Ann Gamsa has been Director of Psychological Services, Pain Centre of the McGill University Hospital Centre (MUHC) for more than two decades, and is currently Associate Director of the Pain Centre and Associate Professor of the McGill University Department of Anaesthesia. She works with an interdisciplinary team of pain specialists treating patients with chronic pain. She is also involved in clinical research, and in training psychiatrists, psychologists, and medical residents in the treatment and compassion necessary for treating patients with pain. After many years of close contact with patients, she has a deep understanding of their suffering, not only from pain, but also as a result of the many losses associated with pain. Her clinical work at the Pain Centre includes psychological assessments, psychotherapy, Pain Management Groups, hypnosis and relaxation training, as well as ongoing consultation to physcians on the team.

Apart from publications in peer reviewed journals, she wrote a chapter on "Hypnotic Analgesia" in the recent "Handbook of Pain Management". Her presentations to health-care providers in a variety of settings focus on the psychological suffering of patients with pain and how best to help them improve their quality of life.

She is reviewer for several journals and granting agencies, and is also involved in extra-curricular pain related activities such as l'association québecoise de la douleur chronique, and in the programme, A pplication C oncertée dans CO nnaissances et R essources en D ouleur (ACCORD).

Working with the Canadian pain coalition is a natural extension of her many years of work with patients who suffer from chronic pain.