Help Raise Awareness For Selective Mutism

My Selective Mutism started at the age of 12, just after I left school. I started struggling to speak to waiters and shopkeepers. I’d try to speak but it was like something was blocking the words and they’d get stuck in my throat. I’d become breathless and nothing would come out. I remember when a family friend was working in a café and we visited when he was on shift. I said hello on the way in but when it came to ordering a drink, I tried to say what I wanted and nothing came out. I couldn’t say a word. It felt very strange and it was extremely worrying. Over the next two years, my SM carried on developing and became more severe. By this time, I was 14 years old and I couldn’t speak to anybody outside of my immediate family. Extended family are included in those I had lost the ability to communicate. When I was out of the house I couldn’t speak to even my Mum. That was a difficult time for me because I had no idea how long it would be before I would feel ‘normal’ and be able to talk like I used to. Later, my Selective Mutism briefly developed into Progressive Mutism. PM is a more extreme version of SM, where it becomes impossible to speak to anybody at all. My voice was locked inside for over two weeks and I had no idea if it would ever come back. I had lost hope and I didn’t know what to do. Now, at the age of 18, my SM is still severe. However, it can be overcome. What we need to facilitate this is patience and understanding. Selective Mutism is extremely frustrating to live with and I hope to make life slightly easier for others living with the condition. I would like to raise awareness with training from Maggie Johnson - a leading Selective Mutism specialist. Initially, the training/ awareness days will be aimed at those who have an interest in SM or would like to know more. I hope to reach as many people as possible - parents, education providers, family, friends. If this goes well, I will organise further training for professionals that work with those who have SM Maggie's expertise are second to none, hence why I am fundraising to afford her courses. To make training more accessible, I would like to subsidise ticket prices as much as possible. This is a cause I am extremely passionate about. Any donations are hugely appreciated. If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing