I was thinking about Cordelia and had a chat with Ste about it - he used to take kids on their Y6 trip - a week in an outdoor centre - and some of them would have anxiety issues like Cordelia's. He said he found that the very different circumstances actually helped them to break free of some home routines, because it was so different they didn't seem relevant in the way they'd imagined. They had the support of friends, many of whom felt a bit homesick, even if they didn't have anxiety issues.

But the most useful thing, and something he started doing with the more anxious children before the trip, was teaching them ways of coping with the anxiety. Rather than telling them they'd be ok, or that they could 'get over' it in advance, he combined habituation with techniques like meditation, relaxation, deep breathing and using movement to manage the symptoms of anxiety. He would work with the child, putting them in (safe!) situations that provoked mild anxiety so they could practice their techniques and learn that anxiety was manageable. So the message was 'yes, you might feel anxious sleeping away, but you will cope with it'.

I think that's a very powerful thing, because it helps break that awful 'fear of anxiety' cycle that you and I know so well.

Very best wishes to you and Cordelia. It must be hard for you too,