Child talking with friends after treatment for selective mutism in New York

Specializing in the Treatment of Selective Mutism

Roaring Whisper works with children, families, schools, and professionals in New York and New Jersey. Professional trainings are offered nationwide.

WELCOME TO ROARING WHISPER

Child with selective mutism has increased confidence at school after treatment in Ramsey, NJ

Where we use proven methods to help develop confident communication.

Roaring Whisper helps children with selective mutism find their voice in New York and New Jersey. Using evidence-based practices, we help children build confidence and practice speaking in new places and with new people. As a specialty practice, we focus 100% on treating selective mutism. This means the families, schools, and professionals we work with can feel confident they are receiving support and resources from an experienced and highly-trained professional.

Navigating Selective Mutism as a Team

Evidence-Based

We use evidence-based approaches to help children overcome selective mutism.

Family-Focused

We offer dedicated support for parents and work directly with families during the entire process.

Collaborative Care

Treating selective mutism takes a team approach. We collaborate closely with everyone involved in your child’s care.

Therapy, School Trainings, & Consultations

For Children & Families

Therapy for
Selective Mutism

One-on-one therapy for children and families in New Jersey and New York to help children speak in places and with people they previously could not.

Child practicing strategies during therapy for selective mutism in New Jersey

For Schools & Districts

School Trainings
& Support

Training, resources, and direct intervention to support educators and school staff in facilitating the educational and social success of their students with selective mutism.

School staff participating in training for selective mutism

For Parents & Professionals

Parent & Professional Consultations

Dedicated Zoom or phone calls for parents and professionals seeking guidance, support, and strategies to best support their child or client with selective mutism.

Parents receiving online consultation for helping their child with selective mutism

MEET YOUR THERAPIST

Rebecca Leong, MS, CCC-SLP

Rebecca Leong, MS, CCC-SLP, speech therapist who specializes in selective mutism in New York and New Jersey

Becca is a speech-language pathologist with over 15 years of experience, who now specializes in assessing and treating selective mutism. She has had the privilege of receiving extensive training and working closely with leaders in the field, including earning her PCIT-SM certification under Dr. Steven Kurtz.

Becca's commitment to this work is deeply personal. As the parent of a daughter with selective mutism, she experienced firsthand the scarcity of resources and specialists available to help. This inspired her to start Roaring Whisper, where she provides the specialized support that children with selective mutism need and deserve.

At Roaring Whisper, Becca offers personalized therapy, consultations for parents, and training for schools, all aimed at empowering children to manage and overcome selective mutism. Her goal is to help them communicate confidently and effectively. She is dedicated to using evidence-based treatments, fostering collaboration, and educating families to support children with selective mutism in revealing their true selves to the world.

Advanced Training and Certifications:
- PCIT-SM Certification
- Selective Mutism Training Institute for Professionals

Client Testimonials

  • "I cannot express how grateful we are for the incredible work of Becca at Roaring Whisper. When our child was diagnosed with selective mutism, we were very worried about finding her the right support. Becca has been amazing every step of the way, not only with our child but with us! She is reassuring for parents while being supportive and calming for kids. Thanks to Becca our child is now more confident and able to express themselves in situations that used to be incredibly challenging. We have seen a transformation not only in speech, but also in overall happiness and social engagement."

    ~ Parent

  • "Not only has Becca seen our daughter for who she is beyond her Selective Mutism, she has been a consistent and encouraging guide for us through a uniquely isolating and difficult journey. From the start, she recognized the boisterous and fun-loving (and extroverted!) child stuck behind the severe anxiety, and with patience, great care, and understanding, she helped our daughter to feel safe and free, being her full self around others. Becca has given our daughter (and us) the invaluable gift of knowing that even when things are tough and seemingly insurmountable, with the right approach and support, she can overcome! Forever grateful to have Becca lead us up this climb."

    ~ Parent

  • "Becca is simply amazing and has helped our five-year-old daughter make tremendous progress over the last year. My daughter went from not being able to say a single word to anyone outside of her immediate family to being fully verbal with more people than I can count, spanning across our family, friends, and even preschool. Becca’s insightful guidance, disciplined approach, and compassion for kids have been invaluable to us. My daughter absolutely adores Becca, and I can’t wait to see her every week. We are forever grateful to her for not only helping our daughter acquire life-long skills critical to overcoming her Selective Mutism but also for coaching us on how to enrich the relationship with our child using very simple and easy-to-follow techniques."

    ~ Parent

  • “Becca has been instrumental in helping our son. Many people may have not been educated on Selective Mutism, as we encountered discouraging responses and comments from the school. Becca was able to help educate the teachers and administrators on Selective Mutism and help us navigate the classroom dynamic. She also understands that each child is different and has been observant and able to leverage her skills to gain trust from my son quickly. Whenever we have questions or concerns, Becca addresses them quickly, and she has a plan to mitigate the potential issues. We have known her for less than a year, and my son is fully verbal in school and social settings.”

    ~ Parent

  • “Rebecca treated my children for selective mutism. She showed us empathy, kindness, and professionalism. She was a much needed and valuable resource on our journey as a family in learning and understanding this anxiety disorder. She has a very organized and strategic way to treat those with selective mutism. She educated my husband and I as well as educators and main providers at school for our children. I felt heard, I felt that my children were understood, and I could tell they felt it as well. My children's needs were met and whenever I reached out to Rebecca, she got back to me promptly. I highly recommend Roaring Whisper for treating selective mutism. This anxiety disorder doesn't go away on its own, it needs to be addressed by a professional who specializes in selective mutism. Rebecca has changed our lives and our children's lives forever and we are so grateful to have found her!”

    ~ Parent

  • "Rebecca's efficient, precise, and practical training gave me the theoretical knowledge to begin working with students with selective mutism that was far superior to other resources I had accessed prior to meeting her. Rebecca also provided critical, ongoing support as I learned to design and deliver selective mutism treatment plans. On several occasions, I was "stuck" with a student and a short conversation with Rebecca allowed me to find the path forward toward continuous progress. My students' progress was exponential after bringing Rebecca on board as a consultant, and I was able to discharge and/or reduce student services due to remarkable student growth. Even as a licensed, experienced SLP, I could not have done it without her! "

    ~ School Speech Therapist

Child with selective mutism working on communicating confidently at school

Here’s the process to getting started with Roaring Whisper, the Selective Mutism experts serving families in New York and New Jersey.

  1. We will begin with a free 15-minute inquiry call to discuss your concerns and determine if Roaring Whisper is the right fit. During this call, we will also determine whether an assessment is needed or if a referral for an alternate service is most appropriate.

  2. When an assessment is recommended, we take the time to understand your child’s needs across environments and people. Assessments include parent and teacher questionnaires, parent interviews, video review/child observation, and goal development to guide therapy.

  3. Treatment starts with training parents using the PCIT-SM (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy adapted for Selective Mutism) method. PCIT-SM is an evidence-based therapy in which we use coaching and feedback to provide parents with the tools needed to support their child in using their brave voice.

  4. We then coordinate a collaborative meeting with your child's school to provide the necessary training for educators on how to work with children who have selective mutism so your child can practice using their brave voices in school.

  5. Throughout our times together, we will also meet at various locations in the community so your child can practice using their brave voice in all other difficult situations.

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