Dr. Nolan tries to be warm and supportive, but she is not an intellectual equal of Esther, and Esther does not totally trust her. Dr. Nolan helps Esther by advising her about getting a diaphram, and, thus, in a practical way, she helps Esther with her fears about sex and getting pregnant. We suspect that Dr. Nolan encourages Esther to leave the hospital before Esther is ready to be self-sufficient, but otherwise one cannot fault this woman for trying to do her best, with the limited techniques and ideas available to her.