The other night when I'd just gone to bed Trigger Person Number 1 went into the kitchen where Diana was. She totally avoids him - she says all his noises are triggers. I heard, thump thump bang (door being slammed) as she escaped.

She came upstairs in panic mode and knocked on the door. We sat together in the dark while she waited for him to leave the kitchen. I'm Trigger Person Number 2. No problem with my visual triggers in the dark. I put my hand on her head to comfort her. The palm of my hand was resting on the top of her ear - I could feel it moving. She was poking her ears (and the earplugs that she always wears at home) in the dark to block out any sound.

That's one of her coping strategies. She uses it when she's going into a room without knowing what's going on in there. She uses it if she's in danger of being triggered, or to mask noises that catch her unawares. Sadly Trigger Person Number 1 thinks she does it to annoy him. I'd say doing it in the dark means it's for herself.

I thought perhaps this is progress. She didn't rush outside and sit in the car, and the expression of anger was only a door slam. Maturity? Learning to cope better?

It's pretty sad when you can't handle being around your dad.