I'm pleased to have the opportunity to introduce this book. While I was reviewing the manuscript for scientific accuracy and medical completeness, I was struck by Terri's ability to accurately educate her readers about herpes infection while reassuring her audience they would have full and satisfying lives in spite of having herpes. I think this book will be very useful both to people who have herpes and to those who are concerned about herpes in partners or loved ones. Terri has done an outstanding job of making the book readable for the layperson but thorough enough to be a valuable resource for professionals, whether they are medical clinicians or counselors. As a physician and herpes researcher, I find it difficult to put myself in the position of the layperson trying to understand this infection for the first time. but I'm confident that the books down-to-earth style and well-defined concepts will make it a very accessible resource that readers will pick up again and again. Terri has taken concepts that will certainly be confusing to many people (like asymptomatic shedding of the herpes virus) and explained them in ways that nonmedical and medical people alike can understand. I hope providers who counsel clients with herpes will take note of her approach to these complex topics and use this style in their everyday practice. Armed with the knowledge gained from this compassionate book, readers with herpes will be reassured that they can cope with their condition, and herpes will take its appropriate role as one fo those issues in life that is challenging but can be managed successfully.
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