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. 6d ago

    EP81: Stop Asking "How Do I Get My Child to Talk?”. Ask This instead…

    Episode 81 of the Unspoken Words podcast features Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum returning to the foundation of it all — what S-CAT, or Social Communication Anxiety Treatment, really is, and just as importantly, what it's not. Prompted by families who reached out to the SMart Center still confused about the approach, Dr. E and Dr. Jenna make the case that the question so many parents ask — "How do I get my child to talk?" — is the wrong one. The better question is why is my child not communicating in this situation, because not speaking is only a symptom of something deeper. At the heart of the episode is a simple truth: this is a whole-person approach, not a Band-Aid for a single behavior. Using Dr. Jenna's "cake" analogy, they explain that every child is made of different ingredients — and that missing even one can mean missing a pivotal piece of the picture. That's why selective mutism is best understood not by its stigmatizing name, but as a social communication anxiety disorder with underlying "whys," and why the SM Evaluation is the essential first step in ruling those whys in or out. Dr. E and Dr. Jenna explain why S-CAT is a recipe of evidence-based approaches rather than any single therapy — blending CBT, behavioral exposures, motivational interviewing, insight-oriented work, and intensive parent management. They walk through the baseline stages of the Social Communication Bridge®, the feelings chart and the "sweet spot" that keeps kids growing without tipping into avoidance, and the parent's role as the driver of real progress. Along the way, real stories bring it to life — from a teen learning to get his own tickets at a Phillies game to a nine-year-old who needed structure long after her mutism resolved. The episode closes on a powerful reminder: the longer selective mutism lingers, the more likely it is that a "why" has been missed — and that with the right understanding, no one has to remain selectively mute. -- Chapters:  (03:20) Why "How Do I Get My Child to Talk?" Is the Wrong Question—And What to Ask Instead (10:33) The Bridge, the Baseline, and Why SCAT Is a Recipe—Not a Single Strategy (14:37) Honoring a Child's Feelings and the Parent's Role in Driving Real Progress (26:26) Motivation, the Hidden "Whys," and Why Courage Isn't Always Loud (34:16) The Whole Person Behind the Symptom—And Carrying the Gains Beyond SM -  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. Jul 27

    EP80: Live Chat w/ Parents @ June CommuniCamp

    Episode 80 of the Unspoken Words podcast takes listeners inside CommuniCamp for a candid roundtable between Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and three parents raising children with selective mutism. Their stories span a special education teacher whose son has moved past SM, a child psychiatrist who grew up with SM herself, and a parent just one year into her 12-year-old daughter's diagnosis. Together they explore what real progress looks like when you stop chasing speech and start meeting a child exactly where they are. The episode moves from crisis to hope, including the "dozen roses" metaphor that reframes recovery as blooming on a child's own timeline. Dr. E shifts the goal from "cure" to reaching capacity, unpacking the hidden "whys" behind a child's silence, whether anxiety, sensory sensitivity, ADHD, or learning differences, and why understanding them matters more than pushing a child to talk before they're ready. The heart of the episode is practical application: crossing the Social Communication Bridge®, identifying a child's true baseline, and starting where they're comfortable. One parent illustrates this with a three-year journey from handing back a toy to ordering ice cream independently. The group digs into real strategies, from interest-based "big shot" roles that build confidence, to preparing for a middle-school transition, to "low and slow" guidance on medication and knowing when a child is ready to wean. Throughout, they return to the pillars of comfort, connection, and confidence, and the power of programs like CommuniCamp. The episode closes on a powerful reminder: courage isn't always loud, the mutism is only a symptom, and every child can reach their potential when we honor where they are on the bridge and walk it with them. -- Chapters:  (01:40) Three Families, One Journey—And the Dozen Roses That Bloom in Their Own Time (10:12) Reaching Capacity, Not a Cure—The Hidden "Whys" and Why "SM" Is the Wrong Name (18:11) Crossing the Bridge, One Chick-fil-A Cone at a Time—Meeting Kids Exactly Where They Are (26:51) Finding Their People—Jugglers, Rock Climbers, and the Motivation to Change (34:49) The Four Pillars, Weaning Low and Slow, and Why Courage Isn't Always Loud 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 Earn 6.5 CE credits with our self-paced online course, exploring Selective Mutism assessments and interventions in the school setting .

  3. 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)

  4. 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)

  5. 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)

  6. 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)

  7. 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)

  8. 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)

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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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