engages in school-based clinical care and provides trainings and consultation to school staff, develops classroom wide academic and behavioral intervention plans, as well as create student specific interventions.

Moderator: Steven Kurtz, PhD, ABPP is the President of Kurtz Psychology Consulting PC, a NYC-based mental health group serving the emotional and behavioral needs of young children. He specializes in assessing and treating externalizing behaviors, such as ADHD and oppositionality, as well as severe anxiety behaviors, such selective mutism and social phobia. He is a Global Trainer in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and a dedicated advocate for children with special needs. His team has done pioneering work in Teacher-Child Interaction Treatment (TCIT) bringing behavioral coaching for teachers to a new level of effectiveness. Dr. Kurtz is the developer of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Adapted for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM), an empirically supported therapy for selective mutism. He also created the renowned Mighty Mouth and Brave Buddies SM intensive treatment programs. An expert commentator, he has appeared on numerous programs addressing child mental health, including NBC’s Today, CBS’s The Early Show and PBS’s Keeping Kids Healthy and was featured in the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s ADD & Lovin’ It. He is a Board Certified Diplomate in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology and volunteers time in the leadership of numerous organizations such as the Selective Mutism Association.

This webinar is brought to you by the Selective Mutism Association and was made possible by a generous grant from the Gordon and Marilyn Macklin Foundation, Inc.