By Dr. Elisa Shipon Blum 

When people hear that Stage 3 of the Social Communication Bridge® is the Verbal Communication stage, they often assume the hardest part is over. “If they’re talking, they’re fine.” That assumption is one of the biggest misconceptions about Selective Mutism.

Stage 3 is not simply about talking. It represents an incredibly broad range of communication abilities and is often where some of the most meaningful growth occurs. It is where communication becomes stronger, more flexible, more spontaneous, more expressive, and increasingly independent.

The goal isn’t simply helping someone speak. The goal is helping them become a communicator.

One Stage…A Wide Range of Communication

Stage 3 includes children, teens, and adults whose communication may look very different from one another. For one individual, Stage 3 may mean quietly responding with one- or two-word answers that are barely audible. They answer questions when asked but rarely initiate conversation.

Another individual may respond comfortably and be heard easily but still wait for others to begin the conversation.

Someone further along in Stage 3 may initiate conversations, ask questions, elaborate on ideas, express opinions, tell stories, joke with friends, advocate for themselves, and comfortably participate in discussions.

Every one of these individuals is in Stage 3. What differs is not whether they can speak. What differs is how comfortably, consistently, independently, and elaboratively they communicate.

Communication Is More Than Words

Communication is much more than producing speech. It includes initiating interactions, maintaining conversations, asking questions, sharing ideas,
expressing feelings, solving problems, advocating for oneself, participating in groups, and developing meaningful relationships.

Many individuals in Stage 3 can answer questions but struggle to keep a conversation going. Others communicate comfortably one-on-one but become noticeably quieter in small groups. Some participate easily in small groups but hesitate when the group becomes larger or less familiar.

These differences matter.

They help us understand where support is still needed and where communication can continue to grow.

Different Settings Often Mean Different Levels of Communication

One of the hallmarks of Selective Mutism is that communication changes depending on the environment and the people involved.

A child may speak freely at home, answer questions at school, but rarely initiate conversations with classmates. A teenager may chat comfortably with close friends but become much quieter around unfamiliar peers. An adult may communicate confidently during work meetings yet avoid speaking in social situations.

This is why we always look at communication across settings rather than placing someone into a single category of “verbal” or “nonverbal.” The goal is helping communication become increasingly flexible across people, places, and situations.

Communication Expands Gradually

As communication develops, it typically expands outward. From one trusted person to another, from one-on-one interactions to small groups, and eventually to larger groups and unfamiliar settings. With each step, communication becomes more natural and requires less effort.

For the majority, they become more comfortable sharing ideas, expressing opinions, asking questions, joining conversations, and simply being themselves. As communication becomes easier, they begin using their voice for what it was always intended….to connect, participate, learn, advocate, build relationships, and enjoy being part of the conversation.

There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Path

Although Stage 3 represents verbal communication, no two individuals arrive there with the same strengths or the same challenges. Some continue to struggle primarily because of social communication anxiety. Others may also have sensory processing differences, speech and language disorders, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, learning differences, executive functioning challenges, auditory processing difficulties, bilingual language considerations, perfectionism, or other factors that influence communication.

These underlying factors—the WHYs of Selective Mutism—matter.

Understanding those WHYs allows treatment to be individualized. It guides the accommodations, supports, and interventions that will help communication continue to develop. There is no universal strategy that works for everyone. Treatment should always match the individual, not the diagnosis alone.

Proper Treatment Matters

Communication does not become more independent simply because time passes. Progress occurs when treatment addresses the individual’s underlying needs while helping them develop communication skills in a thoughtful, systematic way. As communication changes, interventions should change as well.

Someone who is just beginning Stage 3 requires different supports than someone who is comfortably initiating conversations and participating within groups. Treatment should evolve alongside the individual. That is why comprehensive assessment, individualized treatment planning, and ongoing adjustments are so important.

Parents and Educators Are Essential

Helping someone progress through Stage 3 is not the responsibility of the individual alone. Parents, educators, therapists, and other supportive adults all play an essential role. Learning how to recognize a person’s current communication stage, understanding their WHYs, providing appropriate accommodations, and using strategies that foster, not force, communication creates opportunities for success throughout the day.

When home, school, treatment, and community settings work together, communication becomes more consistent and increasingly independent. One of the most important goals is helping adults know when to facilitate communication and when to gradually step back.

Support should never create dependence. It should build independence.

Comfort. Connection. Confidence.

Everything we do in Social Communication Anxiety Treatment (S-CAT®) begins with three essential foundations: Comfort, Connection, & Confidence. When individuals feel comfortable, genuine connections begin to develop. Those connections build confidence. Confidence leads to increasingly spontaneous and independent communication.

Communication is not where treatment begins. It is where comfort, connection, and confidence lead.

Reaching Each Individual’s Potential

Stage 3 is not the finish line. It is a stage of continued growth. The goal is never to compare one child, teen, or adult to another. The goal is to help everyone reach their own communication potential.

For some, that means becoming consistently verbal, spontaneous, elaborative, and expressive across nearly every setting. For others, underlying neurodevelopmental, language, sensory, or cognitive differences may influence what that potential ultimately looks like. Success is measured by growth.

By greater participation. By increased independence. By stronger self-advocacy. By meaningful relationships. By having a voice that allows an individual to fully participate in school, work, family, friendships, and everyday life.

Because Stage 3 is not simply about talking. It is about becoming a confident, connected, and increasingly independent communicator.