Unspoken Words: A Selective Mutism Podcast by Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum

SMart Center
  • 5.0 (25)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Monthly

Selective Mutism is a social communication anxiety disorder that can be incredibly difficult to navigate and often misunderstood. Fortunately, your host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum DO, has over 30 years of experience in understanding and treating Selective Mutism. This podcast serves to educate those who are struggling (or those who may know someone who is struggling) and to allow their words to be heard. Listen along for tips, strategies, and everything and anything selective mutism. For all podcast inquiries please contact Dakota Hornak at dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org

  1. Jun 29

    EP79: How to Choose the Right Treatment Program for Your Child w/ Dr. Jenna Blum

    Episode 79 of the Unspoken Words podcast features Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum exploring the power of intensive group treatment for Selective Mutism — and why it works as a springboard that propels children and teens further, whether they're just starting treatment, midway through, or looking for one final push. Drawing on nearly ten years of CommuniCamp, the SMart Center's intensive group treatment and parent education program, they explain why these few days can do what weekly therapy alone often cannot: create frequent communication opportunities, real-world exposures, and a sense of community that builds confidence one step at a time.  The episode emphasizes that parents are the most instrumental part of progress — that 15-plus hours of parent education help families understand the whys behind their child's mutism, learn how to talk to their child, and carry skills home long after camp ends. Dr. E and Dr. Jenna explore the social identity shift that happens when a child realizes they're not alone, why comfort, connection, and confidence must precede communication, and why meeting a child where they are on the Social Communication Bridge® is never a regression but the true starting point for growth.  Through real-world examples — restaurant and store exposures, the buddy process, and teens who form lasting friendships across states and countries — they show how progress looks different for every child.  The heart of the episode turns to what a group setting uniquely reveals: hidden whys like ADHD, autism, and processing challenges that one-on-one therapy can miss, and how those insights translate into IEP and 504 supports at school. The episode closes with practical guidance on choosing any intensive program, and a reminder that courage is not always loud. -- Chapters:  (03:26) Why Group Treatment Is a Springboard—And How Parents Drive the Progress (14:20) Meeting Kids Where They Are on the Bridge Without Rushing Them (16:50) The Social Identity Shift: Why Realizing "I'm Not Alone" Changes Everything (22:02) Real-World Exposures and the C's That Make Communication Possible (32:33) What a Group Reveals About the Hidden "Whys"—And Carrying Gains Into School -  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: https://selectivemutismcenter.org/resources/  Ask Dr. E a question of your own!  Learn more about the host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum  Explore our SMart Center success stories!  Get started at the SMart Center  Listen to other Unspoken Words episodes here.  For the best clips from every episode, follow the podcast on Instagram & YouTube  Learn more about CommuniCamp, our 3+ day intensive group treatment and ALL DAY parent training & support program Learn more about our 6-week, virtual social skills series, which are skills-based groups designed to help children, teens, & young adults build social communication, comfort, and connection with similar aged-peers in a supportive setting. -  For all podcast inquiries, please contact Dakota Hornak at ⁠dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org⁠  This podcast was produced and published by New Edition Productions (neweditionconsulting.com)

  2. Jun 22

    EP78: Why Preparation Reduces Anxiety & Unlocks Communication w/ Dr. Jenna Blum

    Episode 78 of the Unspoken Words podcast features Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum exploring the power of preparation — why structured action plans reduce anxiety and unlock communication for children, teens, and adults with Selective Mutism. The episode explores why uncertainty fuels anxiety to the point of shutdown — how processing challenges, perfectionism, and hidden factors like ADHD make the unknown overwhelming. Through real-world examples, including a twelve-year-old thrilled about a party all week who goes silent on arrival, they show why "just be brave and talk" misses what these individuals need, and how preparation builds the comfort, connection, and confidence that fuel communication. The heart of the episode turns to practical application: building a who-what-where action plan, mapping who will be there and what each person might ask, and tailoring responses across the Social Communication Bridge®. They cover the SM triangle, verbal intermediary, copy-back and sandwich questions, roadmapping events from barbecues to airport security, and structuring activities to start with confidence. The episode closes on a reminder: when children know what, when, and where, anxiety lowers and communication follows. -- Chapters:  (03:44) Why Uncertainty Fuels Anxiety and Makes Communication Shut Down (13:30) What an Action Plan Actually Is—Mapping Who, What, Where, and the Questions (17:56) Why Tailoring Questions to Each Person Keeps Kids From Freezing (25:38) How Structuring Activities, Roadmaps, and Travel Builds Real Confidence (34:47) How to Make Action Plans an Everyday Routine—and Review What Worked -  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: https://selectivemutismcenter.org/resources/  Ask Dr. E a question of your own!  Learn more about the host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum  Explore our SMart Center success stories!  Get started at the SMart Center  Listen to other Unspoken Words episodes here.  For the best clips from every episode, follow the podcast on Instagram & YouTube  Learn more about CommuniCamp, our 3+ day intensive group treatment and ALL DAY parent training & support program Learn more about our 6-week, virtual social skills series, which are skills-based groups designed to help children, teens, & young adults build social communication, comfort, and connection with similar aged-peers in a supportive setting. -  For all podcast inquiries, please contact Dakota Hornak at ⁠dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org⁠  This podcast was produced and published by New Edition Productions (neweditionconsulting.com)

  3. Jun 1

    EP77: How to Read the Subtle Messages From Your Child w/ Dr. Jenna Blum

    Episode 77 of the Unspoken Words podcast features Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum exploring the Look, Listen, and Learn framework — a structured approach that teaches parents, educators, and treatment professionals to understand what children communicate through behavior, body language, and silence. The episode explores why observation matters more than focusing solely on speech — how a child's posture, facial expressions, and setting-specific communication patterns reveal the true underlying causes of mutism. Through real-world examples — a nine-year-old who clings to mom at family gatherings, and a school-age child who speaks at recess but shuts down during academics — they demonstrate how the same shutdown can signal different things: sensory overload, learning challenges, anxiety, or hidden ADHD. The heart of the episode turns to practical application: using Look-Listen-Learn to identify contributing factors, understanding your child's baseline on the Social Communication Bridge®, and why functional assessment reveals what behavioral strategies alone cannot address. They discuss intensive programs like CommuniCamp, where clinicians observe children across real settings to build effective, individualized treatment plans. The episode closes on a powerful reminder: children with SM are communicating constantly — we just need to learn their language. -- Chapters:  (03:45) How Body Language, Facial Expressions, and Posture Reveal What Your Child Needs (10:09) How Sensory Overload, Academic Pressure, and Anxiety Show Up in Different Settings (27:49) Why Your Child May Speak in One Place But Not Another—And What It Means (46:20) Distinguishing Selective Mutism From ADHD, Learning Challenges, and Autism Traits (49:27) How Look, Listen, and Learn Guides Assessment, Accommodations, and Real Progress -  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: https://selectivemutismcenter.org/resources/  Ask Dr. E a question of your own!  Learn more about the host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum  Explore our SMart Center success stories!  Get started at the SMart Center  Listen to other Unspoken Words episodes here.  For the best clips from every episode, follow the podcast on Instagram & YouTube  Learn more about CommuniCamp, our 3+ day intensive group treatment and ALL DAY parent training & support program Learn more about our 6-week, virtual social skills series, which are skills-based groups designed to help children, teens, & young adults build social communication, comfort, and connection with similar aged-peers in a supportive setting. -  For all podcast inquiries, please contact Dakota Hornak at ⁠dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org⁠  This podcast was produced and published by New Edition Productions (neweditionconsulting.com)

  4. May 18

    EP76: The Four Faces of an Overwhelmed Child: Avoidance, Shutdown, Emotional Reactions & Control w/ Dr. Jenna Blum

    Episode 76 of the Unspoken Words podcast features Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum tackling one of the most misunderstood realities of Selective Mutism — the difficult behaviors that so often surface alongside it. Meltdowns, shutdowns, avoidance, and controlling moments leave many parents exhausted, and Dr. E and Dr. Jenna make the case that none of these behaviors are defiance. They are communication. Dr. E and Dr. Jenna explore why so many children with SM hold it together at school and fall apart at home, and why structure, consistency, routine, and predictability are non-negotiable for any anxious child. Through real case examples — a six-year-old hiding under the table at her own birthday party, a teen retreating to his room when relatives visit, a young client frozen in front of a beloved family friend — they walk through the four types of difficult behaviors and what each is trying to say. The middle of the episode turns to practical strategy: the Look-Listen-Learn framework, the roadmap method for preparing children before overwhelming events, and bridging down on the Social Communication Bridge® so kids build comfort before words. They also dig into the underlying contributors that drive dysregulation — sensory sensitivities, ADHD, hunger, fatigue, and the parent's own agenda. The episode closes on the feelings chart — a deceptively simple tool that gives children numerical language for emotions they can't yet explain — and on the truth that parents are the most critical component in their child's progress. Dr. E previews a Part Two with more strategies for navigating the big feelings behind the silence. -- Chapters:  (04:06) When Silence Feels Big: Why Kids with SM Hold It Together at School and Fall Apart at Home (10:55) Behavior Is a Signal, Not Defiance: Reframing Outbursts Through Look, Listen, Learn (17:07) The Roadmap and the Bridge: How Preparation Prevents Avoidance and Shutdown (29:44) On the Lookout: Using Cognition and Real-World Goals to Outsmart the Freeze Response (38:00) The Feelings Chart: Giving Kids Words for What They Can't Yet Explain -  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: https://selectivemutismcenter.org/resources/  Ask Dr. E a question of your own!  Learn more about the host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum  Explore our SMart Center success stories!  Get started at the SMart Center  Listen to other Unspoken Words episodes here.  For the best clips from every episode, follow the podcast on Instagram & YouTube  Learn more about CommuniCamp, our 3+ day intensive group treatment and ALL DAY parent training & support program Learn more about our 6-week, virtual social skills series, designed to help children, teens, & young adults build social communication, comfort, and connection with similar aged-peers in a supportive setting. -  For all podcast inquiries, please contact Dakota Hornak at ⁠dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org⁠  This podcast was produced and published by New Edition Productions (neweditionconsulting.com)

  5. May 4

    EP75: Why Your Child Talks at Home But Goes Silent Around Peers w/ Dr. Jenna Blum

    Episode 75 of the Unspoken Words podcast features Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum answering some of the most commonly submitted listener questions received at the SMart Center — covering peer engagement, school transitions, and a topic that doesn't get nearly enough airtime: grief. Dr. E and Dr. Jenna tackle why children with SM can speak freely at home yet go completely silent around peers, break down the critical difference between responding and initiating, and make the case for why facilitation — not waiting — is the most important thing parents and school professionals can do. Through real case examples, they illustrate how pairing children around high-interest activities like chess clubs and baking projects creates the comfort and connection that must come before communication can follow. The second half turns to grief — specifically, how to process the sadness of not having received proper SM treatment as a child, and what it feels like to watch younger generations succeed while carrying the weight of years of ineffective therapy. Dr. E and Dr. Jenna offer clinical perspective and genuine reassurance, and introduce gratitude journaling as a practical tool for shifting focus from deficits to wins. The episode closes with a timely reminder that the end of the school year is the right time to start planning for the next one — from 504 and IEP updates, to summer peer pairings, to building transitions — and why the tone parents bring to that process matters more than they may realize. -- Chapters:  (03:23) Introducing the Initiation Gap and Why Facilitation Can't Wait (08:53) How High-Interest Activities Build the Comfort and Connection That Precedes Communication (18:03) What If My Life Had Been Different? Processing the Grief of a Late or Mismanaged SM Diagnosis (29:54) Why Focusing on Wins — Not Deficits — Is the Key to Lowering Anxiety and Building Momentum (39:47) How to Plan School Transitions, Peer Pairings, and Summer Preparation Before the Window Closes -  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: https://selectivemutismcenter.org/resources/  Ask Dr. E a question of your own!  Learn more about the host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum  Explore our SMart Center success stories!  Get started at the SMart Center  Listen to other Unspoken Words episodes here.  For the best clips from every episode, follow the podcast on Instagram & YouTube  Learn more about our 6-Week Virtual Group Series for children and teens! Learn more about CommuniCamp, our 3+ day intensive group treatment and ALL DAY parent training & support program -  For all podcast inquiries, please contact Dakota Hornak at ⁠dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org ⁠ This podcast was produced and published by New Edition Productions (neweditionconsulting.com)

  6. Apr 6

    EP74: Is It SM, Autism, or Both? w/ Dr. Jenna Blum

    Episode 74 of the Unspoken Words podcast features a discussion between Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum, exploring one of the most frequently asked — and misunderstood — questions in the selective mutism community: Is it SM, autism, or both? In the episode, Dr. E and Dr. Jenna break down the core features of each condition and explain why they so often look alike on the surface — while stemming from very different underlying causes. They discuss why the home environment is one of the most important diagnostic clues, how a child's motivation for peer connection can reveal whether anxiety or the social puzzle is driving their shutdown, and why the reason behind the silence matters just as much as the silence itself. They also cover the critical distinction between comfort and skills — why children with SM have innate social know-how that anxiety blocks, while children on the autism spectrum often need those social skills explicitly taught. Additionally, they address masking, restricted interests, echolalia, and the initiation-versus-response dynamic that can look surprisingly different in the autism population. The episode closes with an overview of the SMart Center's evaluation process, including how the SME, ADOS, and ADIR tools work together to bring clarity to complex, overlapping presentations. -- (03:04) Is It SM, Autism, or Both? Introducing the Overlap and Core Features of Each Condition (09:38) The Social Puzzle: How Motivation and Peer Interest Reveal What's Really Driving the Shutdown (19:25) The Passenger in the Car: Why Social Communication Skills Must Be Taught, Not Just Unlocked (28:42) Same Behaviors, Different Reasons: How to Distinguish SM From Autism Across Settings (39:49) Masking, Misdiagnosis, and the Evaluation Process: What a Thorough Assessment Actually Looks Like -- ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: https://selectivemutismcenter.org/resources/  Ask Dr. E a question of your own!  Learn more about the host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum  Explore our SMart Center success stories!  Get started at the SMart Center  Listen to other Unspoken Words episodes here.  For the best clips from every episode, follow the podcast on Instagram & YouTube  Share our upcoming Selective Mutism In The School Virtual Conference on April, 10th, 2026, with your child or teen’s school staff. 6.5 CEs/CEUs are available.  Learn more about CommuniCamp, our 3+ day intensive group treatment and ALL DAY parent training & support program -  For all podcast inquiries, please contact Dakota Hornak at ⁠dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org⁠  This podcast was produced and published by New Edition Productions (neweditionconsulting.com)

  7. Mar 23

    EP73: The Three-Letter Formula That Lowers Anxiety & Unlocks Communication w/ Dr. Jenna Blum

    Episode 73 of the Unspoken Words podcast features a discussion between Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum, exploring the PVC model — a practical, anxiety-lowering framework built around three core principles: Preparing, Visuals, and Choice questions. In the episode, Dr. E and Dr. Jenna discuss why deliberate preparation before an exposure matters more than most families realize, and how anticipation anxiety can undermine a child's readiness before they even walk through the door.  They cover how visuals reduce cognitive load in ways verbal preparation alone cannot, why choice questions are a powerful tool for moving a child from responding to initiating, and how silent goals allow parents to set up supportive environments for resistant or overwhelmed children. They also introduce the look-listen-learn approach to understanding what strategies work best for each individual. -- Chapters:  (03:26) What the PVC Model Is and Why Anxiety Makes Communication So Hard (13:19) Why Preparation Before an Exposure Matters More Than the Exposure Itself (25:29) How Visuals Lower Cognitive Load and Why Writing It Down Changes Everything (33:15) Using the Social Communication Bridge to Meet Every Child Where They Are (43:05) Why Choice Questions Are the Key to Moving From Responding to Initiating -  ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Prepare, Visuals, Choices! A Parent’s Guide to Reducing Anxiety and Boosting Communication for Children with Selective Mutism Ask Dr. E a question of your own!  Learn more about the host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum  Explore our SMart Center success stories!  Get started at the SMart Center  Listen to other Unspoken Words episodes here.  For the best clips from every episode, follow the podcast on Instagram & YouTube  Share our upcoming Selective Mutism In The School Virtual Conference on April, 10th, 2026, with your child or teen’s school staff. 6.5 CEs/CEUs are available.  Learn more about CommuniCamp, our 3+ day intensive group treatment and ALL DAY parent training & support program -  For all podcast inquiries, please contact Dakota Hornak at ⁠dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org⁠  This podcast was produced and published by New Edition Productions (neweditionconsulting.com)

  8. Feb 25

    EP72: Understanding the Underlying Causes of Selective Mutism w/ Dr. Jenna Blum

    Episode 72 of the Unspoken Words podcast features Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum exploring why Selective Mutism is so much more than shyness and why comprehensive assessment matters. In the episode, Dr. E and Dr. Jenna discuss how misunderstanding SM as simple shyness leads to missed diagnoses. They explore the distinction between shyness and anxiety-based communication challenges, identify common comorbidities (ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, sensory processing challenges, and speech/language issues), and explain when additional testing is needed. They also cover how to recognize red flags across settings and why understanding each child's underlying "whys" leads to more effective treatment planning. (04:22) Why "Just Get Them Comfortable" Doesn't Work When Treating Selective Mutism (14:21) Recognizing That Selective Mutism Is More Than Shyness (19:35) Selective Mutism Comorbidities You Need to Know About (28:19) The Less Anxious A Mute Child Looks, the More You Need to Dig Deeper (33:16) Assessing and Testing a Selectively Mute Individual - ⁠Ask Dr. E⁠ a question of your own!  ⁠Learn more⁠ about the host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum  Explore our⁠ SMart Center success stories⁠!  ⁠Get started⁠ at the SMart Center  Listen to other Unspoken Words episodes⁠ here⁠.  For the best clips from every episode, follow the podcast on⁠ Instagram⁠ &⁠ YouTube⁠  Share our⁠ upcoming Selective Mutism In The School Virtual Conference⁠ on April, 10th, 2026, with your child or teen’s school staff. 6.5 CEs/CEUs are available.  ⁠Learn more about CommuniCamp⁠, our 3+ day intensive group treatment and ALL DAY parent training & support program -  For all podcast inquiries, please contact Dakota Hornak at⁠ ⁠dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org⁠⁠  This podcast was produced and promoted by⁠ New Edition Consulting⁠ (neweditionconsulting.com)

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Selective Mutism is a social communication anxiety disorder that can be incredibly difficult to navigate and often misunderstood. Fortunately, your host, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum DO, has over 30 years of experience in understanding and treating Selective Mutism. This podcast serves to educate those who are struggling (or those who may know someone who is struggling) and to allow their words to be heard. Listen along for tips, strategies, and everything and anything selective mutism. For all podcast inquiries please contact Dakota Hornak at dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org

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