Past experiences tell us that the window over the kitchen sink terrifies Lilly. Over time, we isolated it as a sound issue. I tried, tried, tried to counter-condition it via the Relaxation Protocol and by only opening it a little bit while Lilly ate meals in the kitchen. Then, to be honest, I sort of gave up.
Did I really need to open THAT window?
Probably not, if it meant upsetting Lilly.
A Breakthrough
Then, earlier this summer, I completely forgot about the window issues.
I opened it without even thinking, and Lilly didn’t flinch. She didn’t step away. She didn’t react. She didn’t seem to care.
Only then did I realize … we’d had a breakthrough. I don’t know how, but she seems to be over her kitchen window phobia.
Weird. Yes?
Maybe you’re right, Dino. I like to think I’m self-aware enough to keep those vibes in check, especially at home, but you never know. Lilly knows FAR more about me than I ever will about her. She is a much better student.
What awesome news!!! What a blessing to have one little issue just disappear! And by the way, I am absolutely loving that book you sent! I am almost finished and have already lined up it’s new home!
That’s terrific. I love when books have a life like that. I know it doesn’t help the author much to have one book get passed around, but I’m always glad to share books and such with people.
Our local library had a big 100-year anniversary a few years ago. They had these forms near checkout that you could fill out, and essentially they wanted you to complete the sentence … I love my library because …
So, I wrote “because I could never afford to buy all the books I want to read.”
And, they used my quote on a HUGE banner. Cracked me up, but it’s so true.
I wish that would happen with Emma and the laundry. She almost hyper-ventilates when she sees me getting ready to do wash.
Me too. Poor sweetie. Laundry is such a mundane thing. It’s so sad that it freaks her out. At least I could leave the window closed. You cannot NOT do laundry.
I find this happens every once in a while too. Daisy seems to find her own way through a “fear” without my intervention – except for relaxing and keeping a low key atmosphere. She’s been watching me intently while I do Qigong, maybe it’s “rubbing off”!!
🙂
Glad Lilly has “befriended” the kitchen window … way to GO Lilly!
Same thing happened with Allie and me. After Allie was in a car accident last year (with me), she was terrified of getting in my car. After a few weeks of intensive but only partially successful desensitization and counter-conditioning, I gave up for awhile. When I tried again a couple of months later, she was much, much better.