ANNA BIAVATI

Selective Mutism Speech Therapist

I help experienced therapists who feel stuck with selective mutism cases move from feeling overwhelmed and unsure to working with clarity and confidence using brain-informed, connection-led strategies.

At the heart of my work is understanding the relationship between the brain, the body, and the voice.

Instead of focusing on speech first, I guide you to regulate and support what sits underneath communication, so speech can emerge naturally, rather than being pushed.

This allows you to work in a way that feels ethical, effective, and aligned with the therapist you want to be.

If you work with selective mutism and feel stuck, you are not alone

You may already have training.

You may already understand selective mutism is not “just shyness.”

You may already be doing your best to support children and families.

And still, you might be asking yourself:

- Why am are progress slow?
- Am I going too fast or not enough?
- How do I help without increasing pressure?
- What do I do when schools, parents, or systems are not on the same page?
- Why does so much training still feel too rigid, too theoretical, or too simple for real-life cases?

This is exactly where many experienced therapists find themselves. They care deeply, but feel under pressure, emotionally stretched, and unsure how to move complex cases forward in a way that feels safe and clinically clear.

My Approach: Safety Before Speech

My work is grounded in the understanding that many children with selective mutism are not refusing to speak.

They are experiencing a nervous system state where speech is not accessible.

That means progress does not begin with pressure, performance, or “just say hello.”

It begins with safety.

I support therapists to look beneath the silence and understand the emotional, relational, sensory, and nervous-system factors that may be keeping a child stuck. From there, we build a clear, practical, connection-led pathway forward.

It is about creating the conditions where communication can emerge naturally.

What Makes My Work Different

Many therapists have told me they do not want:

- another rigid framework,
- another one-size-fits-all course,
- more theory without application,
- or approaches that focus on speech before safety. t they do want is:
- a clear but flexible framework,
- brain-based understanding,
- real case examples,
- practical tools they can adapt,
- support with parents and schools,
- and validation that their instincts around pacing, connection, and individuality are right. t is the gap my work is designed to fill.

I combine selective mutism experience, speech and language therapy knowledge, and a brain-based, compassionate lens to help therapists feel more confident in what they are doing and why they are doing it.

This Is For You If…

This work may be a strong fit if you are an experienced therapist who:

- works with children who want to communicate but seem frozen in certain settings,
- feels frustrated by slow or inconsistent progress,
- wants a more nuanced approach than traditional speech-first methods,
- values ethical, child-led, humane practice,
- you want a framework that helps you feel more confident, clear, and effective.

What You Can Gain From Working With Me

Through mentoring, supervision, consultation, or training, I can help you:

better understand what is happening beneath the silence,
build safety before speech demands,
work in a way that feels more regulated and less pressured,
support families and schools more effectively,
regain confidence in your clinical decision-making.

The goal is not just more information.

The goal is helping you feel more confident, effective, and aligned in your practice again.

My Professional Background

I am a Speech and Language Therapist with specialist experience supporting children with selective mutism and the adults around them.

My work includes:

direct support,
therapist mentoring and supervision,
parent and school guidance,
ongoing professional development grounded in current evidence and clinical practice. I’m registered with HCPC, RCSLT, and ASLTIP, and I continue to deepen my work through specialist training and research.

You Do Not Need To Figure This Out Alone

If you are supporting a child with selective mutism and want a deeper, safer, more clinically useful way to work, you are very welcome here.

Whether you want:

a consultation around a specific case,
ongoing mentoring or supervision,
or training in a brain-based, connection-led framework,

I would love to support you.

Explore Mentoring & Supervision

"Everyone should be able to reach their communication potential"

Professional Registration & Membership
Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT)
Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Association of Speech & Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP)

Educational & Research Background
Board member and co-founder of Selective Mutism National C.E.N. (Clinical Excellence Networks). I am dedicated to ongoing professional development and a member of a number of other CENs. I am committed to using up-to-date research and evidence based clinical advice and has effectively supported many parents during my career, providing immediate reassurance.

Specialist Training & Additional Certification

• Bridging PROMPT Technique to Intervention (The PROMPT INSTITUTE)
• Introduction to PROMPT: Technique workshop (The PROMPT INSTITUTE)
• Post graduate course in “Working with Selective Mutism”
• Curriculum approaches in Child Care and Education
• Promoting Positive behaviour in Children
• Providing Play Experiences for the Child
• Signalong Foundation Course Phase 1
• Assessment and Management of children with developmental disorders of literacy
• Derbyshire Language Scheme
• Screening and intervention with young or late developing children
• Introduction to Counselling Skills
• Sentence Processing and Colourful Semantics
• Play boxes
• Trained NLP Practitioner (Neuro Linguistic Programming)
• Emotion Talk Training
• Evaluating and Managing complex phonological disorders cases
• Introduction to CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)

REVIEWS

					We attended the Awesome Powers academy course that was ran by Anna and Jo. I think the course was about 6 weeks long, once a week a live zoom session.
Anna... read more and Jo are very welcoming and professional. There was never any pressure for cameras to be on or voices to be heard. From around the second lesson my daughter put her camera on which shows just how comfortable she felt. Anna and Jo didnt make a big deal about it which was amazing. We really saw small progress steps and we carry on continuing our journey.
We completed activities and exercises throughout on the session and away from the sessions.
Anna has reached out since the course which is lovely.
Both Anna and Jo are really lovely people and made us feel welcomed and at ease. I wouldn't hesitate to attend another course with them and recommend it to others.				
Tammy Lydamore
 

					The awesome powers group that I attended with my daughter, run by Anna and Jo was amazing.  The group is a safe and welcoming space for all involved and... read more Anna and Jo make everyone feel welcomed and valued and celebrate every small achievement.

The group has had such a positive impact on my daughter, myself and out whole family.  She has managed many things since the group for the first time and is using some of the activities on a daily basis in school, supported by her 1.1.

Anna has been in touch several times since the group to check in with us personally which we've never had from any other professional.				
Virginia Bourne
 

					Anna has worked with our 5year old granddaughter who has Selective Mutism for over a year, she was extremely anxious and would freeze in social situations. Through her 1:1 sessions,... read more she created a fun safe setting to interact and the progress she has made is incredible. Her confidence is growing and she is thriving and enjoying school.
Her wealth of knowledge and expertise also provided us with strategies and a plan to continue her progression
Anna is the consummate professional, very down to earth, and we will be eternally grateful for all her help and continued support				
Connie Ballantyne
 

					I can’t recommend Anna enough, she really is the most wonderful speech and language therapist.Anna has helped all 3 of my children with problems with their speech.Anna developed a strong... read more bond with all of my kids through play , their sessions with her were so much fun, they all looked forward to our weekly visits that when the time came that they no longer needed therapy they were all so sad to leave.Anna helped me youngest daughter develop her speech and she now speaks beautifully! Anna is the best and truly cares!				
Amanda Smith
 

					Anna is amazing person and therapist! I have learned so much from her course about Selective Mutism,and techniques really working.What we needed was and still is TIME and patience.
Small steps... read more turning into bigger and bigger steps/achiwments.We are learning about anxiety as much as possible knowing that the exercises (wherever we can) and calm is priority.Also Anna had given Us tools how to support my child and handle this journey myself.
So happy that We meet Anna ,thank you for everything!!!!				
Karolina Pastwa
 

					With Anna's support and advice we managed to implement the tools and methods needed to strengthen our daughters confident speaking. As a result she made huge improvements at school going... read more from speaking quietly to one child to speaking with the whole class and teachers. She is even selected to read aloud to the class and can do so with a much reduced level of anxiety. There are moments in certain settings that we see her selective mutism appear again and we always return to Annas advice to think, how should we manage this, what would Anna say. After quite a search, finding Anna was a huge deal, a professional who really understood this very specific condition - location no barrier (we have worked remotely very happily) and we couldn't recommend her highly enough. Thank you Anna.				
Tina Mason
 

					My husband and I were concerned after a period of lots of change that our already shy boy had retreated even more and seemed not to be talking to teachers... read more at nursery or our adult friends and eventually family members (in which he used to)
We researched a bit more and came across Anna and her masterclasses after considering that he may have selective mutism. As with us at home he was very chatty but in social settings he was not.
We really did feel helpless and it was a relief to have discovered Anna’s ‘brave steps to talking’ masterclass. We found the information invaluable in the portal and the masterclasses were super helpful in following up with any examples or clarity on how to implement advice. Although we now believe our son has social anxiety, (diagnosis)I do believe that selective mutism is partly at play here and regardless the advice still fits the scenarios we have been facing. Simple but effective techniques such as not saving your child (in the nicest way) or giving them a choice has helped amongst lots of other tips. He now talks to his teachers, talks to family again, can speak with some familiar adults when feeling comfortable. We still have a lot of work to do making him feeling comfortable in uncomfortable situations but he told me today.
“I talked to a new teacher today, I didn’t even whisper I just spoke” it’s great to know that he can do it, it just might take a bit of time. He’s not been one to explain why or talk to us about this issue but when he gives us these little nuggets of information it feels so reassuring and that he gets what’s going on and that it is a fear of his. Patience is the key. It’s hard as I do feel lots of people don’t understand or judge or think your child is rude (even family). Anna’s masterclasses helped reassure as we were not alone and many in the same boat as us. Self esteem I think has been a massive issue and a technique of talking about their superpowers ie brilliant swimmer/really funny etc really helped his confidence and opening up to friends more with his humour and realising he was good at things. That was definitely a bit of a turning point for us. As he did retreat with his friends too in the early stages. He’s come a long way when we look at where we started. We still have a long way to go but I do believe Anna helped us get a few things in place to support him through this part of his life that was holding him back whilst other friends and friends children seemed to care free and happy. It really has been invaluable and I’d recommend this course to use as a support aid for your child. Simple strategies will eventually make a big difference.
We noticed concerns at 4.5 years, started the course at 5.5 years and he is currently 6.5 years old.
I hope Anna’s course is what you’re looking for! It has certainly helped us.				
Tartan Spaniel
 

					I've known Anna for many years, and I am always in awe of her passion for selective mutism (SM). Anna's dedication to SM shines through in how she dives deep... read more into the topic and connects with empathy. She's not just knowledgeable; she's a great teacher. If you want real insights and practical strategies for your child, Anna's course is a great choice! She not only works with the child, but supports the whole family dynamic! I will continue to recommend her course for families needing support with Selective Mutism!
If you are a therapist and want supervision in the area of SM, I highly recommend Anna! She really knows this area inside out and back to front!				
Michelle McCauley
 

					Anna is an excellent speech therapist and was immensely helpful with our daughter between the age of 2.5-3.5 when she had a speech delay that involved using very few consonants... read more and mostly vowels. As usual, the NHS was dismissive, but Anna assessed the situation and was able to quickly advise on what changes to implement to promote speech improvements. Our daughter improved very quickly following these changes, and it was really impressive to learn from how Anna communicated with her and taught her to overcome hurdles. Some people are just excellent at their job, and Anna is the perfect example of this.				
Valerie
 

					Anna is absolutely incredible both for the parents and the children. She has healed our 6year old daughter from SM after a 2- year mute period in school. We cannot... read more thank her enough and warmely recommend her services.				
rotem biton
 
					Anna is absolutely incredible both for the parents and the children. She has healed our 6year old daughter from SM after a 2- year mute period in school. We cannot... read more thank her enough and warmely recommend her services.				
rotem biton
 
					Anna was a wonderful speech therapist for my son. She was endlessly patient and always had a treasure of fun activities for him to do. He really enjoyed all her... read more sessions and his speech problems improved a lot. Thank you Anna!				
Tabea Busch

					I took my six year old grandson to see Anna as he had a problem pronouncing certain letters.  Anna quickly established there was no physical problem for this and... read more set in motion a lesson plan to help him overcome this.  She is a lovely lady who is clearly knowledgeable in her field and has such a lovely way with the children that my grandson did not have a problem going to see Anna and indeed looked forward to it.  Her lessons have helped immensely and gave me the tools to continue her good work.  I am happy to recommend her.				
Sandra M
 
					Anna was a wonderful speech therapist for my son. She was endlessly patient and always had a treasure of fun activities for him to do. He really enjoyed all her... read more sessions and his speech problems improved a lot. Thank you Anna!				
Tabea Busch
 
					I took my six year old grandson to see Anna as he had a problem pronouncing certain letters.  Anna quickly established there was no physical problem for this and... read more set in motion a lesson plan to help him overcome this.  She is a lovely lady who is clearly knowledgeable in her field and has such a lovely way with the children that my grandson did not have a problem going to see Anna and indeed looked forward to it.  Her lessons have helped immensely and gave me the tools to continue her good work.  I am happy to recommend her.				
Sandra M

					Anna has worked with my son for over 2 years and has been an absolute pleasure to have. She has become a friend and a confidant as well as an... read more incredible speech therapist. She goes above and beyond to ensure everyone's comfort and happiness and is a true professional. She helped my son overcome his selective mutism through working with us as a family to help us understand the condition and how to help, as well as with the school to help them adapt to his plan and understand his condition. She provided all parties with a tailored program and I can honestly say that without her generous, patient spirit he would not have made it. She is kind, supportive and truly lovely and her program has made this the best journey possible.				
Amira Aburaid
 
					I have just completed the SM video course online for parents proposed by Anna. This is an amazing piece of work that has already been so useful to us on... read more a daily basis and that I recommend to any parent of child with SM.  The video format is really good, I personally feel that watching videos is much easier, pleasant and understandable than reading a book. In addition, if I had already heard about most topics / tools, I did not know all of them and above all, I really appreciated having everything in one place with some structure around the different topics. I feel that I now understand much better how each part is related to another and ultimately feel much more empowered to support my daughter in overcoming SM.				
Juliette Legros
 
					Anna has worked with my son for over 2 years and has been an absolute pleasure to have. She has become a friend and a confidant as well as an... read more incredible speech therapist. She goes above and beyond to ensure everyone's comfort and happiness and is a true professional. She helped my son overcome his selective mutism through working with us as a family to help us understand the condition and how to help, as well as with the school to help them adapt to his plan and understand his condition. She provided all parties with a tailored program and I can honestly say that without her generous, patient spirit he would not have made it. She is kind, supportive and truly lovely and her program has made this the best journey possible.				
Amira Aburaid