Supplement Treatment Guide Book to
Understanding Katie
by Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum
The Supplement Treatment Guide
Book to Understanding Katie
is
meant to supplement the story book, ‘Understanding Katie,’ in order
to help others understand Katie’s feelings, explain Katie’s
actions, and to introduce tactics/techniques for parents, teachers and
treating professionals that can be used in order to help and offer support
to a child with SM in times of stress and frustration. By reading
‘Understanding Katie,’ adults involved in the life of a child with
Selective Mutism and social anxiety will hopefully begin to comprehend how
this child feels and perhaps learn productive ways in which to help.
For individuals learning about Selective Mutism, there are certain
important concepts to understand. The Supplement Guide goes over in
detail, necessary therapeutic terms and that should be used to help the
child suffering in silence.
To truly understand how to HELP the child with SM, individuals need to
‘SEE” Selective Mutism as a true communication anxiety.
Treatment should never be
geared towards getting the child to speak immediately but helping the
child progress through the stages of communication in a step-wise fashion
which is based on the child's present communication anxiety level.
Treatment should be focused on the WHOLE CHILD, not their mutism. The Supplement Treatment Guide to Understanding Katie will therefore help parents, teachers and treating professionals SEE SM from the correct perspective and therefore be able to help ease the child anxiety while at the same time, help the child build their self esteem as well as communication and confidence in social settings.