Last night my 8-year-old daughter and I were eating a hamburger in a restaurant. She started to get angry when the "xtras" were falling out of her bun. It quickly turned into a very frustrated girl who tensed up, closed her fists, started kicking the table, chair, yelling "I hate myself, I hate my life." I tried to comfort her, but was unable. She said she was hungry and wanted to eat, but couldn't. Said she didn't know why she couldn't. She was crying and very distraught but couldn't explain why. I finally left, even though she said she didn't want to leave, took her over to her dad's house, which is what she wanted, and he was able to calm her down. She reverted to speaking like a 3-year-old, ate and was fine in the end. I've never seen this behavior in her. I've seen her frustrated at times when things aren't going as she expects or desires and heard her say she hates herself before as well. She's extremely hard on herself. She's on a dance team this year for the first time, and her first competition is coming up this weekend. I think she's feeling less than adequate and is very stressed about it. She told her father that she doesn't want to come in last place. I'm concerned and feel I should take her to see a child therapist, but don't know if I'm overreacting. And if I should, I don't know how to find a good one. Would you call her pediatrician and ask for a referral? Any feedback is appreciated.