To the outside world, it looked like I had it all. But behind the scenes, I was living with a silent burden.

At 27, I packed up my life in Melbourne and moved to Sydney to chase a dream:becoming an institutional stockbroker. That goal drove me for decades. Over the next 23 years, I worked as a trader and manager across some of Australia's biggest investment banks, including Citibank and Macquarie.

To the outside world, it looked like I had it all. But behind the scenes, I was living with a silent burden.My battle with mental illness began in 1990, shortly after returning from a year-long backpacking trip. I hadn't looked after myself properly, and soon after coming home, I experienced a breakdown. From that moment, acute anxiety became part of my life.

Thankfully, I was surrounded by a loving and supportive family. As the youngest of 12 children, I didn't lack attention—though a few of my siblings might say I got more than my fair share! One even jokingly referred to me as "baby Jesus."Even back then, our family had space for vulnerability. That openness helped me recover and carry on, even as anxiety became a quiet companion.

But things worsened in 2016. a long stretch of untreated burnout gradually pushed me into a deep depression. The turning point came one day at Citibank, where I was working as a trader. A group of colleagues were laughing at something I would usually find funny— but I felt nothing. I couldn't even muster a smile. I realised I had lost my capacity for joy. That night, I went home and told my wife: "I'm sicker than I thought. I need help." The next morning, I walked into work and resigned—ending a 23-year career in financial markets, just like that.

In 2018, I was formally diagnosed with social anxiety and depression. Finally, I had the language and treatment plan to manage what I'd been feeling for years. That diagnosis became a turning point — not just for my health, but for my purpose.

In 2019, I founded Equilibrium at Work, a coaching business dedicated to wellbeing and career support. I wanted to help other professionals avoid the burnout and breakdown I had endured. I wanted to create a safe, confidential space where people could talk openly about what was really going on—at work and in life.

My approach is simple but powerful: Know the person, understand their story— then the coaching can begin. I bring lived experience of both corporate life and mental illness to every session. I've sat in the boardroom. I've hit breaking point. That dual lens helps me meet clients wherever they are—with empathy, practicality and realism. Some days I'm a coach. Other days, a mentor or sounding board.

Sometimes, I'm simply someone who listens.In 2024, I began delivering keynote talks to organisations on personal and professional wellbeing—focusing on burnout prevention and mental health awareness.The appetite for this work is growing.Businesses are no longer sweeping these conversations under the rug. The growth of my coaching practice is living proof of that.We've come a long way.But we still have a long way to go.