Stories can be powerful medicine. Sharing experiences and feelings helps people make sense of their lives and process trauma and loss better. That's the concept behind "Privileged Presence." This timely book uses real-world experiences recounted by patients and their families, nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals to illustrate what works and what doesn' t, what increases or diminishes people's sense of confidence and well-being. From surviving ER trauma to navigating a Byzantine healthcare system to unexpected moments of loving comfort, these stories offer new ways of dealing with some of life's most challenging times.