Claire Missen, Counsellor, supervisor and chairwoman of the Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Personal/family: Married to Frank with two children Rachael (29) and Adrian (27).
What figure from the world of medicine or health do you most admire?
I really admire Tony Bates for his understanding of depression and how he treats sufferers holistically.
What other career might you have chosen?
Travel writer.
If you could grant three wishes for the health service, what would they be?I would grant funding to provide one-stop-shop health centres, provide and train counsellors for the health service and greatly increase provision of mental health services for adolescents.
What is your greatest fear?
My kids dying before me.
Have you ever been a patient and were you a good one?
Yes and no - I don't like being an inpatient.
When or where are you happiest?
At the Gate Theatre with my family or on a Greek island.
How do you cope with stress?
I'm a very relaxed person and don't easily get stressed, but when I do my husband helps calm me down.
What is the trait you most admire in yourself?
My optimistic outlook.
What is the trait you most dislike in yourself?
I still on occasion bite my nails - an old childhood habit.
Do you use alternative or complementary medicine or therapies?
I'm lucky to be extremely healthy but I would use them if the need arose.
Who or what makes you laugh?
The absurd, which is often reality.
What is your motto?
Enjoy your life.
What is your favourite TV or radio programme?
Any drama to do with hospitals - this is ironic given that I don't like hospitals.
What books would you bring to a desert island?
Anything with a good narrative, or which deals with relationships and what makes people tick.