There are times in our professional journey where collaboration doesn’t require being centre stage to be deeply meaningful.

In November 2021, I had the pleasure of connecting with Francilene Torraca, whose work exploring selective mutism and bilingualism offers such an important and much-needed perspective in our field.

I presented my expertise in Selective Mutism and bilingualism.

Selective mutism in bilingual children is often misunderstood.

Too often, silence can be misinterpreted as a language difficulty, a lack of understanding, or even confusion between languages. However, what we know and what continues to be reinforced through collaborative discussions like this, is that selective mutism is not rooted in language ability.

It is rooted in the nervous system.

This is where my own approach strongly connects with this work.

A Shared Perspective: Moving Beyond Language to the Brain

In my practice, I have increasingly moved towards a brain-based and nervous system-informed approach to selective mutism.

This means recognising that:

• Speech is not the starting point
•  Silence is not a choice
• And bilingualism is not the cause

Instead, children are responding to how safe or unsafe they feel in a given moment.

Whether a child speaks one language or multiple languages, the underlying mechanism remains the same, their nervous system is navigating perceived threat, often resulting in freeze or shutdown responses.

What becomes clear through this lens is that supporting bilingual children with selective mutism requires us to move beyond language-focused interventions and towards emotional safety, regulation, and connection.

What I particularly value about connecting with professionals like Francilene is the richness that cross-cultural perspectives bring.

Bilingualism adds layers to a child’s experience—identity, environment, expectations, and communication demands. Understanding this complexity requires us to listen, learn, and collaborate across disciplines and cultures.

Even when we are not formally part of the same event, these professional connections allow ideas to evolve, deepen, and reach the children who need them most.

This experience has been a reminder that contribution isn’t always about presenting—it’s also about engaging, reflecting, and aligning with others who share a similar vision.

The intersection of selective mutism and bilingualism is an area that deserves continued attention, research, and collaboration.

I look forward to continuing these conversations, building connections, and sharing approaches that move us closer to truly understanding the children we support.

You can find more information about Francilene and her books in Portuguese here:

 

 

Anna Biavati
Speech Therapist, Creator of the Brave Muscle Method, Founder of Steps To Brave Talking
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