EP63 features a discussion between Dr E and Dr. Jenna Blum, a lead Clinical Psychologist at the SMart Center and the Director of the SMart Center’s growing general mental health department, Counseling & Assessments.
In this episode, Dr. E and Dr. Jenna discuss the upcoming Halloween holiday.
They talk through practical strategies for helping children with Selective Mutism navigate Halloween activities successfully, how to make Halloween fun rather than pressure-filled, ways to tailor experiences to each child’s comfort level and developmental stage, and more. For more strategies, read our handout, “Tips & Tricks for a Successful Halloween.”
Golden Rules For Halloween Success
Episode 63 kicks off with Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum discussing how comfort must precede communication, emphasizing that parents should tailor Halloween experiences to each child’s needs—whether that means smaller gatherings with close friends, providing specific roles like “big shot” helper positions, or accommodating sensory challenges—rather than pressuring children to perform in large group settings.
Halloween-themed Social Engagement & Front-Line Participation
Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum continue their discussion by discussing how Halloween provides a wonderful opportunity to practice social engagement through careful preparation—including creating action plans with common questions and answers, using visual supports, and organizing smaller gatherings—which helps minimize children’s anxiety by reducing the need to think and process in the moment, allowing them to participate at the frontline rather than hanging back.
At-Home Halloween Activities
Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum reach the halfway point of this episode when they discuss how at-home Halloween activities like baking cookies, scavenger hunts, and movie nights create natural opportunities for social communication practice through repetitive, familiar tasks and “big shot” roles that reduce anxiety by allowing children to lead activities and engage with peers in comfortable, structured ways that align with their individual interests.
Trick or Treat Preparation
In the fourth chapter of this podcast, Dr. Shipon-Blum and Dr. Blum discuss how parents should create detailed action plans for trick-or-treating that prepare children for common questions in advance—using visual cards, scripting, practice exposures, or even voice memos—while respecting each child’s position on the social communication bridge rather than pressuring them to “just be brave” and speak before they’re ready.
School Halloween Parties
Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum wrap up their conversation by discussing how school Halloween parties can be overwhelming with loud chaos and unpredictability, but parents can help by arriving early, coordinating “big shot” helper roles with teachers, allowing children to sit on the outskirts if needed, and understanding that some accommodations—like skipping the parade entirely or bringing a sibling for support—are perfectly acceptable when they match the child’s comfort level.
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