People will be "shocked and afraid"

Phillip Hodson said it could take years before the small Midlothian town returns to anywhere near normal after the 14-year-old's murder.

Bereavement counsellors were immediately sent to Jodi's home and school in a bid to help her family and friends try to cope with her death.

The St David's High School pupil's body was found on a woodland path on Monday evening by family out searching for her.

Mr Hodson, a fellow of the British Association for Counselling, said the teenager's sudden and violent murder will have left the town in "shock and afraid".

"The immediate environment is going to feel appreciably more dangerous to everyone," he told BBC News Online Scotland.

'Lashing out'

"It's worried about safety and there will be people who would like to find someone to blame very quickly because blaming people often helps us to cope.

"If the community could find someone they would probably rip them to pieces and this would work on one level but on another it wouldn't help at all.

"The counsellors will be trying to help people manage feelings, which perhaps for most of the individuals involved are far bigger than they've ever had before and are about something that is worse than they have ever experienced before."

AN EXPERT'S VIEW People will feel in danger Reactions will be different with different people Revenge will be one strong desire A need to find someone to blame Children may not want to go out Counsellors will help "manage feelings" The experts will look for those who need long-term help The grieving process could take up to three years

The desire for revenge will mean people lashing out at something they cannot touch, said the counsellor.

But the newspaper and TV "agony uncle" said it was vital that people let the police get on with the "professional job they are trained to do".

Mr Hodson, an author of 11 books, added: "In fact, the police have a very big role to play in the healing process, but then finding a killer is not the whole story and it won't just be done and dusted when that happens."

Past experience has shown that small communities take a long time to return to normal after suffering the brutal death of a child.

"Dalkeith will feel very much like Soham did last year," explained Mr Hodson.

He said there are people still in the early stages of bereavement following the deaths of the two primary school children Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

Mr Hodson said different people react in different ways to violent killings such as Jodi's.

'Bursting into tears'

"There will be some kids who won't want to go to school or who won't want to go out.

"You might find one classmate or teacher of the girl will be okay and others will be disturbed - there is no way of knowing.

"People cope with things in different ways," he said.

Mr Hodson added that counsellors would be providing a support network and looking out for those who need long-term help.

"It will definitely take a year, possible two and even three years before some people stop bursting into tears and can manage to keep an element of control over their emotions."