Ok, so there are some professional hazards working with mentally ill kids, naturally. But the biggest challenges I have been facing lately, have come from the client's peers and their extended family. Sigh.  Like today:

So I was walking down the hallway at the school I'm at. See two middle school kids walking towards me: a guy and a girl. (Neither one a client). No big deal. They're talking laughing. Then the guy starts to veer close towards me in the hall. Closer. closer. too close for comfort. I walk past him ignoring them both.

And then I feel it. It was soft. Feather like even--but definitely there--Dude TAPPED MY ASS! So, ever the professional, I with lady like poise turned on my J. Crew silver flats and yelled: "What the hell ya doing, you dirty little NASTY!!!" The kid just blanched and walked away. I informed the principal and God bless her, she threw the book at his skeezy ass!

The funny thing was, that morning--I was looking in the mirror thinking how tired, bloated and run down I was looking--and scoping out new fine lines around my eyes in my rearview mirror. Maybe I should view this as the universes way of saying, "Knock it off sister, even twelve years want to 'tap that ass' ".  But I didn't. Not at all. . . I felt embarrassed.

When asked to give my statement to the school districts special security people (think Cleveland Metro Schools Special Victims Unit), I secretly wanted to melt into the floor and disappear. I didn't want to be the lady who got this kid suspended and quite possibly expelled (if my principal has her way). I just wanted the whole thing to go away. Sigh. But instead, I gave my account to the security lady and the kid (little grab ass) denied all the claims. But glory be--there was a hallway camera and another eyewitness statement that completely matched my statement--right down to what I said to the kid!

So I should be feeling all vindicated and "I am woman hear me roar". Instead I feel squee-ed out. I mean--what the hell was that little shit thinking? Did he think I wouldn't notice? Did he think I'd not say something? Did he think, "Gee--there's Ms. Andrea, I bet she'd like it if I  touched her ass this morning" ewww--I just threw up in my mouth thinking about it.

Luckily, my clients (most of whom are boys) have been nothing but super duper (did I just write that?) respectful. 

(Ok except for a couple dudes who have attempted to masturbate during therapy--but I quickly  put a stop to that. My signature way of handling any odd behavior by my clients--is to curl my upper lip, raise an eyebrown and snarl, "Are you serious?" Works like a charm. Everytime. And maybe I throw in some "ABC afterschool special" shit like--'there's a time and place for that sort of thing--attempting it in therapy is not the time or the place'.)

But I digress...being inappropriately touched by a little boy--that shit never even happened when I worked in residential. I just hope that little boy (Mr. Grabby Hands) learns his lesson. Although my cynical side is screaming, "Probably, not."