Giving Kids Back Their Voices: An Interview with an SM Specialist

When my family first started our journey with selective mutism, we didn’t know how much we didn’t know. It’s one of those conditions that can feel isolating, misunderstood, and often left in the dark for families and for professionals. That’s why I think it’s so important to highlight the people who are doing the work to help kids, teens, adults, and families find their voices again.

This week, I had the honor of interviewing Annie DiVello, M.S. CCC-SLP; M.Ed., a speech-language pathologist who’s dedicated her career to treating SM. She shares her approach, the misconceptions she fights, and one incredible story of a young adult who found their voice after years of struggle. I hope her insights inspire and inform you as much as they did me.

I first met Annie after speaking on the Hear Our Voices panel at the Selective Mutism Association annual conference in Boston many years ago. A few months later, she invited me to her clinic to speak with some older teens and adults who were struggling with SM. Prior to that, I had never met 17-22 year olds dealing with SM and it was a transformative experience for me in understanding the wide presentation of SM and the persistent level of impact it can have on people’s lives.

Annie is the founder of Our Brave Voices.

1. Could you share a bit about your professional background?

I’m a speech-language pathologist on a mission to help others. Though I’ve worked with many populations, my particular area of clinical passion is selective mutism (SM). I’m licensed in ME, MA, NH, and VT and enjoy working closely with school teams and families in those states. Some of the school-based supports I provide include school-based evaluations, 504/IEP goal writing and implementation, and consultative support. I also work individually with families. I love empowering others with evidence-based interventions for SM.

2. What drew you to SM specifically? Was there a moment that made you realize this was your focus?

Early in my career, I was working as a home visitor in a Birth-to-Three program. A sibling of the child I was serving had symptoms of selective mutism. As I watched the family struggle to navigate the evaluation and support process, I realized there was an unmet need for evidence-based support for selective mutism and I felt a calling to help.

3. Could you describe your general approach when treating SM?

I’m proud to be one of 80 clinicians around the world certified in PCIT-SM. That’s my go-to treatment methodology. I’m also trained in Maggie Johnson’s cognitive linguistic approach and Dr. Joleen Fernald’s DIR-SM model.

4. What’s a common misconception about SM that you often encounter?

The most common misconception I encounter is the belief that selective mutism is a choice. The truth is that selective mutism is NOT a choice. In the words of Maggie Johnson, “these children are robbed of their voices,” and because of their inability to speak, they suffer immensely. 

I challenge this misconception by raising parents’ and educators’ awareness and understanding about selective mutism.

5. Can you share a breakthrough story that’s stuck with you?

Late one spring I received a phone call from a family saying their child was soon going to graduate high school and because of their child’s SM, they worried that they were not going to be successful in the larger world. At that time, this young adult had significant symptoms. They were only able to speak to their parents and only left the house to attend school. They did not have any friends. They were struggling in school. 

I created an intensive collaborative model of support that involved mental health counseling for their social anxiety, exposure therapy for their SM, and medication management. Over the summer, this courageous young adult and their family worked with more diligence and perseverance than I had ever seen in my clinical career. By October, the teen was speaking in school and all other public settings, they were dating, they had a tight circle of friends for the first time in their life, and they were venturing out into the community for fun-filled outings. They went on to graduate high school that next spring and left for college in the fall. They graduated college four years later and took a job helping others. 

That young adult and their family will forever hold a special place in my heart. They are the single greatest story of moving from significant struggle to significant success in record time. They forever changed my conception of “realizable goals” and helped me see possibilities where others may see limitations. 

6. Have you changed your mind about any aspect of SM treatment over the years?

I have shifted to using PCIT-SM as my go-to treatment methodology for children who are well supported by the tenets of this approach. I am an enthusiastic proponent of PCIT-SM for many reasons. To name a few, I admire the evidence-base for PCIT-SM and appreciate the achievable treatment benchmarks. I see the treatment for SM as a “race to the finish line” type of situation and PCIT-SM moves kids along the brave voice racetrack quickly!

7. If you could wave a magic wand, what’s one thing you’d change about how SM is treated or understood?

If I had a magic wand, I would change selective mutism from being one of the most misunderstood and mistreated disabilities around the world to being one of the most comprehensively understood and well treated disabilities around the world. I long to see an end to the silence that plagues so many. 

8. What’s one piece of advice you wish more parents knew about SM?

Children with SM suffer every day due to their struggle speaking, even if they can speak fully and freely at home. It is imperative to seek evidence-based supports from a qualified SM provider absolutely as soon as possible.

9. Beyond therapy, what else do you recommend for kids with SM?

In addition to seeking treatment from a qualified SM treating professional and carrying out brave outings at least three times weekly, it is essential that children with SM have both interventions and accommodations in the school setting.

Brave voice skills from the home and community settings do not typically generalize to the school setting automatically. My esteemed colleague, Dr. Aimee Kotrba co-authored a brilliant parent and professional resource for overcoming selective mutism, “Overcoming Selective Mutism, The Parent’s Field Guide.” It has an entire chapter devoted to school-based support that includes helpful information along with a template letter to request support, charts for IEP meeting notes, charts for IEP goals and progress, and 504 resources as well. It is a book I use regularly and highly recommend.

10. If you could recommend just one resource for learning more about SM, what would it be?

Though I have been honored to take trainings from many of the leading experts on selective mutism, if there is only one resource to name, it would have to be Kurtz Psychology

I see Dr. Steven Kurtz Ph.D., ABPP as a world leader in the treatment, advocacy, and research of selective mutism.

11. Fun fact—What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

When I was growing up, I had a Shetland pony who was the size of a large dog, his name was Champ. He wandered around our yard every morning grazing on the grass and flowers and took naps on our porch each afternoon.

I'd love to hear from you!

If you found this interview helpful, or if you have a story about your own SM journey, I’d love to feature it in a future post. Feel free to reply to this email and share your thoughts.

To the next first,
Jonathan

Looking for more trusted resources on selective mutism?
I keep a running list of my favorite books, articles, courses, and tools for parents, educators, and individuals here: 👉 My Favorite SM Resources