I have to start with the mornings because that is where it lived. Marcus would wake up and within twenty minutes his body would know what was coming. He was not dramatic about it. He was not performing. His nervous system had simply decided that school was danger, and it responded accordingly. Every single morning, without exception, for eight months.

We tried everything a parent tries. Reward charts. Different routes to school. Arriving early so he could get comfortable first. Arriving late so there was no waiting. Sitting with him in the car for 45 minutes until he was ready. His teacher was extraordinary, she would come to the gate, take his hand, walk him in. He would go. He would cry. He would recover. And the next morning it would start again.

His pediatrician mentioned medication. I asked for 8 weeks to try something else first.

The sessions were calm. He thought he was playing a computer game, which he was, except the game was measuring his brain the whole time. He liked coming. That mattered.

Session 7, he ate breakfast without mentioning school. Session 10, I opened the car door and he got out, walked to the gate, turned around and waved. Just a small hand wave. And walked in.

I stood there on the footpath for a long time. I was not prepared for how much I had been carrying until that moment when I didn't have to anymore."

Diana W., parent of Marcus, age 7, 14 sessions over 7 weeks