Dr. Avny is a clinical psychologist with expertise in assessing and treating anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. One of her primary areas of specialization is in treating youth with selective mutism.

Dr. Avny trained under leaders in the field, including an externship with Dr. Richard Gallagher at the NYU Child Study Center and a post-doctoral fellowship at the Child Mind Institute. She then served as the Director of the Selective Mutism Program at Kurtz Psychology Consulting prior to opening the Child & Adolescent Anxiety Practice (CAAP) to pursue her programmatic and clinical visions.

Dr. Avny is best known for developing and implementing WeSpeak – the first behavioral group intensive program for pre-teens and teens with SM. She runs WeSpeak several times a year and does follow-up consultations as needed with WeSpeak families and schools. WeSpeak has been presented at national conferences, and was documented and aired as an episode on the BBC World News. Dr. Avny is frequently invited to give webinars and trainings on treating older youth with Selective Mutism.

Dr. Avny now works at the New Jersey Center for OCD and Anxiety (NJCOA), but maintains CAAP for WeSpeak and trainings. She remains interested in identifying mechanisms to translate the progress made in treatment to the real world. Inspired by a former supervisor who was relentless in his therapeutic efforts, Dr. Avny is heavily invested in improving the lives of suffering youth on both an individual and larger scale.

Shelley Avny, PhD
New Jersey Center for OCD and Anxiety
939 Ridge Road, Suite 2B
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
609-301-4062
drshelleyavny@gmail.com
www.caapanxiety.com/wespeak