Fear of going to school (didaskaleinophobia)

A fear of going to school can show up as tummy aches, tears or refusal on school mornings. It affects children and teenagers, and it can be helped with the right support.

What it feels like

• Feeling sick or tearful on school mornings
• Begging to stay at home
• Dreading the classroom, playground or teachers

Please note: If your child is avoiding school, please also speak to the school and your GP so they have wider support.

Common questions

Is this just school refusal?

School refusal is the behaviour, and the fear is often what lies behind it. The cause can be bullying, work worries, separation or social anxiety, so it helps to understand what is going on.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

See all session options and prices