Thank you, I had a lovely time with the children. :)

Firstly Arashi, merely for clarification - how did you discover she had PTSD? You said you didn't know about it? Did she eventually tell you? Has she been seen by a psychiatrist or other specialist and been formally diagnosed?

I am not certain there is one best approach to the situation. Each person with PTSD is still an individual and symptoms and needs vary. You say she has mild PTSD; that would likely make her somewhat different say, than my Evie who has severe PTSD...

You are correct to give her space. If she is asking for space, if she wants to put the relationship on hold for now, that is her boundary, and you should respect that. You mention that she was in an abusive relationship until recently. Perhaps she is concerned the abuse will be repeated with yourself. It is entirely possible she could think that, even if you have always been kind and respectful. Those with PTSD often have severe issues with trust. Perhaps at this point, although you are close, she does not trust you enough to speak about her current issues. Or perhaps she is worried she will hurt you, or that you will reject her, because of her issues.

Has she requested absolutely no contact? No phone calls, emails, and so on? Once again Arashi, you do need to respect her boundaries, if that is the case. It is indeed difficult to see someone we care about suffering, however if she has been clear about no contact, perhaps she really does require a complete break for a time, to sort matters out for herself. If you insist on contact now, even through email, you may push her even further away.

Since you see her at work (a difficult situation for both of you, I must say!), perhaps simply be friendly and kind there, but don't press any issues. And if you haven't already done so, clearly let her know that you will be there for her if she wishes, however leave at that and wait for her to approach you. If she sees you are willing to respect her boundaries, she may come round again. Or not. Either way you must accept her wishes and be respectful.

Are you familiar with the saying: "If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it is yours. If it doesn't, it never was." If you truly love her Arashi, you must let go. It is exceedingly difficult yes, but even if you are together again later on, it is imperative. Even whilst in a relationship, especially a relationship where one person is ill, there must be some detachment, for the relationship to be truly healthy. My husband is a recovered alcoholic. We are together now for 35 years, however we were separated for a time whilst he was drinking. I did need to "detach with love" from him and his problems, in order to maintain my own happiness. Although we are extremely close now, I still remain detached in some respects. You must have your own space, your own boundaries and so on. You will never be happy within yourself until you do. If your girlfriend is never ready, that is unfortunately her issue, and you cannot control anyone except yourself.