Courageous Kids Camp 2024

A day at Courageous Kids Camp is a fun and exciting way for children with selective mutism to work on facing their fears of speaking to others!  Our campers work on various skills, always with the support and care of their one-on-one counselor, who is by their side throughout the day.  Before the program begins, we meet with parents to tailor specific goals for each child’s progress.

Here is a glimpse into our typical day:

9 am-  Arrival and Warm-up. Children arrive with their parents, easing into the day by playing on the playground alongside their counselor.  Parents participate in the morning “fade-in” to support their child and help them feel comfortable with their counselor.

9:45 am-  Morning Circle Time. Children and counselors engage in morning activities in the classroom. This includes practicing speaking to a teacher in front of a group of peers, raising hands, participating in classroom routines, and building bravery skills like deep breathing and positive thinking.

10:30 am- Snack and bathroom break.  Kids with SM can often struggle to ask to go to the bathroom and/or eat in front of others.  This is a great chance to practice these skills!  Snack time also provides opportunities for children to practice speaking and socializing with peers, with counselor guidance. 

10:45 am- Activity #1.  Fun and skill-building activities are tailored to address common challenges faced by children with selective mutism.  These activities are designed to help kids practice skills such as asking and answering questions with an unfamiliar adult, speaking to peers, speaking in front of a group, friendship skills such as asking a peer to play, and much more.

Activities may include tie-dying t-shirts, a visit from therapy dogs, a field trip to a local park, musicians, a visit from a fire truck, field day, a visit from a storyteller, show-and-tell, art activities, scavenger hunts, and more!

11:30 am- Bathroom break, lunch, and recess.  Children either bring lunch from home or practice ordering from Samuels Elementary’s cafeteria, honing their real-world skills. Afterward, recess provides further opportunities to practice social engagement with their peers, with their counselor’s support.

12:30 pm- Activity #2.  Another engaging activity session focused on skill development and peer interaction.

1:15 pm- Bathroom break.

1:30 pm- Closing Circle time.  The day concludes with a final classroom circle time, reinforcing group speaking skills and practicing bravery techniques like deep breathing.  Campers visit the Prize Store to practice asking for their prize and celebrate their bravery that day!

End-of-day feedback: Counselors meet with parents to discuss their child’s progress, share anecdotes, answer questions, and plan for continued growth. 

2 pm- End of the day.

Each day at Courageous Kids Camp is thoughtfully structured to provide a supportive environment where children can build confidence and overcome their speaking challenges.

Parent education, training, and support are critically important parts of helping kids overcome selective mutism.  Children cannot overcome selective mutism without the proper support from the adults in their lives.  We help parents feel confident in implementing the strategies their children learn at Courageous Kids Camp after the program so that their children can be successful. At Courageous Kids Camp, we prioritize partnering with parents to empower them as their child’s strongest advocate.

Daily Parent Training

We offer daily parent training sessions at Courageous Kids Camp, led by our experienced staff. These sessions not only provide valuable information about selective mutism but also serve as a supportive community where parents can connect with others facing similar challenges.

Our daily parent meeting takes place from 11 am-1 pm in the auditorium at Samuels Elementary School (the same location as Courageous Kids Camp).  Topics will include:

– Understanding selective mutism

– Effective communication strategies with family, friends, doctors, and school personnel regarding your child’s selective mutism 

– Comprehensive training and hands-on practice in the techniques used to help children with selective mutism develop speaking skills 

-Facilitating playdates with peers to encourage your child’s practice of speaking

– Establishing regular speaking practice routines with your child within the community 

– Considerations regarding the addition of medication to your child’s treatment plan 

– School-related guidance, including collaboration with your child’s school team to support their speaking goals in the educational setting

– Ample time for questions and personalized advice from our team of experts 

– Opportunities for parents to connect with one another, fostering a sense of community and understanding among those navigating similar experiences.

Daily Feedback

Parents receive daily feedback from their child’s individual counselor and our leadership team, ensuring they stay informed about their child’s progress. We collaborate closely with parents throughout the program to tailor goals for each child.

Parent Day

On the final day of the program (Friday, July 26, 2024), we invite one parent per child to spend the day with their child at Courageous Kids Camp!  This is a fun and unique opportunity for parents to to apply the skills they’ve learned in supporting their child, with expert guidance from the Courageous Kids Camp team.

During Parent Day, parents step into the role of their child’s “counselor,” providing support while engaging in enjoyable challenges like a “brave talking” scavenger hunt, visits to mock stores, a pizza party, crafting activities with peers and other parents, and a final visit to the Prize Store. Each activity is thoughtfully designed to replicate real-world scenarios where families may need to practice their brave talking skills.

We have found that empowering parents to encourage their children to speak effectively during camp is instrumental in preparing families for success beyond our program’s conclusion. Parent Day serves as a culmination of the collaborative effort between our team and parents, fostering continued growth and confidence in both children and families.

Because selective mutism is considered a social communication anxiety disorder, an ideal method of treatment is to give kids the opportunity to face their fears of talking to others in a fun and supportive group environment with others to practice. Our clients are encouraged to talk to more and more people gradually, thereby helping them build their bravery and become more comfortable with this skill.  Because our program takes place at an elementary school, kids can work on facing their fears in an environment that simulates their challenges at school.

-Contact our office at 720-660-5166 or [email protected]

-Schedule an initial free 20-minute phone consultation with Dr. Sinclair, where we will discuss your child’s history and your goals for your child’s participation in our program and have an opportunity to ask questions.

-Our administrative assistant, Cheryl McCauley, will help you complete your registration.  An initial deposit is required to secure your child’s spot, and the remainder of the balance can be paid in installments.

Anxiety Therapy of Colorado is an out-of-network provider and does not accept payment from any insurance plans.  We can provide you with a superbill, which you can use to seek reimbursement from your insurance company after paying our fee.  Therefore, we recommend contacting your health insurance company to ask if they will provide reimbursement for out-of-network mental health treatment.

Our program is based on Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM) and exposure therapy, which is the gold-standard evidence-based treatment for selective mutism. We emphasize the importance of parent education, training, and empowerment so that parents can continue to support their children after our program.

We are lucky to have a multi-disciplinary team of dedicated counselors to support your child in reaching their goals.  Our program’s staff includes psychologists, speech-language pathologists, counselors, social workers, and graduate students in psychology.  All of our counselors are chosen for their commitment to helping kids with selective mutism and have undergone extensive training with our team before our program.  Our counselors are under Dr. Sinclair’s supervision, who works closely with each team member to ensure excellent clinical care.