Dear Leslie and matador:

Indeed the two of you are a good team. Please continue to travel together day after day. When dealing with authority figures, practice every time, take every opportunity facing an authority figure and use it to practice looking the person in the eyes, standing tall, keeping your voice calm. Keep calming your child inside as you do that, telling her how well she is doing. Do this even though your heart may be racing and you are dizzy because of adrenaline rushing, the chemical reactions involved in the preparations to fight or run.

As you practice and build trust in yourself to behave courageously although afraid, the next time and the next, you will be less afraid because you will be trusting yourself, through experience, to endure the fear, the distress, and function well anyway.

Good to have you back here, both of you!

anita