Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
Find support with others who have gone through a traumatic experience. Whether you have chronic or acute PTSD, we are here for you.
Thanks for all the advice and support about my student who came to my office in the guise of wanting to talk about PTSD but who attacked me verbally instead. It was quite a scene. She'd brought her toddler knowing she was coming to yell at her teacher instead of talk to him. I was blindsided, not imagining anyone would do that in front of her little one. I even invited him in to my office with kind words, since I look like Santa Claus. Then his mom's tongue-lashing began.
I'm 54, but it reminded me of the scenes my mother made against my father in public when I was a kid. Both of my parents were domestically violent to each other and to us kids. I told this one here before, but this incident of my student being verbally abusive in public to me in front of her chhild really brought it to mind. When I was 12, my dad beat my mom and put her in the hospital. I went to the hospital with her, and my dad arrived, by now contrite as all wife beaters tend to be after the fact. He came up by her gurney in the ER to comfort her now, and she let him. Then she took advantage of his coming close and grabbed him by the crotch violently right there in front of doctors, nurses, police, and her son--me.
Now I have a break, but I have to go back into that classroom with that woman to teach my class. I don't know quite what approach. At the one extreme, I could have campus police nearby or even try to get her thrown out of the class. When my secretary heard her abuse me verbally in my office, after all, my secretary told me she nearly called security just based on what she herself heard.
But there must be a middle ground between that extreme and doing nothing and being a doormat. My PTSD reactions make it hard for me to gauge what the best balanced response is here, so I turn to you. If you had to go back to teach a class with this student in it, being me, what would you do? Your advice about getting back on the horse, so to speak, is sincerely being sought out here. Thanks again.
I'm 54, but it reminded me of the scenes my mother made against my father in public when I was a kid. Both of my parents were domestically violent to each other and to us kids. I told this one here before, but this incident of my student being verbally abusive in public to me in front of her chhild really brought it to mind. When I was 12, my dad beat my mom and put her in the hospital. I went to the hospital with her, and my dad arrived, by now contrite as all wife beaters tend to be after the fact. He came up by her gurney in the ER to comfort her now, and she let him. Then she took advantage of his coming close and grabbed him by the crotch violently right there in front of doctors, nurses, police, and her son--me.
Now I have a break, but I have to go back into that classroom with that woman to teach my class. I don't know quite what approach. At the one extreme, I could have campus police nearby or even try to get her thrown out of the class. When my secretary heard her abuse me verbally in my office, after all, my secretary told me she nearly called security just based on what she herself heard.
But there must be a middle ground between that extreme and doing nothing and being a doormat. My PTSD reactions make it hard for me to gauge what the best balanced response is here, so I turn to you. If you had to go back to teach a class with this student in it, being me, what would you do? Your advice about getting back on the horse, so to speak, is sincerely being sought out here. Thanks again.
-
I haven't written in my diary on my computer since May because I thought that my computer was dying. I got away from writing but my computer is hanging in there. I think that I will start writing in it again. It's so therapeutic.
-
First, I hope everyone is doing well, and continuing to fight that good fight! Keep up the great work on yourselves; I'm rooting for all of you!So, I started doing therapy at the beginning of the year, when I was in my most depressed state, but with my therapist, I made big changes and steps in the right direction. But, over a month ago, she couldn't take my insurance anymore, and I had to stop...
What is the school policy on disciplinary notices? If the policy includes warnings, I might want to have one on hand, just in case. When I had to face stuff like this in the field (sans juvenile witness), I tried to have at least one of my supporters apprised of my situation, just in case. There was only one time it ever had to go beyond the first warning, but it feels a bit lighter when I can share the load a bit.
and/or...
Is there the counseling referral?
Hope the rest of your students know the true meaning of respect and proper behavior.
I did it with the same Vice President with a different student earlier this semester and it worked. In the earlier case the student's grief for the death of her mother was activated in my Death & Dying class, and she was angry we couldn't stop class and discuss it. Once the Vice President got her to counseling, the earlier student came back receiving attention for her grief and then able to function in class as need, too.
It might work with this student, too. Blaine, I think it's consistent in spirit with your advice about discussing it, just not doing it in class but in counseling. Ah, the joys of being Santa-like.
Thanks again, everybody. Blessings, all.