Advisers are, famously, an empathetic bunch of people.

So, let's imagine a situation our clients could very possibly find themselves in this festive season.

Christmas lunch with the extended family. The matriarch of the family is at the head of the table, with the various siblings, cousins, in-laws and hangers on scattered around the festive tablecloth and grossly optimistic piles of food.

Wine's flowing, as are beers and sparkling apple juice for the rest of us.

Between polishing off the third plate and the regret that follows, your client trundles up to Grandma, sits down and asks how she's been.

And in the space of 15 minutes, has the startling realisation that something is wrong with her 88 year old Grandma.

Nothing drastic - but a fuzziness and repetitiveness that wasn't there last Christmas.

Called away to help clear the table, or join the conga line of dishwashers, your client is left wondering - what should I do now?

Well, this conversation is all about exploring the ways we can help our clients answer that very question.

Not to say we have all the answers - today's episode (and all our favourite ones, if we're honest) - is all about exploring the topic, testing the waters, pushing the boundaries. Licking our finger and sticking it in the air to see if maybe, this is the thing that could help.

It's not about us telling people what we do - but hopefully it's about helping people think about what they would do to help their clients with their own challenging, Christmas conversations.

PS: Editorial decisions have been made about the first 2 minutes of this week's episode, and we're in complete agreement that it was the right call to leave it in.

PPS: Maybe don't listen to this one with the kids in the car - not those first 2 minutes anyway.