I love my patients at my internship because they are so uninhibited.

Some questions that I have been asked in the last two days by both male and female patients:

Do you think of me outside of here?
Can I be your boyfriend?
Do you have kids?
What are you going to school for?
Why doesn't it rain inside?
Will you love me?
Can I love you?
Can I have a hug?
Can I have a kiss?

I cannot even imagine what it would be like to just come right out and ask T whatever it is that is on my mind.

Also, the need for physical contact seemed to be huge this week with the patients. It is so weird to be on the other side of this-- just last Friday I was telling T, through tears, how much I wanted him to hold me.

Today I was sitting down at the hospital and I felt-- tap, tap, tap on my arm. I turnaround and there's one of my patients looking at me with the saddest eyes, asking for a hug. I couldn't give him one because this particularly person has exhibited sexual preoccupations with me-- I handled it with him appropriately, but it was hard not to give someone the hug that is so wanted and needed. I wondered if our Ts ever feel like they really, really want to hug us-- but just can't. I wonder if last Friday when I was crying and telling T about wanting him to hold me-- I wonder if there was evem one ounce of him that felt like he wanted give me what I wanted. Or maybe I am totally off base and I'm the only therapist out there who wants to hold her patients. Maybe T is thinking, "No way would I want to go near her."