SELECTIVE MUTISM CENTER - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Agata Kopacz, M.A. is a doctoral trainee enrolled in the Psy.D program at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She earned her master's degree in counseling for mental health and wellness from New York University. She has experience in providing individual, couples, family, and group therapy services to address a wide range of mental health issues. Agata has experience in conducting psychological assessments and providing therapy to children, adolescents, and adults. Agata believes that building a strong and healthy therapeutic alliance is one of the most important aspects of therapy. She offers a warm and safe space to allow her clients to freely explore their concerns. She works with her clients using evidence-based treatments to help them achieve their therapeutic goals.

Job Titles:

• Marketing Consultant

Alexandra Collins graduated from Temple University in May 2021 with a bachelor's degree in psychology with a focus on child psychology. She has a lot of experience working with children of all ages in environments such as daycare, day camps, one-on-one care, and volunteer programs for children in need. Alexandra also overcame selective mutism when she was in elementary school. She hopes to continue her education in the field of psychology so she can be even more involved in the process of helping others.

Job Titles:

• Master
• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Alexis Trakhtorchuk is a master's level clinician who graduated from New York University, earning a B.A. in Psychology. She is currently pursuing her Psy.D. degree in Clinical Psychology at La Salle University, and plans to concentrate in Child Clinical Psychology. Prior to beginning her doctoral program, she worked as a head clinical coordinator at the NYU Child Study Center, where she worked on psychological assessments and treatment group facilitation. Her research interests involve emotional regulation difficulties of children with a variety of anxiety disorders, as well as emotion regulation in children with eating disorders which she currently studies in the Timko Lab at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Alexis's clinical interests include children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, depression, and ADHD. She is particularly passionate about early intervention and pediatric primary care. Alexis is a lead support clinician and consults with families and treats individuals with Selective Mutism and an array of mental health disorders. In addition, Alexis facilitates groups, both in person and virtually at the SMart Center. She is also a CommuniCamp counselor for the 4 day and 1 day for in-person and virtual programs.

Job Titles:

• Master
• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Ashley Grant is a master's level clinician and doctoral student in Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine's Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology program. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Chestnut Hill College and her M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). Her clinical experience includes working with children, adolescents, adults, and families in outpatient, state-funded trauma centers. She has worked in victim's rights, providing TF-CBT, an evidence-based treatment for children who experienced trauma, to survivors of physical and sexual crimes. She has also run group therapy programs for child perpetrators of sexual crimes and their families, working to reduce recidivism rates and prevent reoffending. Her advocacy work includes increasing access to mental health care for LGBTQ+ individuals and modernizing grief work in therapeutic settings. She is particularly passionate about pediatric mental health and early intervention services for those with various psychological concerns. For fun, she enjoys reading, playing with her dog, and exploring all of the sites and sounds of Philadelphia. At the SMart Center, Ashley consults with families and treats individuals with Selective Mutism and various mental health disorders. In addition, Ashley performs testing/assessments, including Autism Spectrum Disorder testing, and leads support and treatment groups, such as, CommuniCamp

Job Titles:

• Marketing Coordinator / Clinical Care Coordinator

Brandon Blum was born and raised in Abington, PA. After graduating from Temple University, he spent six all-encompassing years inside the digital marketing wings of three prodigiously large media companies. His day-to-day consisted of project managing key corporate client relationships; relentlessly writing, pitching, ideating & launching six-figure multi-channel advertising campaigns; and learning how brands - large and small - tell their stories. In other words, communication is his area of expertise. In addition to his marketing consulting work, Brandon is the co-founder of For Others, a clothing label that gives back to the local communities their items are purchased in or purchased for. Brandon currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Job Titles:

• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Claudia Hyman is currently a doctoral student in La Salle University's Clinical Psychology Psy.D program with a Masters in Child Study and Human Development from Tufts University. She earned her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology at the University of Miami in 2020. Claudia's interdisciplinary background has given her experience working with children and adolescents in a range of clinical and educational settings with varying needs and diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and social phobia. During her time at Tufts University, Claudia worked in Boston Medical Center's Autism Program where she worked as a coordinator for their adolescent peer mentorship program and wrote her capstone paper on the need for resources that provide support for adolescents on the spectrum wanting to navigate romantic relationships. Claudia is interested in the treatment and assessment of anxiety disorders and autism spectrum disorder, as well as applying a holistic and developmentally sensitive approach to therapy. For fun, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, exercise, and trying new restaurants in Philly!

Job Titles:

• Clinical Care Coordinator

Dakota Hornak was born and raised in Willow Grove, PA. They graduated from Susquehanna University in May of 2022 with a BA in communications and psychology and have done work in marketing and sales for over ten years. They have wanted to work in mental health and non-profit organizations since beginning college and has been a freelance designer and marketer since their freshman year. As a hobby, Dakota began art and graphic design as well as writing, which then became their passion and what they wanted in a career. They are now the marketing coordinator for the SMart Center.

David Schenck M.A. is a psychotherapy clinician with over ten years of experience providing mental health treatment and individual therapy. He has also been a Communicamp counselor with the SMart Center since 2017. David primarily works with adult and teenage clientele, and during Communicamps he works with the teen campers. David believes that therapy and personal growth are synonyms. While using established Psychodynamic and CBT clinical doctrine, he also focuses on self-empowerment, mindfulness, and undertaking the difficult work of recognizing and breaking maladaptive patterns.

Job Titles:

• Director
• President
• Author
• President and Director of the Selective Mutism Anxiety and Related Disorders Treatment Center

Dr. Shipon-Blum has created the SM-Stages of Social Communication Comfort Scale© that describes the various stages of social communication possible for a child suffering from Selective Mutism. Children suffering from Selective Mutism (SM) change their level of social communication based on the setting as well as the expectations from others within a setting. As a result, social comfort and communication will change from setting to setting and person to person. The Social Communication Bridge® illustrates this concept in a visual form. Author: Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum is President and Director of the Selective Mutism, Anxiety, & Related Disorders Treatment Center (SMart Center). She created CommuniCamp™, an intensive group treatment program for Selective Mutism, and is also Founder and Director Emeritus of the Selective Mutism Association and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology and Family Medicine PCOM. Dr. Shipon-Blum's initial interest in Selective Mutism was personal. Her experience trying to find help for her daughter made the need for research, development of appropriate/effective treatment strategies, and dissemination of information about this social-communication disorder abundantly clear. Many of these findings are based on research from treatment at the SMart Center of hundreds of children with Selective Mutism. Elisa Shipon-Blum DO, is the President and Director of the Selective Mutism Anxiety and Related Disorders Treatment Center (SMart Center) located in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. She is the Founder and Director Emeritus of the Selective Mutism Association (SMA) and a Director of the Selective Mutism Research Institute (SMRI), a foundation established to study Dr. Shipon-Blum's theories and treatment methodologies on Selective Mutism. In addition, Dr Shipon-Blum is Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology & Family Medicine at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is a board certified physician who specializes in Selective Mutism. Dr. Shipon-Blum practices in Jenkintown, PA, and has developed the evidenced-based Social Communication Anxiety Treatment (S-CAT)® from her years studying and researching individuals with Selective Mutism. She consults worldwide with families, treating professionals, and educators, and has helped thousands of children from around the world overcome Selective Mutism. Based on her successful S-CAT® program, Dr. E also created CommuniCamp™, an intensive group treatment program for children with Selective Mutism, social anxiety, and extreme shyness. Dr. Shipon-Blum lectures throughout the country on the topic of Selective Mutism, performs school evaluations and training for treating professionals, educators, and parents, and is considered one of the world's leading experts in the treatment, research, and understanding of Selective Mutism. She has been a featured expert on national television programs such as 20/20, CNN, Inside Edition, and Good Morning America, as well as other local, national, and international television and radio broadcasts. In addition, she has been featured in TIME Magazine, People Magazine, and has interviewed with newspapers such as the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, San Diego Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Palm Beach Post. Dr. Shipon-Blum is presently involved in multiple collaborative research projects with top researchers and clinicians. In addition to her research she has written numerous articles and books on Selective Mutism and anxiety including ‘Easing School Jitters for the Selectively Mute Child,' ‘The Ideal Classroom Setting for the Selectively Mute Child,' ‘Understanding Katie,' ‘Supplement Treatment Guide Book to Understanding Katie‘, ‘Selective Mutism Summer Vacation & Back to School Guide‘ and ‘ Selective Mutism and Social Anxiety Disorder in School .' She has also produced numerous DVDs on the topics of treatment and assessment of Selective Mutism, and the development of school accommodations and interventions for mute children. Dr. Shipon-Blum (or Dr. E as her patients refer to her) prides herself on being ‘down to earth' and ‘easy to speak to', and resides with her family in the northeast suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Notably, she is also the mother of a child, Sophie, who suffered from and overcame Selective Mutism and is the inspiration for the work she does each day. To read about published research studies Dr. Shipon-Blum has participated in, click here! Financial Disclosure: Dr. Shipon-Blum is the President and Director of the SMart Center. She is a Director of the Selective Mutism Research Institute (SMRI). She is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Psychology at PCOM. She has written many books on Selective Mutism for which she receives royalties. Dr. Shipon-Blum sells and distributes books and materials associated with Selective Mutism through the SMart Center website. Non-Financial Disclosure: Dr. Shipon-Blum is the founder and Director Emeritus of SMG-CAN. Course Content: Dr. Shipon-Blum will be discussing her Social Communication Anxiety Treatment® (S-CAT®). No other assessment or treatment methods will be discussed. She is the Founder and Director Emeritus of the Selective Mutism Association (SMA). She is also the Director of the Selective Mutism Research Institute (SMRI), a foundation established to study Dr. Shipon-Blum's theories and treatment methodologies on Selective Mutism. As an Osteopathic physician, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum focuses on the whole person and not a symptom. She views SM as a social communication anxiety where mutism is merely a symptom. Dr. E developed the evidenced-based Social Communication Anxiety Treatment (S-CAT)®. According to Dr. E's work, The key to an effective treatment plan is understanding factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of SM (The Why's of SM) as well as understanding an individual's baseline stage of social communication on the Social Communication Bridge©. Then, working as a team; the treatment professional, parents, and school staff, help the individual build coping skills to combat anxious feelings and to progress across the Social Communication Bridge©. Leveraging her effective S-CAT® program, Dr. E created CommuniCamp™, an intensive in-person group treatment and parent education program for children and parents affected with Selective Mutism, social anxiety, and extreme shyness - with dates all throughout the calendar year.

Job Titles:

• Director of Clinical Training at the SMart

Dr. William La Valle earned an MA in Psychology from West Chester University, and an MS and Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in Pennsylvania. Dr. La Valle works as the Director of Clinical Training at the SMart center and SMRI. He is also the Director or Clinical Training and Psychological Services at Intercommunity Action, Inc., a non-profit community mental health agency in Philadelphia. Dr. La Valle oversees the doctoral internship/externship and Master's training programs. He also oversees the assessment/testing department to conduct Autism assessments (using the ADOS-2), ADHD evaluation, and full-battery psycho-educational assessments. He also supervises and conducts assessments for school-aged children and teenagers to help provide diagnostic clarity and determine medical necessarily of treatment services. His specialties include assessing and treating Autism Spectrum Disorder & ADHD, CBT for anxiety/depression, and trauma- focused interventions. He is formally trained in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Motivational interviewing.

Job Titles:

• Co - Lead Counselor at Several CommuniCamp

Emily Israel M.S. is a third-year doctoral student in Chestnut Hill College's Psy.D. Program. Prior to graduate school, she received a B.A. at University of Maryland in 2020 where she majored in Psychology. Emily has worked as a co-lead counselor at several CommuniCamp™ programs at the SMart Center over the years. Emily has experience working with children, teens, and adults with a wide array of acute and chronic mental illnesses, such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, autism, schizophrenia, trauma, ADHD, and learning challenges. She also has administered full-battery psychological assessments including Autism Evaluations utilizing the ADOS-2. Emily has worked with young children and adolescents in a school, private practice, inpatient hospital and in-home settings. She has provided behavioral services such as ABA within a specialized school, as well as other behavioral forms of treatment in various settings. She bases her treatment approaches off the needs of the individual, their goals, parent goals (when working with a child), and focuses on a holistic approach of integrating parents or people within one's support system. She works collaboratively with the individual and their support system to ensure optimal support by all care providers.

Job Titles:

• Consultant With the SMart Center
• Research Consultant at the SMart Center

Dr. Klein is a consultant with the SMart Center and Selective Mutism Research Institute, where she is a principal investigator studying assessment and treatment methods for children. Dr. Klein is a paid research consultant at the SMart Center and the Selective Mutism Research Institute. Dr. Klein is a Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at La Salle University. She has also has authored several books on acquired language disorders for which she receives royalties. Dr. Klein is a former Board member of SMG-CAN. She also serves as a volunteer State Coordinator for SMG-CAN to connect families with services in their area. She is also an ASHA Fellow.

Job Titles:

• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Francisco Muñoz is currently a Clinical Psychology doctoral student at La Salle University's Psy.D. program. He earned his B.S. in Psychology at William Paterson University and M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Columbia University. Francisco has worked with children, adolescents, and young adults with autism throughout his academic career in both school and home-based settings, with treatment often via Play Therapy and Applied Behavior Analysis. Francisco has also been fortunate enough to work with children with Selective Mutism by participating as a counselor in summer camps at the Child Mind Institute and Kurtz Psychology. In terms of research interests, Francisco is interested in the potential impact bilingualism can have on those diagnosed with selective mutism. At the SMart Center, Francisco consults with families and treats individuals with Selective Mutism and an array of mental health disorders. In addition, Francisco performs testing/assessments, including Autism Spectrum Disorder testing, and leads support and treatment groups, such as, CommuniCamp.

Jaspriya Malhotra, is a doctoral student at Immaculata University studying Clinical Psychology. She has completed her Bachelor's in Psychological and Social Sciences as well as her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Throughout her educational career, Jaspriya has taken part in many psychological research studies. She is best known for her research; the relationship between self-esteem and social media. Jaspriya received the honor to present her research findings at the 2018 MPA Conference in Chicago, IL. Jaspriya's passion for psychology has led her to travel to Scotland, UK where she worked alongside local students to learn about the psychology of video gaming. One of Jaspriya's future goals is to become an expert in the field of infant and child psychology. For fun, she likes to travel, run half-marathons, and spend time with family. At the SMart Center, Jaspriya consults with families and treats individuals with Selective Mutism and an array of mental health disorders. In addition, Jaspriya facilitates virtual group sessions and is a lead CommuniCamp counselor.

Job Titles:

• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Jenna Blum M.S is a fifth-year doctoral student in Chestnut Hill College's Psy.D. Program. Prior to graduate school, she received a B.A. at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA in 2018 where she majored in Psychology and minored in Creative Writing. Jenna was inducted into the National Honor Society in Psychology.

Job Titles:

• Licensed Professional Counselor

Jennifer Brittingham is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who completed her Masters degree in the Clinical Counseling Psychology Program at Arcadia University. Jennifer has been a team member of the Smart Center since 2005. She conducts S-CAT® Program evaluations and treatment to families, S-CAT® Parent coaching and training sessions to families across the country and abroad, and provides school consultation and training to school districts and other organizations both on-site and via web workshops. Jennifer graduated from Arcadia University with her M.A. in Clinical Counseling Psychology in 2008 and was a Pennsylvania Counseling Association Graduate Leader from 2007 to 2008. Prior to her work at the SMart Center, Jennifer has worked as a case manager for children with intellectual disabilities, elementary school special education resource assistant, and as both a college counselor, as well as a college drug and alcohol counselor and support group leader.

Job Titles:

• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Kathryn McDonald, MS, CCC-SLP is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist who graduated from La Salle University in 2019. While attending La Salle, she was trained under Evelyn Klein, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, a research consultant for the Selective Mutism Research Institute (SMRI), in the research methodology for assessing speech and language disorders in children with selective mutism. Kathryn is currently employed at CORA Services, where she treats school-aged children with a wide range of communication disorders in charter schools in Camden, NJ. Additionally, Kathryn is a consultant at the SMART Center where she conducts comprehensive speech and language evaluations for children diagnosed with selective mutism.

Job Titles:

• Speech and Language Consultant

Job Titles:

• Member of the SMart Center Support

Laura Bansemer is a valuable member of the SMart Center Support and the Selective Mutism Research Institute (SMRI) Team. Laura earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Muhlenberg College graduating magna cum laude and phi beta kappa. With over 10 years of customer service experience, Laura was previously a weight loss counselor and then a call center director.

Job Titles:

• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Lexie Mastrangelo is currently a School Psychology doctoral student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Psy.D. program. She earned her B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology and her B.A. in Dance Education from Ursinus College. Lexie has worked with both children and adolescents in schools, as well as adults and older adults (65+) in a private practice neuropsychological setting. Lexie plans to pursue board certification in Neuropsychology upon graduating and has extensive experience administering Neuropsychological testing. For the 2023-2024 year, Lexie will be working at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in their assessment program. Lexie has also worked with children with Selective Mutism (SM) by participating as a CommuniCamp™ Counselor. In terms of research interests, Lexie is writing her dissertation on anxiety (specifically performance anxiety, also referred to as state anxiety) and is interested to see how this may or may not affect an individual's memory (specifically, working memory). She is interested in evaluating the relationship between state anxiety (SA) and the updating function within working memory to inform intervention for adolescents in schools. Lexie is certified in Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)- a school-based individual and group intervention grounded in cognitive-behavioral principles that is designed to address behavioral concerns, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children ages 10 to 15 years old- as well as, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)- is a brief, evidence-based treatment designed to help children who are experiencing emotional and behavioral distress as a result of a traumatic event(s). Overall, Lexie's training is grounded in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Job Titles:

• Sales & Marketing Intern

LisaMarie Vargas was born and raised in Morristown, NJ and is the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants. She is a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor in science from Temple University. After graduating, she fell into, and fell in love with, a career in marketing and events. She is a seasoned event professional who brings her experience from various industries, including, but not limited, to sports, food, and tourism, to the SMart Center. LisaMarie has worked with popular public figures such as Serena Williams, Mike Tyson, Snoop Dogg, Allen Iverson, Chef Marcus Samuelsson, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, and many others. She is a pro at creating unique events that leave a lasting impression by combining new trends and unmatched hospitality. At the SMart Center, you will find LisaMarie organizing CommuniCamp plans, building out other SMart Center events, and heading up marketing and social media efforts. In her free time, she loves to cook, travel, and watch true crime documentaries. LisaMarie currently resides in Philadelphia with her fiancé and boxer puppy.

Job Titles:

• Selective Mutism Research Institute ( SMRI ) Research Consultants

Job Titles:

• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Shaila Alvarez, M.A., is a Doctoral Level Trainee at the Smart Center. She completed her Master's Degree in Psychological Services at Kean University in 2019 and is currently obtaining her Doctorate of Psychology (Psy. D.) in Clinical Psychology from the APA accredited Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She has clinical experience providing assessments and therapeutic treatment to children and adults who are experiencing developmental, psychological, and emotional difficulties. Shaila offers evidence-based therapeutic approaches that make clients feel safe and understood while challenging thoughts or behaviors to promote healing and personal growth.

Job Titles:

• Research Consultant
• Associate Professor of Psychology
• Member of the Selective Mutism Group
• Research Coordinator for the Selective Mutism Research Institute

Sharon Lee Armstrong, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of PsyD Research and Dissertations at La Salle University. She is also Associate Faculty Member at Rutgers University Center for Cognitive Science, Adjunct Scientist at Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, and Principle Investigator at the Selective Mutism Research Institute. Her specializations within Cognitive Science are psycholinguistics, concepts/categorization, reasoning, and metacognition. Her research has investigated these topics in typical and special populations (e.g., children and adults with schizophrenia, ASD, selective mutism, ADHD, aphasia, depression). She is a member of the Psychonomic Society, APS, APA (Experimental Psychology Division), ADAA, and has been on the Executive Committee of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology. She is a consulting editor for The Journal of General Psychology. Dr. Armstrong is the research coordinator for the Selective Mutism Research Institute (SMRI). She is a paid research consultant at the SMart Center and SMRI. She is a professor of Psychology and Director of PsyD Research and Dissertations at La Salle University Dr. Armstrong is a member of the Selective Mutism Group (SMG-CAN) and she is a consulting editor for the Journal of General Psychology. Dr. Armstrong has been a researcher regarding assessment as well as outcome studies examining Dr. Shipon-Blums Social Communication Anxiety Treatment® (S-CAT®).

Job Titles:

• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Siedah Cazaubon is currently a doctoral student in La Salle University's Psy.D. program. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a minor in public health from Muhlenberg College. She received her Master of Arts in psychology, clinical services from Marywood University. She has experience providing psychotherapy and conducting diagnostic intake assessments with adolescents, young adults, adults, couples, and families in a variety of settings such as partial hospitalization, community mental health, and private practice. Siedah is primarily interested in the treatment of anxiety disorders and mood disorders in adolescents, barriers to help-seeking for mental health conditions in communities of color, and accessible mental healthcare for all. For fun, she enjoys playing with and walking her rescue dog, spending time with family and friends, and reading. At the SMart Center, Siedah consults with families and treats individuals with Selective Mutism and an array of mental health disorders. In addition, Siedah performs testing/assessments, including Autism Spectrum Disorder testing, and leads support and treatment groups, such as, CommuniCamp.

Job Titles:

• Clinician / Doctoral Trainee

Vidhya Ravichandran is a graduate student at Widener University studying Clinical Psychology (PsyD) and Human Sexuality (MEd). She has completed her Bachelor's in Psychology as well as her Master's in Clinical Psychology. Vidhya is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has experience working with children diagnosed with developmental disabilities. She also has an interest in neuropsychological testing and has served as a practicum student assessing individuals throughout the lifespan, for a variety of conditions including ADHD and dementia. Vidhya has a passion to provide access to mental health services for individuals in minority populations, specifically individuals within immigrant, South Asian and/or LGBTQ+ communities.

Job Titles:

• Director of Clinical Training