Gracie Davon

One in five Australians experience mental illness each year, yet stigma can still make it difficult to ask for help.

I have struggled with mental illness over the years. As an educator and someone passionate about mental health, I know about the resources available and how important it is to seek support. Yet asking for help is still one of the things I struggle with most, as it is for many others.

I have an amazing support network of family, friends and colleagues, but I still find it hard to open up about how difficult things get sometimes.

Living in a regional area, I also know through my own experiences and those of others how expensive and difficult it can be to access medical and psychological support.

That’s why I’m joining the Benalla P-12 community team to help break down some of these barriers. Together, we’re raising funds to support mental health education and access to resources, while encouraging people to reach out to friends and our local community.

By sharing my experience, I hope to help make these conversations a little easier. We all deserve to feel supported, and no one should feel ashamed of asking for help.