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Selective Mutism Therapy & Support

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Selective Mutism Therapy & Support

Anna Biavati is the director of Selective Mutism Support and is a multilingual therapist, specialist in

Word Steps provides a friendly and professional private Speech and Language Therapy services throughout Edinburgh, Mid, East and West Lothian, Fife and Stirlingshire

30/03/2026

If you would like support understanding your child’s progress, you can comment "CONSULTATION" and I will send you the link.

Progress with selective mutism is often very quiet.

Many parents wait for the big moment — the first word spoken outside the home. But confidence usually grows in much smaller ways first.

✨ Talking to you when you're out of the house
✨ Singing out loud or laughing more
✨ Trying new things — riding a bike, tasting a new food, joining an activity

These little shifts often tell us that anxiety is slowly loosening its grip and your child is beginning to feel safer in the world.

And that sense of safety is where communication begins.

If this is something you're starting to notice with your child, tag me or let me know in the comments, I love hearing from families and knowing these insights are helping you too 💛

29/03/2026

Can I be honest?

There was a point where I felt really frustrated in my work.
Not because I didn’t care…
but because I cared so much and wasn’t seeing the change I hoped for.

I know how heavy that can feel.

Things are different for me now —
but I don’t think we talk enough about that “stuck” phase as therapists.

So I’m opening up some space to listen.

I’m speaking to therapists who are:feeling frustrated
questioning their approach
or just wanting things to feel easier / more effective

No agenda. No pressure.
Just real conversations, sharing ideas, and learning from each other.

If that resonates, I’d love to connect 🤍
You can book a time or just DM me.

https://tidycal.com/annabiavati/professionalresearch

29/03/2026

“Who cares what people have to say?”

Your child doesn’t stop speaking because they won’t.
They stop because their brain doesn’t feel safe enough yet.

Speech is not a switch you can force on.
It’s a nervous-system response.

Safety comes first.
Connection comes first.
The body comes first.

And when safety grows, speech follows — gently, in its own time.

Comment 💛 If this resonates, you’re not alone.
Save this. Share it. And be kind to your child’s brain.

28/03/2026

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how much my practice has changed…

And how different things feel when you finally find an approach that clicks.

It’s made me realise how many therapists are still in that space of:
👉 trying everything
👉 feeling stuck
👉 and not getting the results they want

So I’m doing something a bit different…

I’m speaking to therapists to really understand:

what’s been frustrating
what hasn’t worked
and what support actually feels helpful

From there, I may create something new based on these conversations —
but right now, this is just about listening and learning.

If you’d like to be part of that, I’d love to speak with you.
Completely free, informal, and collaborative.

Message me or use the link in my bio 🤍

https://tidycal.com/annabiavati/professionalresearch

28/03/2026

“They talk at home… but go silent outside?”

That’s your sign 👇

🚨 It’s probably NOT a speech delay

If your child can talk comfortably in one place but freezes in another…
you’re not looking at language.

You’re looking at:
👉 anxiety
👉 safety
👉 nervous system response

Because communication doesn’t grow under pressure—
✨ it grows when a child feels safe

Stop asking “why aren’t they talking?”
Start asking “do they feel safe enough to?”

That’s when everything changes 💭

Save this if you needed it. Share with a parent who might too 🤍

27/03/2026

I’m currently doing some research with therapists 👇

Not to sell anything
but to really understand what’s not working in practice right now.

Because I remember how frustrating it felt when:

sessions weren’t progressing

nothing seemed to “click”

and I started questioning myself

Since then, I’ve changed a lot about how I work —
and it’s completely shifted my practice.

Now I’m curious…
👉 where are you feeling stuck right now?

I’m having a small number of informal, face-to-face conversations
(just sharing, listening, and learning from each other)

If you’d be open to chatting, I’d genuinely love to hear your experience.
Link in bio or message me anytime.

https://tidycal.com/annabiavati/professionalresearch

25/03/2026

💬 Comment “INFO” and I’ll send you details about my Steps to Brave Talking course.

Talkative at home but silent at school or with others?
Freezing, avoiding eye contact, or unable to speak even when they want to?

This isn’t shyness.
It’s selective mutism — an anxiety response where the brain shuts speech down to stay safe.

Real progress starts before words, by calming the body and building trust.

23/03/2026

I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on my work recently…

There was a time I felt really stuck in sessions.
Like I was doing everything I knew — but not seeing the progress I hoped for.

Things have shifted for me since then, in a way I didn’t expect.
And now I’m trying to understand something deeper…

👉 What are other therapists experiencing right now?

I’m currently speaking to therapists who:

feel stuck or unsure in sessions
aren’t seeing the progress they want
or just feel like something is missing

This isn’t a sales call.
Just a genuine conversation to listen, share ideas, and learn.

If that’s you, I’d really love to connect 🤍
You can book a time below or just send me a message.

https://tidycal.com/annabiavati/professionalresearch

23/03/2026

“Is it really a speech problem?”

Parents come to me worried about words…
But their child chats all day at home 👀

So what’s actually going on?

🚨 It’s not always about speech.
It’s about how the child feels.

Because communication doesn’t grow from pressure—
✨ it grows from safety

When a child feels calm, understood, and safe…
even the smallest words start to come.

Sometimes the real work isn’t “get them talking”
—it’s helping them feel safe enough to use their voice 💛

Save this if it made you think. Share with someone who needs it.

22/03/2026

“Why isn’t your child talking?”

👉 Wrong question.

Some children talk at home… but go silent at school.
Not because they can’t speak—
but because they don’t feel safe enough to.

🚨 It’s not always a speech problem.
Sometimes it’s the environment.

Before pushing words, ask:
Do they feel safe?
Do they feel understood?

Because when safety comes first…
✨ speech follows

Save & share if this shifted your perspective 💭

20/03/2026

Swipe through to learn a little about me and my work →

For over 20 years, I’ve dedicated my work to supporting children with Selective Mutism and communication anxiety, alongside their families and the therapists who work with them.

My approach is simple:
not doing more, but doing what truly matters for the child’s sense of safety and confidence.

Today I support parents through courses and masterclasses, and I work with therapists who want to specialise in Selective Mutism.

If you are a parent or therapist navigating this journey, this space is for you.

✨ Save this post so you can come back to it.
💬 Comment below: Are you here as a parent or a therapist?

Explore my offers via my website: https://www.stepstobravetalking.com/

17/03/2026

💬 Comment “BRAVE” if you want my FREE Confident Communication Video Guide

Bilingual children with selective mutism don’t lose words, they lose access to them.

When anxiety rises, the brain switches to survival mode and speech goes offline in one language or all of them.

That’s why:
✔ forcing practice backfires
✔ safety must come before speech
✔ mapping languages matters

🎥 Watch the full video to understand how bilingual brains + anxiety interact: https://youtu.be/AJR9hjzOHJI

Address

Glasgow

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 3:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 3pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 4pm

Website

http://www.selectivemutismsupport.uk/, http://www.stepstobravetalking.com/, https://linktr.ee/anna.biavati.slt

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