Hello Bill. I have a Mimikyu who is quite scared of thunderstorms due to some past trauma. Whenever we have one, she goes and hides under the bed and will refuse to come out for hours. Is there anyway I can help her cope better during storms so she’ll no longer have to hide under the bed or should I just leave her be?

All phobias are difficult to outgrow, especially those related to something as powerful and often difficult to predict as the weather. However, there are certainly ways you can coax your mimikyu out from under the bed, although she may still be quite terrified either way. The simple solution is to make your home feel safe for her. Provide a comfortable space in the interior of your home, away from any windows. Offer distractions (her favorite snacks, toys, and so on) and be sure you can drop what you’re doing to offer support and reassurance during a storm. (You may wish to coax her out the first few times until she realizes the space you’ve created for her is completely safe.) If your mimikyu sees this (that is, the space and your willingness to support her), then she will gradually begin to feel safe near you and will, at the very least, spend more time with you than under the bed.

From there, if you wish, you can work on her fear of storms, but do remember that it’s best to take things gradually.