A L S O+T O D A Y

An affair to remember
By Nell Bernstein
President Clinton is trying desperately to salvage his reputation. Monica Lewinsky has lost hers forever

Hellfire
[NEWSREAL]
By Harry Jaffe
The right wing is in full attack mode

Letter from Baton Rouge
[NEWSREAL]
By Jennifer Moses
Sex and lying? So what else is new?

The view from Japan
[WANDERLUST]
By Dave McCombs
It's the economy, not the morality

First family on the couch

THERAPISTS SAY PRESIDENT CLINTON'S PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS RUN DEEP -- AND HILLARY'S AND CHELSEA'S ARE JUST BEGINNING.
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BY LORI LEIBOVICH | Out of context, the photograph that was spread across yesterday's newspapers -- of the first family lovingly holding hands while the family dog, Buddy, romped at their side -- had the syrupy quality of the happy family snapshot that comes with a drugstore picture frame. But context, of course, is everything, and by the time the Clintons arrived in Martha's Vineyard, speculation about the state of the first family had reached a fever pitch. Were Hillary and Bill speaking? Was Chelsea standing between them so they wouldn't have to touch each other? Were Hillary's shoulders sagging just a bit? And how could Chelsea be so poised -- kissing, hugging and schmoozing with the Vineyard crowd -- when her parents' marriage may be crumbling around her? Now that the president has come clean about his "inappropriate" relationship with Monica Lewinsky, the public is left wondering: Can the first family be saved?

"God, I hope Chelsea has a good therapist" is a refrain heard countless times since the Lewinsky crisis began. Domestic crisis -- whether it's alcoholism, infidelity or divorce -- often spurs families to get professional help. In interviews conducted during the past few days with therapists across the nation, many of whom specialize in sexual disorders, a familiar theme emerged: The first family will only be able to survive if the thick layers of anger and shame are chipped away.

"Sometimes a trauma like this can actually bond people, but the family must work together and be willing to forgive the person who has brought the trauma into the family," says Sandra Davis, a psychotherapist and sex therapist in Pittsburgh. "First they must get through the anger that goes with the exposure of it." Davis believes that the first lady is displaying a lot of anger and hurt. "I see it in her body language, even though she's sticking by him," she says.

According to some White House sources, the Clintons seem shell-shocked and out of touch with the public. They had scheduled a rally in Philadelphia for Friday, believing it would give them the chance to appear defiant before a big, enthusiastic crowd, and top-echelon White House staffers reportedly had to make a series of strident phone calls to convince them to call it off. Sources report that out of the public eye, both Clintons are visibly depressed, rather than the resilient, determined figures they present to the world. Aides have told the first couple to keep up appearances or their private depression could start to infuse their public personas. While such a split-personality strategy may be good politically, however, it could make it especially difficult for the Clintons to face up to their problems honestly.

One can only speculate how the first family would have faced this trauma had it not been played out on an international stage, where their every gesture and statement is dissected by a hungry public. Some wonder whether the first lady would have stood by her husband this long if she wasn't part of a public partnership and speculate that perhaps she will leave the president once they leave office.

"Sometimes, of course, there is divorce after something like this happens because a basic trust has been violated and there is the added dimension of embarrassment," says Sam Alibrando, a Pasadena, Calif., therapist who specializes in sexual issues. "For couples who rely on each other, something like this really shakes their foundation. But can a family put the pieces back together after something like this? Yes."

This relies largely on the ability of the "shamed" person to trust his or her partner enough to allow for another chance. "Usually, if it's a shock, the first thing the spouse wants is to understand what happened and then they want a guarantee that it won't happen again," says Sharon Nathan, a clinical psychologist and sex therapist in New York City. "Sometimes a compromise can be worked out if the partner will promise to work on their problem and promise that it will never happen again."

N E X T+P A G E: Signaling with his tie?