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SM Documentaries and Stories

  • Writer: Marvin Turner
    Marvin Turner
  • Jul 18
  • 3 min read

Updated: Sep 11

Hi, I've collated some of my favourite documentaries or stories, the ones that I first found long ago and emotionally resonated with. The first three in particular are very worth watching.

"My Child Won't Speak" - This BBC documentary follows three families whose children have selective mutism. It features 15-year-old Danielle, 10-year-old Megan, and 8-year-old Red, showing their struggles and treatment journeys. Watch on YouTube: | BBC Programme Page: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qmwsh
Severe Tourettes, Selective Mutism and Uncontrollable Anger" – This Origin documentary follows three UK families as they navigate the challenges of childhood mental health conditions, including selective mutism, Tourette’s syndrome, and severe anger issues. It features six-year-old Katherine, who becomes mute at school, sixteen-year-old Henry, who was suddenly diagnosed with Tourette’s after a seizure, and ten-year-old Adam, whose complex behaviors make diagnosis difficult. The film explores their daily struggles, family dynamics, and the therapies they pursue.
"Help Me To Speak" – This documentary explores the reality of selective mutism in children, an anxiety disorder that leaves them unable to speak in certain social settings. The film follows five-year-old Madeline, who is talkative at home but silent at school, and nine-year-old Robert, whose fear of speaking is limited to school environments. Over the course of a year, viewers witness their personal struggles, family concerns about long-term isolation and mental health, and various therapeutic attempts to help them break their silence.

SM is being recognised more and there are now plenty of testimonials online of people who had SM. A variety of people-professionals and those diagnosed are sharing more of their experiences online accumulating thousands and thousands of views.


"Understanding Selective Mutism" - Candice Powell-Caldwell provides an educational TEDx talk about the condition, noting that it affects approximately 1 in 140 children. 102,155 views Oct 21, 2016
Rachel's Story - A particularly moving video features Rachel, a young girl who overcame selective mutism and now performs on stage. She describes the fear of speaking at school, saying "when people talk to me I wouldn't respond... I couldn't talk because I didn't really know the people"
Olivia's Interview - In a YouTube video, 10-year-old Olivia bravely shares her experience of finding it hard to talk at school. She explains that she "couldn't speak to any of the staff... my friends... anyone else" and describes the fear inside her that was "blocking me".
Marta's Experience - In another video, Marta, now a young adult working as a model, shares her journey with selective mutism, explaining how it affected her for "17-18 years" and how she worked to overcome it.

"Hear the Silent Cry of Selective Mutism" - Ruth Perednik, a psychologist specializing in selective mutism, discusses the condition and its impact. Watch on TED: https://www.ted.com/talks/ruth_perednik_hear_the_silent_cry_of_selective_mutism_jan_2020

SMart Center Success Stories

The Selective Mutism Center features multiple success stories on their website and YouTube channel. These include:

• Alex, who was mute in almost all social situations at age 3 and is now "more outgoing than both parents"

• Nicholas, who after years of struggle attended CommuniCamp and made significant progress

• Joshua, who overcame selective mutism through gradual, manageable steps


Testimonials

Alisha Mahajan's Story - Shared on LinkedIn, Alisha describes overcoming selective mutism at age 10 and becoming a confident public speaker and designer. Read Alisha's Story: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-life-journey-overcoming-selective-mutism-alisha-mahajan


The YouTube channel "@annabiavatislt," titled "Selective Mutism the Brave Muscle Method," specialises in resources and strategies for supporting children, teenagers, and adults with selective mutism, anxiety, and communication challenges. Various YouTube videos feature parents sharing their children's recovery journeys, including testimonials about specific treatment methods. https://www.youtube.com/@annabiavatislt/videos


Lucy Nathanson's Channel - Features multiple videos including interviews with children who have overcome selective mutism and educational content for parents and teachers. Visit Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBTzFB5UGts


"I Can't Talk at School" - A video featuring children sharing their personal experiences to spread awareness about selective mutism. Watch Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBTzFB5UGts


School Assembly Videos - Educational content designed for school assemblies to help students understand selective mutism. Watch Assembly Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tiv5CjOJnP4


Dr. Elizabeth Woodcock's Work - The Selective Mutism Clinic in Sydney provides webinars and educational content specific to Australian contexts. View Webinars: https://selectivemutism.com.au/all-webinars/ | Professional Development: https://selectivemutism.com.au/professional-development-for-sm/


Cooper's Story - Featured in SBS's "Filming Our Future," showing a 10-year-old with selective mutism thriving in a surf lifesaving program. Watch on SBS: https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/filming-our-future-our-choice-our-voice-our-way-ni/2049369155961

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