Brave Buddies® Program

Brave Buddies® is an intensive group behavioral treatment program designed to help children 3-12 years old with selective mutism (SM) speak in school and other public places. Brave Buddies is one component of our comprehensive treatment approach, and not a standalone intervention. Most children require some individual treatment to make initial gains with regards to brave talking, prior to participating in group treatment, though individual treatment does not need to be provided by the Child Mind Institute.

We create a classroom-like setting that offers children a safe environment to practice verbal participation, or what we call “brave talking.” In the classroom, we provide ample speaking opportunities and we tailor speaking goals to the individual needs of the child, to target things like presenting, spontaneous speech, larger group interactions and community exposures. We have a special curriculum for the older children (8 and older) who participate in the program, which incorporate CBT strategies, such as education about anxiety, mindfulness and goal setting. Our counselors are highly trained in PCIT-SM, which is the evidence-based treatment we use to help with brave talking. Parent training is an integral part of Brave Buddies®.

Brave Buddies® is offered as a multi-day intensive program twice a year, and as one-day sessions several times throughout the year.

• Who: Children diagnosed with selective mutism (SM) between the ages of three and twelve are invited to join Brave Buddies®
• What: One day in-person program
• Where: Child Mind Institute Midtown Office 101 E 56^th Street New York, NY 10022
• When: Friday April 21^st 2023, 9-2pm

One-day programs are open to current, former and new patients who have been determined to be eligible by the clinical team at the Child Mind Institute. Eligibility for Brave Buddies is determined through an initial evaluation and the child’s progress in individual treatment. All children should be toilet-trained and able to make it through the 5-hour program without nap time. We offer a number of treatment options for children not eligible for Brave Buddies®. 

• Who: Children diagnosed with selective mutism (SM) between the ages of three and twelve are invited to join Brave Buddies®
• What: Five-day in-person program
• Where: Allen-Stevenson School, 132 East 78^th Street, New York, NY 10075

• When: Monday, August 7^th – Friday, August 11^th, 2023 (9am-2pm daily)

Multi-day programs are open to current, former and new patients who have been determined to be eligible by the clinical team at the Child Mind Institute. Eligibility for Brave Buddies is determined through an initial evaluation and the child’s progress in individual treatment. All children should be toilet-trained and able to make it through the 5-hour program without nap time. We offer a number of treatment options for children not eligible for Brave Buddies®. 

• One day in-person program: $650
• Five-day in-person program: $3,250
• Parent training sessions are included in the program fee

Lead-in sessions improve the likelihood of your child’s success in the program, and they are also considered a crucial part of Brave Buddies®. Lead-in sessions are conducted prior to the first day of the four-day program. Depending on the specific needs of your child, the lead-in may be a single session, or it may be multiple sessions completed over consecutive days just prior to the beginning of the program. Lead in sessions for August 2023 Brave Buddies will occur on Thursday, August 3^rd and/or Friday August 4^th. Lead-ins and a feedback session are charged at the clinician’s rate, and they not included in the overall program cost.

Multi-day programs: We require a 50% deposit to secure your child’s spot in multi-day programs. If a participant cannot attend a multi-day program and a Brave Buddies® coordinator is notified 30 days prior to the start date of the program, a refund will be issued, excluding a $300 non-refundable deposit for administrative fees. If less than 30 days’ notification is given, no refund will be provided.

No refunds will be issued if the program moves to a virtual format once the program has started.

One-day programs: We require a 50% deposit to secure your child’s spot in one-day programs taken upon registration. If a participant cannot attend a one-day program and a Brave Buddies® coordinator is notified at least 14 days prior to the start date of the program, a refund will be issued, excluding a $60 non-refundable deposit for administrative fees. If less than 14 days’ notification is given, no refund will be provided.

No refunds will be issued if the program moves to a virtual format once the program has started.

To learn more, please read our COVID-19 safety guidelines.