If you’re here, it’s likely because something doesn’t feel right.

At home, your child talks.

They chat, argue, laugh, whisper, negotiate.

But outside your home at school, in nursery, with extended family, in clubs they go quiet.

Painfully quiet. And you’re left wondering:

Is this shyness?
Is this selective mutism?
Should I wait?
Am I doing something wrong?

First, let me say this clearly: You are not imagining it. And you are not overreacting.

I have worked as a Speech and Language Therapist for over 25 years, supporting children and young people aged 3–18. I specialise in anxiety-based communication differences, including selective mutism, and I have walked alongside many families who once sat exactly where you are now.

I know how heavy this worry can feel.

Selective mutism is not simply a child choosing not to speak.

It is anxiety.
It is a nervous system response.
It is a child who wants to speak but feels unable to.

When a child is not speaking outside the home, the longer the silence continues, the more embedded the anxiety can become. Well-meaning advice to “wait and see” can unintentionally delay the support that makes all the difference.

This is why a professional consultation matters.

Not to label.
Not to rush into therapy.
But to understand.

Understanding changes everything.

When you book a consultation with me, you are not booking a generic advice session.

You are booking 80 minutes of dedicated time where your child’s story is heard fully and respectfully.

I will listen carefully to:

You already hold so much valuable information about your child.

My role is to bring my two decades of clinical experience, specialist knowledge of selective mutism, and deep understanding of anxiety and combine that with what you know.

Together, we begin to build a plan.

Families often come to me after trying everything rewards, encouragement, reassurance, pressure (sometimes unintentionally), advice from friends.

What makes my approach different is that it is:

We may talk about strategies such as sliding in a carefully structured way of expanding your child’s speaking circle without overwhelming them.

We might explore:

But most importantly, we make sure that whatever we plan fits your child.

No two children with selective mutism are identical. And that’s why personalised guidance matters.

After over 20 years in this field, I have learned something important:

Parents do not just need strategies.
They need to feel understood.

Many families tell me that before seeking support, they felt:

In our consultation, there is space for all of it.

The confusion.
The guilt.
The frustration.
The fear about secondary school or exams.

You will not be judged.
You will not be rushed.
You will not be told you caused this.

You will be supported.

By the end of our 80-minute virtual consultation, you will have:

Sometimes families need ongoing therapy.
Sometimes they need adjustments at school.
Sometimes they simply need clarity and direction.

The consultation helps you know which path is right.

If your child is not speaking outside the home, and something inside you is saying, “I need to understand this better,” that instinct matters.

Early, thoughtful intervention prevents years of unnecessary struggle.

And the good news is: with the right support, children absolutely can build confidence and find their voice beyond the safety of home.

I have seen it happen time and time again.

If you are ready to move from uncertainty to understanding, I would be honoured to support you.

This is a space where you and your child will be heard.

Let’s create a plan that feels calm, achievable, and rooted in experience.