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doing it for the rest of my life,” she says.

“Having children has greatly increased aspects of my anxiety, especially the ongoing sleep deprivation and worry you can have for your children you are responsible for.

“It’s taken me many years to realise the patterns of my anxiety are actually never going to go away no matter what I do.

“I now accept my anxiety as both a good and bad thing, and a lifelong illness I need to manage.

“It pushes me to do and be my best and to aim for high standards. It gives me an understanding of human psychology and a compassion that other people can also be suffering.”

Liz is a new-found advocate for speaking up.

She has made lifestyle modifications to reduce stress and prioritise calmness and happiness.

“For years I would try to work it out on my own but really I was just creating more anxiety by worrying about where my suffering was coming from,” she says.

“Regular counselling has also been hugely beneficial.

“Speaking to someone who is trained and highly knowledgeable professionally cannot be underestimated.

“Having someone professionally assessing and diagnosing my anxiety and finding ways to identify some of the sources and triggers has really helped me to understand it, manage it and own it.”

Liz is not painting, she’s gardening, chasing after her six chickens, casual relief teaching and leading local network Geelong Creatives.

She’s also part of a Melbourne University study looking into teacher wellbeing and retention in the industry as a direct correlation to engaging in their passion as a pastime.

Liz hopes sharing her story normalises mental health and takes away the shame or fear that might be preventing someone from seeking help.

“I do want more people to know about it,” she says.

“I would say more than half of all women I have known in my life have struggled with ongoing or periods of mental illness.

“I hope that men too can feel safe to talk about their mental health.

“We can never underestimate the worth of asking the question ‘are you OK?’.

“I have been fortunate enough to have had many people ask this question of me at crucial times and it has helped me immensely.”

Follow @lizwickrama on Instagram or visit lizwickrama.com If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 131 114.