I'll never forget that day and how I felt.

On the day two years ago when we accepted that our daughter was more than 'shy', we were absolutely floored with the impact of the realisation.

I knew she had a problem with speaking to those she didn't know. But I was kind of ok with that....until I read the words "anxiety disorder."

I hadn't even finished crying yet but I had to dash to pick her up from school (where she had been silent all day) and her Reception teacher took one look at me, whisked me in, gave me a tissue and calmed me down. But I so vividly remember saying "I didn't realise it was anxiety" and thinking to myself 'the teacher is going to think that I am anxious and that's why my daughter is anxious!'

Because the truth is I'm not what I would call 'an anxious person' (of course I have some things in my life that provoke anxiety, but that's normal) but there is nothing like having a child with anxiety to make you, as a parent, feel anxious.

I'll never forget that day and how I felt. 

But it also changed my life, and the life of my daughter. Because that was the kick up the backside I needed to take her challenges seriously and help her to make huge strides to overcome her condition.

But it also led me to the work I do now, and nothing gives me greater joy, pride and pleasure than helping to support parents when they are feeling like I felt, and helping them to make progress like my child has.