Advances in technology, science, medicine, and other areas of human development offer new ways to help others and ourselves. Optimal helping, however, is a bit more controversal and debatable. What is best? There are so many methods, so many practices! With "psychotherapy," Freud's couch, his exclusive dictir-patient relationship, has been replaced by a host of methods, including biological and chemical treatments, televideo sessions, the telephone, etc. While most of these may help to one degree or other, I do believe they include a bit of the "less than fundamental" for treatment. Of utmost and optimal significance, I argue, is the real, in-person "being-with" relationship between the psychotherapist and the client. The physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dynamic presence and "team work" of each, working together for understanding, insight and direction for change offers optimal and "most real," most in-the-present, most mutually respectful and appreciative atmosphere for well-being. While many may argue this belief, I suspect all would gain much from such an experience in today's world, in or outside of the therapy.

This is the final note I am posting as inside-the-book information for the reader. This other "Secret" about Trauma and the Golden Lady is the name itself, "Golden Lady." What does it mean? Why did I select this title? It means many things, a compilation of what relates to Plath and my work. The very first time I saw her was in a picture in the book, "Letters Home." This was way back in 1976, in the book stacks of the Clark University library. She was lying on the beach on a sunny summer day. Her hair looked golden. This was the first image of her in my mind-a golden haired girl. As I looked to Sylvia's writing in my subsequent research, I came to see her genius and her precious gifts for life. She was golden, a very talented young woman, a lady. As I got "to know her," I found myself unable to see her as a girl. She seemed (and sounded like, if one listens to her voice) older than she was, more mature, refined, proper, lady-like. She seemed to always wish to present herself as a lady, a person to be respected, as in the joyous image on the cover of my book. In her works, she epitomized someone who, like the professional athlete, sought the gold ring or gold medal. Her brilliant talents bore fruit in her work, even though she often was doubtful of it. Golden Lady was a title that came to me in inspiration when the first draft of my book was finished. It just seemed to fit Sylvia, like a hand in a glove. Furthermore, the title reflected my intent to show respect for all that was Sylvia and seek to avoid criticism, judgment or even clinical diagnosing and analysis. Too much had already been written about Sylvia in ways that took her apart or subtracted from who she was, made her feel less-than. Yes, I believe Golden Lady is a fitting title for Sylvia Plath.