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Our Brave Voices

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Our Brave Voices

Empowering school teams & families across New England with expert support to help children with selective mutism find their brave voices.

Book your free intro call today: https://ourbravevoices.com/contact/

04/25/2026

🟢 Who Is the Keyworker? 🤝

When supporting students with selective mutism, one question often comes up… who takes the lead?

✨ The keyworker is a consistent, trusted adult who helps guide the student’s communication plan across settings. And here’s the key 👉 this role is not discipline-specific.
An SLP, school psychologist, counselor, teacher, or other team member can step into this role.

💡 A strong keyworker:
• Builds a safe, supportive relationship
• Coordinates with the team and family
• Helps scaffold communication step-by-step
• Tracks progress and adjusts supports along the way
• Works from a thoughtful initial selective mutism evaluation
• Seeks consultative support from an SM expert to guide decision-making

🌱 With the right person in this role—and the right supports behind them—students can begin to grow their “brave voice” in a way that feels manageable and safe.

👩‍🏫👨‍🏫 It truly takes a team—and the keyworker helps keep everyone moving in the same direction.

👉 Curious how your team can identify (or support) a keyworker? Drop a comment or send a message—I’m happy to share ideas!

04/18/2026

🟢 Expanding Across Listeners

👉 Why talking to one person ≠ generalization

It’s such an exciting moment when a student begins using their voice with a trusted adult 💚 — but that’s just the first step, not the finish line.

For many students with selective mutism, communication is listener-specific. A child may speak comfortably with one person and still feel “stuck” with others. That’s not resistance—it’s anxiety doing its job.

✨ This is where your school team makes all the difference.
By thoughtfully and gradually expanding who the student talks to, we help build true, lasting communication across listeners and settings.

Think:
🌱 One trusted adult →
🌿 Add another adult →
🌼 Add a peer →
🌸 Add another peer →
🌻 Expand to a small peer group →
🌳 Expand into the classroom

Each step is intentional. Each success matters. 🌱

When we support students in expanding their brave voices across listeners, we’re not just building speech—we’re building confidence, connection, and access to their school day. 💫

04/10/2026

“They’re participating. But are they communicating?”

The Difference Between Participation & Communication

It’s easy to celebrate when a student is participating in the classroom… 💛
They’re joining the group, completing their work, following along.

And yes—those are meaningful steps. 🌱

But here’s a gentle question for school teams:

👉 Are they participating… or are they truly communicating?

For students with selective mutism, participation can sometimes happen without verbal communication:
✔ pointing
✔ nodding
✔ completing written work
✔ staying engaged

And while these are important and brave steps… 💚
they are not the same as using their voice.

Our goal isn’t just presence.
It’s access.

Access to:
✨ asking questions
✨ sharing ideas
✨ building friendships
✨ showing what they know—out loud

We honor participation…
AND we intentionally build toward communication. 🌱

Because every student deserves the opportunity to use their voice at school. 💚

~Annie

04/04/2026

When Progress Stalls… What Do We Do Next? 💭

Sometimes, even with the best intentions, progress with selective mutism can feel… stuck.
The student is participating.
They’re comfortable.
But their voice isn’t expanding across people or settings.

👉 This isn’t a student problem
👉 It’s a plan problem

When progress stalls, it’s often a sign that we need to adjust the support, not lower expectations or wait it out.

Consider:
✔ Are the steps too big?
✔ Do we need more structured exposure (not less)?
✔ Is there a clear plan to expand across listeners and settings?
✔ Are there any barriers to progress, e.g. unmanaged anxiety?

Progress with SM happens through small, intentional, supported steps.

If a student has been silent for weeks or months…
it’s time to gently shift the plan.

💚 We don’t wait for bravery.
We build it. ~Annie

03/27/2026

Every Child Has Their Own Path to Progress 💛✨
Progress with Selective Mutism doesn’t always look the way we expect it to 🌤
When we picture success, we often imagine big, visible moments — a student raising their hand, answering out loud, or joining a group conversation. But for students with SM, the most meaningful wins often happen quietly, in the small spaces between fear and courage.
Redefining success means noticing:
✨ Eye contact for the first time
✨ A whisper where there was once silence
✨ Staying in the room instead of withdrawing
✨ Trying — even when words don’t come yet
These aren’t “almost there” moments… they are the progress 🌟
Research reminds us that anxiety-based communication grows through gradual, supported exposure — not leaps. What may look like “nothing” on the outside is often incredible bravery on the inside.
When we shift how we define success, everything changes:
💛 Pressure decreases
💛 Safety increases
💛 Brave voices have room to grow
Let’s celebrate every rung on the ladder — not just the top.
If you’re part of a school team, what small wins are you noticing lately? I’d love to hear what progress looks like in your setting. ~Annie🤍

02/28/2026

Exposure Work— But Make It Doable ✨

If the step feels overwhelming… it’s not a step. It’s a leap.
Exposure therapy works when it’s small, repeatable, and structured.
We don’t force speech.
We build safety and stretch capacity. 🌱
One word response → paired reading → small group share → class contribution.
Tiny wins create nervous system safety.
Growth happens in inches, not in giant jumps. 🧭
Curious how to design school-friendly exposure ladders? I’m happy to share. 💚

02/17/2026

🟢 Growth Begins with a Map 🗺️🌱
Two students.
Both silent at school.
Same behavior… right?
Not even close.
Selective mutism is not one-size-fits-all.
One student may whisper to peers but freeze with adults.
Another may speak in small groups but shut down during whole-class instruction.
On the outside? Silence.
Underneath? Very different fear patterns.
And this is exactly why evaluation comes first.
We don’t guess.
We don’t “wait and see.”
We don’t apply a generic plan and hope it works.
We map the starting point. 🧭
A thoughtful evaluation helps us:
✔️ Identify where speech is already happening
✔️ Pinpoint the specific triggers
✔️ Understand the child’s anxiety profile
✔️ Build exposure steps that are doable (not overwhelming)
When we skip the map, we risk pushing too fast… or not moving at all.
When we start with clarity, growth becomes possible. 🌿
School teams do incredible work every day — and the right framework makes that work even more powerful.
If you’re supporting a student who isn’t speaking at school, pause and ask:
Do we truly understand this child’s starting point?
Because brave voices don’t grow by accident.
They grow with intentional, informed support.
I’m always happy to connect with teams who want practical, school-based, frameworks. 💚

02/12/2026

🧠💬 Selective Mutism Myth Busters Continued
MYTH: If we give a student with selective mutism enough time, they’ll start talking at school on their own.
FACT: Students with selective mutism aren’t “taking their time” — they’re facing a real anxiety barrier to speaking. Like a phobia, it rarely improves without the right kind of support.
Without guided steps, speaking anxiety often grows — not fades.
Progress happens when teams actively bridge brave talking from comfortable settings (like home) into school using structured, supported exposure.
Early brave steps might look like:
🏠 speaking freely at home
👤 talking one-on-one with a trusted adult at school
🔘 answering forced-choice questions
🗣️ using short, practiced phrases
What helps students grow:
✅ A coordinated support plan around the student
✅ Small, achievable speaking goals
✅ Low-pressure opportunities to respond
✅ Practice with a trusted communication partner
✅ Gradual expansion across people and settings
✅ Celebrating effort — not just volume
We’re not waiting for students to “be ready.”
We’re helping them feel safe enough to speak. 🌉🌱

02/10/2026

🌱🧭 Our School Framework for Selective Mutism Support
When a student isn’t speaking at school, the goal is not to “get them to talk.”
Nearly every student with selective mutism is already talking comfortably in safe settings. 🏡
Our work is about bridging brave talking into school environments. 🌉
We use an evidence-based framework:
🔎 Evaluate first — map where, when, and with whom speech already happens
🧠 Understand anxiety — silence is nervous system protection, not refusal
🪜 Use structured exposure — small, planned, steps build distress tolerance
🤝 Adjust adult responses — increase connection, reduce enabling
We measure progress by increased participation, tolerance, and brave attempts — not just volume of speech. 🎯
Brave voices are built through structure — not pressure. 🌿

02/05/2026

What Selective Mutism Is NOT
🚫 “They’re just shy.”
🚫 “They’ll talk when they’re ready.”
🚫 “They’re being oppositional.”
These are common myths about selective mutism — and they can unintentionally delay helpful support.
Selective mutism is:
✔ Not a refusal to speak
✔ Not caused by classroom teachers
✔ Not something children simply outgrow
✔ Not a language or intelligence problem
Children with SM are often working incredibly hard just to manage their anxiety in speaking situations. What may look like silence is often a child’s nervous system trying to stay safe.
When school teams view SM through an anxiety lens, it opens the door to compassion, collaboration, and effective step-by-step support. 🤝🏫

02/03/2026

🍎 Have you ever supported a student who has not been able to speak in your classroom?
Students with selective mutism speak at home but struggle to speak at school.
With the right support, these students can successfully build confidence in using their voice. Research supports small-step, exposure-based, approaches that help students gradually increase comfort with speaking.
School teams do not have to navigate this alone. Collaborative consultation, staff training, and structured brave talking plans can make a meaningful difference in student progress.
Together, we can help brave voices flourish🌱

01/29/2026

🦸‍♂️🦸‍♀️ Superheroes were DEFINITELY in the room yesterday!

This fun-filled day of experiential learning officially landed in my Top 5 trainings of all time 🏆✨ The energy? Off the charts. The engagement? Next level.

This dynamic group jumped into every simulation with curiosity, courage, and a whole lot of zest 💥💛 Watching them learn, laugh, and lean in together was pure joy.

Feeling incredibly grateful for a day packed with connection, collaboration, and brave learning! 🙌✨

Address

45 Portland Road STE 7 #124
Kennebunk, ME
04043

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 6:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://ourbravevoices.com/

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What is Selective Mustism?

Selective Mutism is an anxiety based disorder that causes individuals not to speak in specific settings or with specific listeners despite the ability to speak freely when they are in a comfortable setting and/or with comfortable listeners. There is a common misconception that individuals with SM are choosing not to talk, research suggests otherwise.

SM often coexists with other areas of potential growth, such as; sensory integration disorders, speech/language delays, or anxiety disorders.

SM is often identified in the preschool years when a child first goes to school and she/he is not able to speak to teachers and/or peers. More mild cases may not be identified until the late adolescent or teenage years. Though this can feel like a difficult time for school teams and parents, there are wonderful resources available and with appropriate supports in place, an individual at any age can find their voice, it’s never too late!