Selective Mutism – Diagnosis and Therapy for Children and Adolescents

Training for professionals: Selective Mutism – diagnosis and therapy for children and adolescents

Place: SensiKid Support Centre, Aleje Jerozolimskie 190E/20, Warsaw (in-person training)

Date: April 24, 2026

Duration: 9:30–17:30 (8 clock hours)

• psychologists
• educators
• speech therapists

What we provide for participants:

• Printed training materials: presentation, aids for working with children and adolescents, original interview questionnaires, speech maps, example therapeutic ladders.
• A surprise gift for each participant.
• Coffee service: coffee, tea, water, juices, snacks and lunch during the training.

Why it’s worth taking part:

• You will learn diagnostic standards and how to recognize selective mutism using original questionnaires and speech maps.
• You will gain practical therapeutic tools (including sliding-in, in vivo exposure, desensitization, speech modelling).
• You will develop professional competencies for working with children and adolescents in educational settings and in the office.
• You will receive ready-to-use materials: psychological opinion, therapeutic recommendations and questionnaires for initial diagnosis.
• You will take part in practical exercises in a small group.
• You will obtain a participation certificate confirming acquired qualifications.

Training program:

Theoretical part:

• Selective mutism as an anxiety disorder
• Emotional, cognitive and behavioral characteristics of children with SM
• Differentiating SM from shyness and coexisting disorders
• Risk factors and factors maintaining the fear of speaking
• How to write an opinion for a child with SM?
• Legal aspects concerning diagnosis and support
• The role of the specialist and therapy coordinator
• Methods of environmental support and education
• Practical work techniques: sliding-in, in vivo exposure, the 5-second technique, the triangle method, desensitization, reading route, speech circle method
• Supporting a child in a preschool group and classroom
• Generalization of speech
• Discussion of therapeutic tools and review of effective aids, games and therapy gadgets
• Recommended Polish and foreign literature

Practical part:

• Case analysis: is it selective mutism?
• Working with speech maps and case studies
• Selection of therapeutic interventions tailored to the individual needs of the patient
• Identification of maintaining factors in the group, classroom, home, office
• Talking with a child about anxiety
• Sliding-in session – step-by-step procedure using therapeutic aids
• Practical exercises of selected therapeutic techniques
• Creating therapeutic ladders for specific children
• Generalization of speech in various environments (preschool, school, group)

Trainer:

Alicja Pałac-Nożewska – child psychologist, graduate of clinical psychology, health and psychotherapy at KUL. Founder of the SensiKid Support Centre, specializing in helping children with selective mutism. Author of articles, therapeutic programs and therapeutic aids for children with SM. She has many years of experience working with children, adolescents and families dealing with SM.

Registration: via a registration form (the link in the announcement was incomplete and not provided).

Number of participants: maximum 10 people

Price: 950 zł

Payment: deposit 300 zł. Possibility of installment payments or issuing an invoice with deferred payment terms.