More Than Just Quiet: Evaluation, Assessment, And Tx Of Selective Mutism

Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder in which a person is unable to speak in certain social situations, such as with classmates at school or to relatives they do not see very often. It usually begins during childhood and, if left untreated, can persist into adulthood.

In this training, participants will learn the psychopathology of Selective Mutism (SM), how to diagnose SM, and about the gold standard treatment Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM).

Participants will learn how to complete a Selective Mutism – Baseline Observation Test (SM-BOT), the steps for fade-in’s, and how to implement targeted practice of skills. While this training will focus on younger children, recommendations for working with tweens and teens will be provided.

3 CEs available to NYS LMHCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, LMSWs, LCATs, NYS Licensed Psychologists and NYS Licensed Psychoanalysts provided by Hudson Valley Professional Development, LLC upon successful completion of training.

Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will:

-be able to assess and diagnose Selective Mutism

-gain an understanding of PCIT-SM and how to effectively use it with clients

-learn how to create target exposures, community exposures, and peer-to-peer interactions

In accordance with the NY State Department of Education guidelines, in order to receive continuing education contact hours, a participant needs to be present for the duration of the workshop/training. Therefore, participants who arrive late or leave the event early will not be granted a certificate of completion.

​Cancellation Policy: Refunds will be provided for cancellations made in writing up to the day before the event.

Accommodations and Accessibility: HVPD welcomes participants with diverse abilities. Please contact us at info@hudsonvalleyprofessionaldevelopment.com to request accessibility accommodations. Accommodation requests are considered in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

About The Presenter:

Alnardo Martinez, LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor in the Anxiety Disorders Center and for School and Community Programs at the Child Mind Institute. Mr. Martinez specializes in the evaluation and treatment of anxiety related disorders in children, teens, and young adults. He has extensive experience treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety, selective mutism (SM), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and specific phobias. He also has prior experience working with the Learning And Development Center to provide bilingual (Spanish) neuropsychological evaluations.

Prior to joining the Child Mind Institute, Mr. Martinez worked at Rogers Behavioral Health, interviewing and assessing adults and children for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, mood disorders and eating disorders. He received training in exposure with response prevention (ERP) and assisted in facilitating ERP treatments alongside leading psychologists in the field of child and adolescent OCD. Before joining the clinical team at the Child Mind Institute, he was a member of the intake team, assessing the needs of families and connecting them to the appropriate services.

Mr. Martinez is passionate about helping children and adolescents who struggle with mental health and learning disorders find the best tools for coping and leading happy lives. He is dedicated to providing evidence-based interventions to children and adolescents, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM).

Mr. Martinez provides clinical services in both English and Spanish.