Facing our FEARS

The dread that comes with phobias can be crippling but it's possible to overcome even our worst terrors

- 

'YOU CAN TRAIN YOUR BRAIN TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY'

Maya Leonard, 50, is an author.

She lives in Brighton with her husband Sam and two sons, Arthur, 20, and Sebastian, 11.

As a child, screaming and running away from creepy-crawlies was part of who I was. An insect phobia seems socially acceptable, especially for girls.

But in 2010, I took my son Arthur, then four, to London Zoo. Walking through a butterfly tunnel, a large, turquoise-winged insect landed on my arm - and I screamed and ran out. I'd tried to keep my phobia a secret from Arthur, but he was starting to fear insects himself. So in 2011, I committed to conquering it.

As a voracious reader, I sought to reframe bugs through reading about them - and a book about beetles captivated me. I was writing my first children's novel, and decided to make a giant rhino beetle called Baxter my hero.

In summer 2016, my agent called with an opportunity to promote my book on Blue Peter. The brief? To hold lots of beetles. Saying no wasn't an option.

So I met entomologist Dr Sarah Beynon at The Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire. She introduced me to beetles of various sizes and, gradually, I came to see their beauty.

More recently, my friend Jess invited me to hold her pinktoe tarantula Rosie. That was when I realised I had overcome my phobia. I'm now an avid gardener and own pet beetles. It's amazing how you can train your brain to see things differently.

'MY FEAR OF FOOD LED TO ANOREXIA'