Dear Dr. Roth (Letters to my Website)

Around the turn of the century, I became interested in developing a web page. I included information about my background as a psychiatrist, uploaded my most flattering photograph, and invited readers to ask questions. Over the next several years, hundreds of email letters arrived. Without prescribing medicine or conducting psychotherapy, I gave advice, guidance and information to people who did not know where to turn for the resources to help solve their problems.
Much of that advice and information could be helpful to others, so I decided to compile those letters and my responses into this book. Although there is a degree of repetition in the questions, there is a sea of difference in each person’s individual set of circumstances. I have left the letters unchanged except to clarify their message and to safeguard confidentiality. Names, geographic locations, and other details such as age, gender, or number of children — anything that might identify the writer — have been changed.
Although many of the letters may seem fantastic or incredible to the reading public, I believe I have eliminated any frankly bogus letters. Sincerity and truthfulness have a certain “ring” to them, which is missing from those written in jest. Every entry herein is from a legitimate email message that was received on my website.