Ruth Perednik is an English-Israeli psychologist, whose passion and life’s work over the past 35 years, has been the treatment of children and teens suffering from selective mutism. Born in London, she studied at University College London, the Institute of Education, the University of London, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Perednik’s work treating selective mutism dates back to when her trilingual son suffered from the then-almost-unknown condition of selective mutism. She heads the Selective Mutism Treatment Center in Jerusalem. Her book “The Selective Mutism Treatment Manual; Still Waters Run Deep” has been translated into Hebrew, traditional and simplified Chinese, and Portuguese. She published, together with professor Yoel Elitzur, from the Hebrew University "Prevalence and Description of Selective Mutism in Immigrant and Native Families: A Controlled Study". She has developed an innovative treatment approach, over three decades, and thousands of cases of treating children with SM. This cognitive-behavioral treatment focuses on improved social communication, usually resulting in an excellent response to intervention within several months. The treatment is an integrative approach: the significant adults in the child’s world - the teacher, parents, and therapist - are all considered therapeutic agents for change, and whenever possible, carry out their own, complementary interventions, in this way leveraging momentum for change and healing. Perednik’s mantra is treating the child or teen in his natural environment since this is where the symptoms of selective mutism must be alleviated. Perednik has developed online treatment courses – for parents and therapists, and has treated clients and trained mental health professionals the world over. She carries out brief intensive treatments worldwide, and lectures in English, Spanish, and Hebrew. She has worked intensely treating children and training professionals in China, Taiwan, and South America. Perednik advocates for accountability of therapists when treating children, so that evidence-based interventions are the treatments of choice, facilitating effective therapy.