I do have anxiety and agoraphobia, but I’m on meds that help a lot. My main issue is this one lady. She’s that strong personality of “I’m gonna do whatever I wanna do and you’re not gonna tell me no.”

Anyhow, at the second night Passover sedder (sp?), my partner and I ended up sitting at a table with her. The rabbi couldn’t get out 2 sentences without her responding. That jacked up my anxiety because I have a hard time isolating and focusing on sound. My partner tried touching me to check on me, and I flinched. This lady tried poking my arm, and I told her “do not touch me” and I ended up leaving.

Later, she asked my partner if it was ok to touch me if she had gloves on (no, abuse PTSD/trauma/anxiety, I just can’t deal with people I don’t know touching me). She also told my partner that the reason I flinched was because of our ‘sexual problems’ (i.e. she thinks there are sexual problems because my partner is poly).

Because of all this, I’m really uncomfortable going to shul. My partner said he’d talk to the rabbi and make sure everyone, including this lady, know not to touch me because that’s a huge deal that can cause a meltdown. But I’m not sure this lady will get the message not to touch me, and it’s a big enough deal that I’m sitting in the parking lot at shul instead of going in. I can’t make myself go in and deal with this woman. I can’t deal with someone I don’t know who’s insistent on touching me and insistent on trying to butt into my sex life.

There aren’t any other conservative shuls for hours in any direction, so ‘just go to a different shul, isn’t a feasible alternative.