In this episode of Unmuted, I reflect on kindness — the quiet, ordinary kind that changes lives without making noise.

Building on Episode 2, I share how living with selective mutism shaped my childhood, and how a simple, unexpected film helped me see something I had long overlooked: the people who showed up for me when I couldn’t speak for myself.

Through memories, cinema, and reflection, this episode explores:

• What it means to grow up silent in a loud world

• How anxiety can hide behind labels like “quiet” or “shy”

• The small acts of kindness that hold us together — especially when we’re struggling

This is an episode for anyone who has ever felt unseen, misunderstood, or quietly carried by the kindness of others.

⚠️ Content & Trigger Warnings

This episode includes gentle discussion of:

• Anxiety

• Selective Mutism

• Childhood emotional distress

• Mental health struggles

Please listen with care, and take pauses if needed.

🎬 Spoiler Alert

This episode contains spoilers for the 2002 film About a Boy.

💌 Stay ConnectedIf you live with selective mutism, anxiety, or any speech-related difficulty — or if you know someone who does — I’d love to hear your story. You’re welcome to write to me or share your thoughts in the comments.

🌱 A Gentle Reminder

You don’t have to be loud to be worthy of kindness.
Sometimes, simply showing up is enough.

In this deeply reflective episode, Roohi explores how the labels we receive — from quiet and shy to introvert and beyond — shape our sense of self. What begins as a story about silence unfolds into a heartfelt exploration of anxiety, selective mutism, and the invisible struggle of wanting to speak but feeling unable to.

Roohi shares the moment a label once brought comfort — and how she eventually realized it wasn’t quite right. Through lived experience and gentle reflection, she offers insight into how language can both limit and liberate, and how understanding can become a key to healing.

This episode will resonate with anyone who has ever felt misunderstood, unheard, or defined by others’ words rather than their own truth.

⚠️ Content & Trigger Warnings

This episode includes discussion of:

• Selective Mutism

• Anxiety and social anxiety

• Mental health struggles

• Shame, identity, and self-perception

If any of these topics feel sensitive for you right now, consider listening in a space where you feel safe and supported.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• How everyday labels influence identity

• The difference between introversion and compulsion

• A personal journey from silence to understanding

• What selective mutism really is — especially in adults

• The power of naming our experiences correctly

• A poem by Emily Dickinson that speaks to the unseen

  
  

Why It MattersIn a world that prizes loudness and visibility, this episode honors the unseen, unheard, and quietly brave. It’s a gentle invitation for listeners to reconsider the labels they’ve carried — and the ones they might choose instead.

If this episode resonated with you — whether you live with selective mutism, know someone who does, or recognize a similar experience — I’d love to hear from you.
Write to me at: [ Instagram : @roohibhatnagar/ website link: www.roohibhatnagar.com]

You’re welcome to share your thoughts or experiences in the comments wherever you listen. You are not alone.

Music at the end offers a moment of reflection and peace — a pause to sit with your own inner world.

In the next episode, Roohi explores the good things she once overlooked — a story about a film, a child, and the small, ordinary acts that can change a life.

Welcome to the very first episode of Unmuted — in this episode, I begin with a deeply personal chapter of my journey.

You’ll hear about:

• Why I’m creating Unmuted — and the gentle mission behind this podcast.

This episode includes references to childhood anxiety, postpartum depression, and emotional distress.

Please listen with care, and pause if you need to.

Thank you for starting this journey with me.