Presenter: Emily Laracy, MA, MS, CCC-SLP/L
Selective Mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder which profoundly affects social/pragmatic language skills and falls under the Speech-language Pathologist’s scope of practice. This presentation will discuss characteristics of SM, review the role of the SLP in working with preschool and school-age students, provide assessment strategies, review important factors to consider in planning treatment, and provide practical suggestions of activities to use in therapy sessions.
Course is offered for 0.35 ASHA CEUs – 3.5 Contact Hours.
Course Overview – Run Time: 3:30:10
– C.H., prior course participant
– C.P., prior course participant
The content of this online CE course does not focus exclusively on any specific proprietary product or service. Presenter financial and non-financial disclosures may be found in the Presenter & Disclosures area.
Video PowerPoint presentation with author narration & downloadable handout. Stop and re-start the course at any point. Learners retain access to course content after completion for ongoing reference and review.
"Strategies for working with SM were beneficial. I liked the information and ease." D.U. (Aug. 2024)
"Help develop appropriate cueing, language to use and avoid, goal development, and how to target goals. I liked all of the examples and thought the presenter did a great job overall." L.F. (Jun. 2024)
"The assessment and treatments of SM including the social-emotional piece were helpful. Specific treatment methods to use to really hit the heart of the issue with SM students." B.L. (Jun. 2024)
"Learning more about SM was beneficial." V.B. (Jun. 2024)
"The assessment was beneficial. I enjoyed this topic." L.G. (Jun. 2024)
"The bridge visual was helpful. The course was easy to follow." C.J. (Jun. 2024)
"Helpful ways to implement therapy techniques. Good information." V.W. (Jun. 2024)
"The treatment component was helpful, and I liked the video examples." J.F. (May. 2024)
"I learned something new on every slide. I appreciated the video examples, the websites and how well Emily described each definition and scenario. I loved all the examples of how to treat SM. Information to share with parents, teachers, and therapists. A fabulous amount of information to help assess and treat!! Thank you!!" L.B. (May. 2024)
"Discussing the role of SLP was beneficial." R.M. (Apr. 2024)
"The course was all great - thank you so much! I loved all the resources and evidence used to back up claims." K.R. (Apr. 2024)
"Discussing intervention was helpful. I liked the ability to stop and go back if needed. I liked the presenter, and how the presentation was organized." S.S. (Mar. 2024)
"I found the entire presentation to be beneficial as I have not had much experience working with Selective Mutism. I feel that I have a better understanding now of what SM is and how I can help students with this difficulty. I liked the entire course. The speaker did a great job defining the condition as well as treatments. I also appreciated the video examples and case studies." J.D. (Mar. 2024)
"The discussion that we are fully equipped as SLPs to assess and treat SM was beneficial. I liked the videos and specific examples of what to do and what not to do, as well as explanations of why." C.G. (Mar. 2024)
"Anxiety cycle description was helpful. I loved the way that the course started with a broader description and then showed specific roles or SLP assessment and treatment methods." S.B. (Feb. 2024)
"The intervention information was helpful. Well organized, practical, answered many questions." G.F. (Feb. 2024)
"I enjoyed the videos of the therapist using techniques in therapy." M.F. (Feb. 2024)
"The entire course was very beneficial. I was never taught how to assess or treat SM in my graduate program and I have several students on my current caseload with SM. I will be applying the information and relaying the information to the teachers at my school who work with my students. The videos and real demonstrations of how to implement were very helpful." K.M. (Feb. 2024)
"Discussing treatment was beneficial." R.Q. (Jan. 2024)
"CDI and VDI were beneficial topics. I enjoyed the supporting materials." S.T. (Jan. 2024)
"I liked the discussion of the role of the SLP and the great breakdown of assessment and treatment, lots of resources too! Comprehensive course." S.L. (Jan. 2024)
"I liked the techniques discussed for treatment. Case histories and videos utilizing discussed techniques." S.D. (Jan. 2024)
"This course was perfect, and everything was relevant. Gave specific activities, things to say, reasons why you wouldn't do certain things. Every area was described very well. I liked the videos showing the right/wrong way to do interventions." C.H. (Dec. 2023)
"All the materials and concrete examples provided were helpful. It allowed me to visualize my client immediately and framework my interventions." M.B. (Dec. 2023)
"Effectively assessing children with SM. I liked the application to working with children in schools." M.L. (Dec. 2023)
"The hierarchy of progressing towards independent speech production was helpful. The charts were also very helpful." L.C. (Nov. 2023)
"The stages and techniques to use with students who have selective mutism were beneficial. Many wonderful resources, including free resources. Great to have videos showing therapy in action." K.T. (Nov. 2023)
"The entire presentation was well done - very informative and helpful for both assessment and treatment. Detailed information." C.R. (Nov. 2023)
"I liked the treatment section with the video examples. So helpful to get specific examples of goals, tx activities, and resources." L.L. (Nov. 2023)
"Discussing CDI vs VDI was helpful. The info was presented in an easy way to understand and apply." C.R. (Nov. 2023)
"Having worked with several students with Selective Mutism in the past, I found this discussion quite informative. Knowledge of Child-Directed Interactions and the VDI Question Sequence are particularly beneficial to Speech Pathologists working with SM students in therapeutic, classroom, or clinical settings. Many of the visual graphics and videos were very helpful in supporting the key points discussed in this presentation. I was also impressed with the amount of detail the presenter went into regarding each SM student and how that affects their treatment program. This was a great course on Selective Mutism." C.F. (Nov. 2023)
"The treatment progression was beneficial. This course was easy to listen to and follow - very specific." C.B. (Oct. 2023)
"Treatment strategies and information for families was beneficial. I liked the knowledge and manner of the presenter." M.L. (Sep. 2023)
"The concept that there is no neutral response, and that we are either strengthening the bravery cycle or the anxiety cycle was beneficial. I liked learning the basics about SM and how to approach therapy." M.E. (Aug. 2023)
"Specific guidelines for therapy. All of this info will help me provide EBP. " K.A. (Aug. 2023)
"The difference between treatment approaches with CDI and VDI was beneficial. I liked the video examples with commentary on what to do." S.W. (Jul. 2023)
"All of this content is excellent. I can put it directly to use." L.A. (Jul. 2023)
"This course was very organized and engaging. I found the information about scaffolding to be the most beneficial. Provides a step-by-step of how to move these children to being verbal communicators. The presentation provided a lot of good resources." M.L. (Jul. 2023)
"The presenter gave several resources and detailed treatment options that I can begin using in my daily practice. I liked all of the examples, case studies, resources and treatment ideas." M.J. (Jun. 2023)
"The topics of CDI and VDI were extremely helpful as well as the videos demonstrating both. I was very unsure how to work with a student on my caseload who fits the profile of SM and seeing how easy it really is to treat with these excellent models was beneficial." D.B. (May 2023)
"This course was very well organized and executed. I enjoyed the entire course. The explanations, video models and case studies were very beneficial to my understanding and subsequently wanting to put these methods into practice." D.B. (May 2023)
"I liked that this course showed videos for how to do each task. I hope to use this content with Middle School Kids. I liked the video examples." T.P. (May 2023)
"This course dove more deeply into actual treatment approaches and ideas than any other course on SM for SLPs that I have come across. This was very helpful. I have already recommended it to another SLP. I liked the specific treatment ideas, examples, and videos." C.P. (Apr. 2023)
"I liked the specific treatment suggestions and strategies. Good organization paired with specific examples and treatment approaches." E.D. (Apr. 2023)
"The review of assessment and the examples were really thorough, and I liked how the presenter gave additional resources to further enhance understanding of this topic." L.F. (Apr. 2023)
"I liked the strategies for working with individuals with Selective Mutism." A.V. (Apr. 2023)
"Learning our role in assessing and treating selective mutism was beneficial." A.C. (Mar. 2023)
"I liked the speaker’s delivery." A.B. (Mar. 2023)
"The fact that it is anxiety based; how important that is to remember, and the communication bridge as well as the screener in the handouts. Loved the handouts and ease of understanding the material." M.E. (Feb. 2023)
"LOVED all of it. Ax and tx strategies for SM. Discussion about the negative reinforcement and how to discuss this with teachers and parents." C.J. (Jan. 2023)
"The presenter was thorough and explained all areas well. I liked the discussion on goals and accommodations." M.F. (Jan. 2023)
"The whole presentation taught me a lot of material about SM that I can use. I liked everything." A.B. (Jan. 2023)
"I found the treatment section to be most beneficial as it gave me new ideas for current sessions I have with my patient. I appreciated the different visuals/charts provided." W.R. (Dec. 2022)
"Learning what is and what is not SM. I liked the hierarchy of language complexity and therapy ideas." K.G. (Dec. 2022)
"Awareness of multi-professional and parent involvement; dietary/biochemical issues; anxiety triggers were beneficial. I liked the intensity and scope of information." E.H. (Dec. 2022)
"Clear, concise, practical information." S.B. (Dec. 2022)
"I appreciated the information on selective mutism, the assessment of clients, and the resources for treatment. I liked the assessment strategies and practical suggestions of therapy activities." S.D. (Dec. 2022)
"The use of videos for demonstration purposes was excellent! I was able to see what mistakes I need to avoid when treating SM patients. I liked all of it! Course was well presented, with actual information and video demonstrations." Y.R. (Nov. 2022)
"Course was specific and descriptive enough in both providing information for diagnosis and treatment so that I could easily transfer the information into my daily practice. Thank you, so much!" L.A. (Nov. 2022)
"SLP role in working with kids with SM and treatment strategies were helpful. Handouts available as well." L.H. (Nov. 2022)
"I liked all the resources and videos." E.M. (Nov. 2022)
"I appreciated the valuable content - very informative! I appreciated the thorough examples, recommendations & videos." M.B. (Nov. 2022)
"The general information for my practice was beneficial." K.S. (Oct. 2022)
"The flow of this course is excellent!" B.B. (Sept. 2022)
"I especially appreciated the videos showing CDI and VDI being implemented and the breakdown of the techniques used in each. I also appreciated the many links to handouts and additional resources." R.M. (Aug. 2022)
"I really liked the information on ways to respond to the child and to engage them in conversation without asking questions or just talking to myself to fill the gaps. Lots of great info. I LOVED that I could speed up the replay, that is so amazing." M.B. (Aug. 2022)
"I liked the way the course was organized. It also helped the person giving the course was a school SLP. All aspects of the course were very good and relevant." V.K. (Aug. 2022)
"Very helpful for working with selective mutism. Good presentation order." J.H. (July 2022)
"There were a lot therapy ideas. I liked the step by step incremental increase on how to increase complexity of therapy." M.B. (July 2022)
"I found the Assessment and Treatment sections of the presentation to be the most beneficial. I found The Social Communication Bridge to be important for both parents and clinicians. I really enjoyed the videos showing CDI being used correctly and incorrectly and VDI being used correctly and incorrectly. This really helped me to understand." L.C. (June 2022)
"Clear presentation. Well organized and useful examples. I liked the breakdown of treatment strategies with video examples." J.F. (June 2022)
"Very relevant information for my caseload." C.M. (June 2022)
"The course was very organized and descriptive. The progression of therapy was very helpful, in relation to child-directed interactions vs. verbal-directed interactions, and how/when to use these techniques. I really liked the examples given throughout the course, including the example of what a therapy session might look like. I have a preschool student who might have SM, and I feel more equipped to work with her now that I understand more about SM and various techniques I can use with her to encourage communication." M.M. (June 2022)
"I thought it provided a lot of really helpful information on what SM is, how to treat it, what my role as an SLP is, and it gave good resources." R.L. (June 2022)
"It was most beneficial to talk about treatment. I liked that she gave videos to practice identification of skills." C.H. (June 2022)
"Very well organized, videos to see techniques in practice, case studies, and concrete examples to utilize in therapy." C.D. (May 2022)
"The information regarding assessment and treatment of SM was very beneficial." E.M. (May 2022)
"I liked the intervention strategies and hierarchy of treatment approaches. Lots of good information." R.P. (Apr. 2022)
"It was all very informative from the assessment information to the treatment. Lots of good practical information. I loved the specific examples of videos and how you can incorporate SM into groups with other students. I liked the resources to utilize, specifically free resources to use with parents and teachers as well as some I can use." E.D. (Apr. 2022)
"The anxiety portion helped me so much in so many different aspects as well as helping different students! The pace was amazing and I learned so much about selective mutism that I never knew before!" K.M. (Apr. 2022)
"It was very clear, organized, and gave good tips on how and/or what to use in your practice." S.C. (Apr. 2022)
"I enjoyed the entire course. The content was sequential and easy to follow. The PowerPoint had the important information listed. The presenter was fluid and easy to understand. And I was able to access this course as my day allowed." E.E. (Mar. 2022)
"It was very thorough and included tons of resources." N.A. (Mar. 2022)
"Very thorough content, use of videos and case examples." J.M. (Jan. 2022)
"I liked the therapeutic discussions. It was especially helpfully to not only have a discussion of the therapy, but to see videos with it done well and less well. It was well-organized and beautifully descriptive with pertinent examples/videos." L.M. (Dec. 2021)
"The course was very informative! I learned a lot!" A.C. (Dec. 2021)
“This course was full of resources that I will share with my colleagues and use in my practice. In particular, I will use what I learned about CDI and VDI when working with students with selective mutism.” K.W. (Dec. 2021)
"The presenter provided information about assessment and therapy approaches. It was very thorough and provided a great deal of helpful information. The videos were very helpful." S.H. (Nov. 2021)
"I found the discussion on how to assess and treat students with selective mutism most beneficial. I really enjoyed learning about the possible causes of selective mutism. It was very interesting." E.F. (Oct. 2021)
"Very thorough presentation of the characteristics, assessment, and treatment of the disorder." P.M. (Oct. 2021)
"Easy to follow slides and video examples." C.W. (Oct. 2021)
"Very informative." M.B. (Sept. 2021)
"I have a student with Selective Mutism and everything will be extremely helpful! This is a student who recently became my student and they were not receiving any direct services prior and now I feel much more confident in how to offer therapy for him." C.C. (Sept. 2021)
"All aspects of this course will be helpful - from the assessment to the treatment. The resources cited were especially helpful. It was nice to be able to listen to the lecture at my own rate with the handouts printed to refer to." K.H. (Jul. 2021)
"Basically all the information was beneficial. The presentation was very comprehensive and videos were helpful. The speaker was well informed and presented everything a therapist needs to know in order to best serve SM and families. I did like hearing about CDI skills and VDI skills and how to implement them." E.V. (Jul. 2021)
"The specific therapy techniques, including CDI and VDI interactions are beneficial for my daily practice. The course had a very thorough discussion of selective mutism and interventions." P.S. (Jun. 2021)
"It included practical ideas that can be implemented right away." K.B. (May 2021)
“I liked that the techniques and interventions for S.M. can be carried over into a variety of therapies (e.g. Early Intervention and treating language delays). Also, breaking the myth that SLPs should not treat S.M., learning how to identify it and being given specific methods of treatment.” E.P. (Apr. 2021)
“The visuals and charts were very helpful. Also, the assessment questionnaires were helpful. The course was very easy to understand while also being really informative.” G.Z. (Feb. 2021)
“This course clarified my doubts on this topic and will help guide me to select the best course of action for assessment and treatment.” D.D. (Jan. 2021)
Emily Laracy, MA, MS, CCC-SLP/L, is an elementary school speech therapist. She has worked on a number of research projects in administration, data collection, and data analysis roles. Her previous research has examined the validity of preschool screening measures; the impact of parent-child interactions on language abilities in children with hearing loss; longitudinal academic outcomes for children with speech or language impairments; and differences between student and teacher perceptions of bullying. Her primary interests are in the influences of psychological factors, such as anxiety, on children's speech and language development. Emily currently serves as the Speech Pathology Representative on the Selective Mutism Association's Board of Directors. She has presented on selective mutism at national, state, and local conferences, and has participated as a team member in the treatment of dozens of children with selective mutism and other comorbid diagnoses, ranging in age from preschool to middle school.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial — Emily Doll is the presenter of online CE courses sponsored by Northern Speech Services; receives royalties.
Nonfinancial — Emily Doll serves as the speech pathology representative on the Selective Mutism Association's Board of Directors.
Nonfinancial — Emily Doll serves as a volunteer at the Child Mind Institute's Brave Buddies SM Treatment Program.
This program is offered for 0.35 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).
ASHA CEUs: NSS online courses are registered with ASHA and are offered for ASHA CEUs. The number of ASHA CEUs is noted above. Note that 0.1 ASHA CEU = 1 contact hour = equals 1 CEE.
ASHA CE Registry: During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.
ASHA CEUs: Attendees must meet at least one of the following conditions in order to be eligible to earn ASHA CEUs:
If an attendee is not an ASHA member or CCC holder but meets any of the above criteria, they may inform the ASHA CE Registry of their eligibility by visiting this site.
Licensing Boards: Most state licensing boards DO accept CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some state boards do, however, place a limit to the number of credits that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any credit limits related to home-study courses prior to registering for this course.
Additional accrediting agencies by which Northern Speech is an approved CE provider:
Course Completion Timeframe:
You have unlimited time to complete our online courses. You may log off and log on as often as you’d like to in order to complete all sections of a course.
However, completion dates are based on Eastern Standard Time. Therefore, if you need your CEUs by a certain date, be sure to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on that date. For example, if you need CEUs before January 1st, you will need to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on December 31st.
Content Access:
Access to course materials and content does not expire, even after completing the post test. You may continue to review course material by logging into your NSS account, clicking the My Online Courses tab, and then viewing your desired course.
Certificate of Completion:
On successful completion of the post test (80%), a certificate will be immediately available for download and/or printing. This certificate will include your name, date of completion (based on Eastern Time Zone, USA/Canada), and number of contact hours (CEUs / CEEs). Please note that CEUs are awarded on the date of successful test completion, not the date of course enrollment. Please ensure that you successfully complete the post test prior to any licensure renewal dates.
ASHA CE Registry Submission:
During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.
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Our Online Courses consist of video, audio, and/or text content and are offered for ASHA CEUs. Unlike a webinar, which requires participants to be logged on and at a computer at specific times, our Online Courses are available to you at any time, from any device, via your NorthernSpeech.com online account. You may work at your own pace and start and stop your course as you wish. Your course will conclude with a short post test. On successful completion of the post test (>80%), a printable certificate of completion is presented to you.
Receiving CEUs:
Northern Speech is an ASHA CE Provider and our online courses are registered with ASHA and offered for ASHA CEUs. Please note that successful completion of the online post test is required prior to the awarding of CEUs. Please contact your state licensing board for acceptance policies related to CEUs earned online. Please note that courses offered for university students are not applicable for CEUs.
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Testing requirements:
Each online course concludes with a post test consisting of multiple choice or true & false questions. Scores of 80% or greater are required for successful course completion and awarding of CEUs. You may revisit course materials and retest as needed to achieve a passing score.
Number of CEUs offered:
We offer courses from 1 to 21 contact hours. Each course will note the number of CEUs offered. Please note that 0.1 CEU = 1 contact hour = 1 CEE.
State licensing boards and online CEUs:
NSS is an ASHA CE Provider and most state licensing boards DO accept ASHA CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some boards do, however, place a limit to the number of CEUs that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any CEU limits related to home-study courses prior to enrolling in an online course.
Course formats:
Our course formats include: text, audio, video, and PowerPoint with author narration. Each course will note the format on the course description page. Most courses include closed captioning.
Course handouts:
Most of our online courses provide a link to download the accompanying handout as a PDF file.
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Groups of 3 or more are eligible for a 20% discount on each registration on most of our online courses. To receive this discount, registrations need to be processed together via the "Group Rates" tab on the Online Course of your choice.
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For our online courses to function best, we recommend that you update your computer to include the newest version of your Internet browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, etc.) and newest version of your computer's operating system. Also a high-speed Internet connection is recommended (cable or DSL). Speakers or headphones will be required for many of our courses as many contain audio components.
Course Cancellation Policy:
A purchased online course can be exchanged, refunded, or transferred to another individual if contact is made with NSS (via phone or email) within 30 days of purchase and the course materials have not been viewed or downloaded.
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