YEAR 10 PSYCHOLOGY 

Year 10 Psychology Students Visit the Dax Centre: Exploring Mental Health Through Art and Lived Experience 

In Term 2, our Year 10 Psychology students had the meaningful opportunity to visit the Dax Centre — a unique art gallery in Melbourne dedicated to challenging the stigma surrounding mental illness. Unlike traditional galleries, the Dax Centre showcases artworks created by individuals who have lived experience with mental health disorders. Each piece offers a deeply personal insight into what it’s like to live with conditions such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and more.

As part of their Mental Health Psychology studies, the visit allowed students to explore the emotional and human aspects of mental health in a way that goes beyond textbooks. The artworks were raw, honest, and often confronting — opening up discussions about the realities of psychological distress and the power of creative expression as a coping mechanism and communication tool.

A highlight of the visit was a powerful and moving speech delivered by a guest speaker who lives with a mental health disorder. She shared her journey with incredible honesty — from diagnosis and treatment to stigma and recovery. Her reflections on how mental illness impacted her daily life, relationships, and identity offered students an authentic perspective that helped deepen their understanding and empathy.

Hearing directly from someone with lived experience reminded students that behind every diagnosis is a person with a story. It also reinforced the importance of listening without judgment and recognising that recovery is different for everyone.

The visit to the Dax Centre was not only educational but also emotionally impactful. Students left with a stronger awareness of the challenges faced by those living with mental illness, as well as the importance of compassion, understanding, and reducing stigma in our communities.