To answer a few points:

 

The school counsellor based her diagnosis on what Ashton had been saying and the tone she was using (down, depressive, teary tone).  However, the psychotherapists at CAFS did not agree with the school counsellors diagnosis of extremely depressed and suicidal.  CAFS have diagnosed her as midly depressed, not suicidal and think that St Johns Wort would be a good thing to try to see if that helps lift the mood before considering being put on prescribed anti-depressants.  One of Ashton's problems has been getting to sleep because she says that she sees herself as dead, in a coffin in the ground but trying to claw her way up and out.   School counsellor says that this is a sign of suicidal thoughts, however my gut instinct says that she has had her grandmothers funeral of last year ingrained on her mind....as she went to the viewing of the body, to the full requiem mass at the cathedral, then to the burial, and threw a red rose into the grave.  With her sensitive nature, in hindsight it may not have been good to take her to the viewing, etc.

 

Yesterday, we had no problems getting her to go to school, same with this morning.  She has a good support network of friends who try to keep her spirits up.

 

She will not be going to Germany.  As far as we are concerned, regardless of finances we think that our kids can travel overseas once they are independent financially of us and older when they can do their own things.  This will probably sound selfish, but Patrick and I have decided that we will be saving up for him and me to go away for 10 days to Melbourne and Hobart in 2 years time so that we can have a much needed holiday to ourselves.

 

We have another meeting with CAFS family therapists next monday without Ashton so we will see what comes out of that.

 

And, even better news is that Tyler has got a full time job, started yesterday working at the big red shed....so he is pleased that he will be earning his own money and I am pleased to have the house back to myself.  We have told him that we will start charging him board from next February so that he can spend the next few months getting savings behind him.

 

As for myself, I am in a better frame of mind, certainly less stressed....probably by trying hard to not let what has been happening drag me down emotionally.