Kate grew up in NSW as part of a large extended family but her home life was affected, in ways she did not understand at the time, by the intergenerational effects of alcoholism. Even though her family appeared to be functioning well on the ouside, Kate came to understand that the facade hid the reality that members of the family were to a large extent isolated from each other, just surviving. 
As a young adult Kate continued to live in survival mode, until she found Al-Anon. Gradually, as she lowered her expectations of other people, she found a greater capacity to pursue her own dreams. Through practising the Al-Anon program she has discovered talents that she had been told she did not have, and has built happier relationships than those experienced by her parents.