What do you find most satisfying in your role?

“I think the most important thing for me, and the people who work with me, is the sense of achievement we have when we walk people through the programs that are in place and see them find a light at the end of the tunnel – and to be able to experience their gradual development and excitement about having this opportunity.

I always call it a sabbatical, you know – it’s a time to reflect – and the people who buy into that are tremendously interesting people to work with.

I always love it too, when people bring their partners in and meet with us because obviously it’s affecting the whole group, the whole family. So it’s always exciting when I’m able to meet with both husbands and wives or boyfriends and girlfriends or whatever partners, and help them work together to get a good outcome that’s going to suit them all.

The marvelous thing is that the people are just so interesting and so exciting.

It’s grief – any sort of loss is grief. To be able to understand the grief and to go through it, rather than walk around whistling and pretending it’s not really hurting is terribly important.”