Children diagnosed with selective mutism (SM) and/or social anxiety between the ages of 3- to 10-years old are invited to join our Mighty Mouth Kids Camp. Multi-day camp programs are open to current, former, and new patients who have been determined to be eligible by the clinical team at Square One Psychology.

New families are are encouraged to complete the “I’m Interested!” Form. A member of our team will then reach out to schedule you for a free, 30-minute call with our Camp Director who will help determine if MMK is appropriate for your child.

Mighty Mouth Kids (MMK) is an evidence-based intensive group treatment model for children with Selective Mutism, originally developed by Dr. Steven Kurtz in 2009 at NYU. The model was later replicated at the Child Mind Institute as “Brave Buddies” and formally continued at Kurtz Psychology as “Mighty Mouth Kids.”

Following the closure of Kurtz Psychology’s physical operations in 2024, MMK transitioned seamlessly to its new home at Square One Psychology under the leadership of Dr. Zohra Chahal. Dr. Kurtz remains actively involved as Senior Consulting Psychologist, ensuring continuity of the original MMK model, philosophy, and clinical standards.

While many programs now use similar language or formats, MMK at Square One reflects the direct lineage of the original treatment model — grounded in exposure-based practice, structured skill-building, and intensive, real-time coaching.

Selective Mutism is maintained by patterns of avoidance that are often deeply embedded in daily routines — especially in school and peer settings.

While weekly therapy can be helpful, progress is often slower because children may only have brief opportunities to practice speaking in structured settings.

An intensive model allows for repeated, supported exposure in real time — across multiple peers, adults, and activities in a single day. The frequency and momentum of practice helps children move beyond “warming up” and begin building lasting comfort and confidence more quickly.

For many families, the intensive format accelerates progress that might otherwise take months to build.

Square One Psychology does not participate as an in-network provider for any specific health insurance plans. However, we are able to provide a detailed statement of services for families to then submit directly to their insurance provider. We strongly recommend that families who hope to submit such reimbursement claims consult with their insurance provider, in advance, for the specific out-of-network (OON) benefits of their plan.

Our Camp Director, Dr. Zohra Chahal, is a certified PCIT-SM Therapist and has co-led many selective mutism therapy trainings with Dr. Steven Kurtz. As such, our staff consists of specially trained clinicians, such as psychologists and social workers. We also intensively train volunteers in our evidence-based approaches so they can help support the program as counselors.

Children are paired with counselors at a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio. In this way, each camper receives coaching and support to help them meet their unique goals.

Lead-In Sessions are a foundational component of the Mighty Mouth Kids (MMK) treatment model and are designed to set each child up for success before the full group convenes.

Individual Lead-In sessions help children establish rapport, comfort, and verbal responsiveness with the Camp Director and at least one Counselor in the camp setting. Once verbal communication with adults is established, a Peer Lead-In session would be coordinated to support communication in the presence of another camper. These sessions create a strong bridge from one-on-one interaction to group participation.

The Group Lead-In session, held immediately prior to camp week, reacquaints children with the camp environment, previews expectations, and helps reduce first-day anxiety so campers can enter the week with greater confidence and momentum.

The number and structure of Individual and Peer Lead-Ins are determined in advance based on each child’s clinical presentation and prior treatment experience.

Our camp is carefully designed to provide children with a range of age- and developmentally-appropriate exposure opportunities. Our program replicates a school setting, by featuring an analog classroom, and provides seamless opportunities for both peer-to-peer exposures and brave talking exposures in the community.

Over the span of the multi-day camp, each Camper receives individualized coaching and support to generalize their brave talking successes across more people, places, and activities.

A typical day begins with free play and warm-up time before moving on to a morning huddle. Morning and afternoon activities may include:

• small- or large-group games or art activities,

• cooperative and group play during recess,

• individual presentations,

• engaging with special guests such as a dentist, school nurse, or animal experts,

• field trips to a local ice cream shop, toy store, or zoo, and

• practice celebrations (e.g., birthday party).

New families are encouraged to first complete this “I’m Interested!” Form. A member of our team will then reach out to schedule you for a free, 30-minute call with our Camp Director who will help determine if Mighty Mouth Kids camp is appropriate for your child. If so, you will then be scheduled for an initial assessment. After completing the evaluation, our Camp Director will meet with you to review our treatment recommendations. If the MMK Camp is indeed a good fit, the initial evaluation fee will go towards the full cost of camp.

Families that are currently in treatment with us would simply reach out to our Administrative Coordinator and proceed with submitting a deposit to secure their child’s enrollment.

Half of the camp fee is required as a registration fee to secure your child’s enrollment in our camp. The remainder camp fee is due the Friday before lead-ins week.

A $2,000 registration deposit is required to secure enrollment in MMK Camp. The remaining balance is due prior to the start of Lead-In Week, unless a written and signed payment plan is in effect.

If written notice of withdrawal is received 31 or more days prior to the start of Lead-In Week, tuition paid will be refunded minus a $1,000 administrative fee.

If withdrawal occurs 30 days or fewer prior to the start of Lead-In Week, the $2,000 registration deposit becomes non-refundable. Any tuition paid beyond the deposit will be refunded.

Once Lead-In Week has commenced, tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable. Tuition cannot be prorated or credited for missed days once programming has begun.

If you still have questions regarding any aspect of the Mighty Mouth Kids Camp, we encourage you to reach out to our Administrative Coordinator. You may contact her by email at clare@squareonenyc.com.