Teaching Parents to be Therapists: 10 Yr Old
“We feel we gave birth to a whole new person” “Sophie” never talked in school until 4th grade. No one heard her voice besides parents, grand- parents, and sister. Mom said “we would do anything to set her free; nothing worked”. Now it’s “overwhelmingly positive”. This interview highlights the reality that in most cases one […]
Mom Teaches Vocabulary Word “Anxiety” to 5 Yr. Old
This interview showcases the wonderful creativity of a mother. Teaching emotional vocabulary is an important component of treatment. All too often “anxiety” is a dirty word! Positioning the term functionally is crucial for facilitating healing and an age appropriate “high performance mind”. Teaching an emotional vocabulary enhances emotional intelligence. While many selectively mute children have […]
Dad said Selective Mutism “100%” resolved. Mom said “99%”: 7 Yr. Old
Sarah did not speak in school, which was the primary parental concern. She also did not participate in group activities. A speech therapist provided an evaluation and diagnosed the selective mutism. Parents describe previous therapy with a social worker who did one to one counseling and play therapy; “we had no idea what the therapist […]
An Audio Introduction from Jonathan Berent
Jonathan Berent
Once having considered an operation to sever her nerves, Diane describes her resolution
Once having considered an operation to sever her nerves, Diane describes her resolution – through therapy via telephone – of this” medical” disorder.
A Profile of Anger: Bullied as a Child
Anger and rage occur at different levels of consciousness. Anger is energy. Unresolved; it recycles and drives obsessive worry , anxiety, and a myriad of problems from substance dependence to pain. Internalized anger causes depression. While it may sound a bit weird, repressed anger is the core emotion which drives panic. “Eric” describes the “energy” […]
Adult Selective Mutism
This is the perfect interview for people who think and wish that the young child will simply outgrow selective mutism. “Mike”, a 35-year old with SM and social anxiety describes his “avoidance of talking” because he thought “he had nothing to say”. He eventually learned this was not true as his belief and behavior were […]
Adolescent Selective Mutism Resolved
The older the child, the more that selective mutism becomes ingrained into the personality and lifestyle. It can evolve into a developmental challenge as many aspects of maturation are impacted. In this case avoidant personality disorder was in full swing concurrent with an underlying depression. This was driven by social anxiety. In this case, the […]
Mom Resolves “Break Your Heart Syndrome” to “Cure” Selective Mutism
Think of the last time someone tried to engage your child verbally and there was no response. As a loving parent you want to rescue your child from the stress of this kind of encounter. You probably experienced your own discomfort and anxiety, which typically results in the reflex of rescuing your child (and yourself) […]
Selective Mutism: 7-year-old “Cured”: “ It’s A Whole New World”
Lynn was told that her clingy, selectively mute (for 3 years) six-year-old daughter, would “grow out of it” by the family pediatrician, teachers, and other well intentioned professionals. The problem continued to worsen with time. “Sidney” would only talk to her parents and brother and a couple of children in school. In every other possible […]