Sir,

What a wonderful surprise indeed, to read such an open and sensitive journalistic article about depression (The Sofia Echo, August 7, The English Angle: Too much to lose). How right is Gabriel Hershman in his assessment and how sad it is that there are still so many people denying therapeutic help not only for themselves (that is of course an unquestionable right in a democratic society) but also for others.

Which brings us to the letter from Laura Parker and her dismay at finding the ex-minister Maslarova still able to excercise political power. I myself, as the Bulgarian representative of a small German charity, had enough negative experiences with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and their inept policies regarding the Un-social Un-caring Non-homes for adult women and men as well as children between 1994 and 2007 to end up feeling pretty hopeless about activating changes from without.

After closing my private psychotherapy practice in Frankfurt-Main, Germany where incidentally, during the course of 30 years there, I had quite a lot of "city lawyers" coming to see me, and establishing a second home in Sofia, it seemed appropriate to offer consultative support to purely Bulgarian initiatives in the social care sector particularily regarding projects for young adults.

With that in mind we, my Bulgarian wife and a Bulgarian lawyer friend formed Bulgarian Aid Charity Foundation and would welcome contact to appropriate ventures in the Sofia area.

As regards my psychotherapeutic activities – I am incapable of retiring and have set up a "second life" with a virtual internet practice.
In closing, please allow me to express my congratulations and gratitude for the open and developing maturity of The Sofia Echo – it is a pleasure to behold.

Yours truly
c