In this novel, “The President’s Secret,” America’s first woman president struggles with her past, and seeks psychotherapy to manage the effects of distant trauma on her current behavior. The book explores not only psychotherapy for sexual trauma, but also problems in managing transference as well as the importance of psychotherapy supervision.

This book was recognized as a “short list finalist” as a novel-in-progress in the prestigious William Faulkner/William Wisdom writing competition.

Dr. Paul Kettl is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania.