Selective Mutism Camps

Summer used to feel like a twelve‑week reset button for my anxiety. All year long I chipped away at my “firsts” in school like raising a hand, joining group work, answering the attendance call. Then June arrived, and without daily practice I slipped back a notch or two.

If you remember how awkward it felt to make small talk after the first COVID wave—when many people suddenly noticed their social “muscles” had grown stiff—you’ve experienced a bit of what this was like. Each interaction felt harder than before, as if I were learning how to be in school all over again. That pattern taught me early that progress against anxiety only sticks when I keep challenging myself, even during the breaks

My parents understood this cycle well, so they would sign me up for day camp keep me engaged. It helped but it was nothing like the intensive SM treatment camps that exist today. Those programs weren’t around when I was in elementary school. But over the past few years, I’ve volunteered at seven different SM camps, working one‑on‑one with kids ages 4–17. Every single time I've done it, it's been a transformative experience for most of the kids there. It's amazing to see the progress they can make in just 1 focused week, doing things for the first time that they've never done before and things their parents couldn't imagine. The targeted intervention can be incredibly effective

What Is an SM Treatment Camp?

Selective mutism treatment camps typically use an exposure‑focused approach, guiding kids through their real‑life goals—like answering questions, ordering food, or chatting with peers—inside a highly supportive, school/camp setting.

• Intensive dose: Most programs run five days (some offer shorter options). Kids spend several hours each day practicing exposures and social skills, not just the 20–30 “active” minutes they might squeeze out of a weekly therapy hour when you subtract warm up time.

• One‑on‑one support: Each camper is paired with a trained counselor who knows their specific goals—inviting a peer to play, ordering lunch, asking for help, etc.

• School‑like setting:  Rooms are often arranged like real classrooms. Counselors play the role of teachers and peers practice being classmates. The environment feels real, yet far more supportive than the first day of school.

• Parent training: Caregivers often attend education or live‑coaching sessions while their kids are in camp, so that gains continue once the week ends.

Why Intensives Work

1. More intervention: Weekly therapy often nets 20–30 active minutes once you subtract warm‑up and wrap‑up time. Intensives deliver several hours of exposure practice daily. Kind of like squeezing a semester’s worth of work into one week.

2. Real World Practice: Because campers role‑play both classroom and community scenarios, the leap from practice to real life is shorter than it might be 1:1 with a therapist.

3. Peer Connection: Every camper knows they’re surrounded by kids who “get it,” and that can be a powerful motivator that normalizes their experience and fuels risk taking.

Want to Explore a Camp?

Most programs fill quickly once spring rolls around, so reach out early. Questions to ask include age range, pre-camp requirements, cost, daily schedule, and parent‑training components.

The Selective Mutism Association has a list here of intensive camps.

Just know that camp isn’t the only option. The key is intentional, continued practice wherever summer takes you.

One of my favorite camp memories happened on day one with a ten‑year‑old boy I’d just been paired with. He glanced at the girl beside him, tapped my arm, and whispered, “Look. She’s the same species as me.” To this day, I still get chills when I think of that moment—partly because I can imagine how he felt, and partly because it reminded me that so many people truly understood. I wasn’t alone. He wasn’t alone. And we were all there to help each other.

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To the next first,
Jonathan