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Collingwood star Dayne Beams finds his life purpose in art therapy, away from football

Anna HarringtonThe West Australian
VideoTom Boyd walked away from the AFL, and he's got advice for players now without the game.

In a time of uncertainty for the AFL community, Dayne Beams has found his clarity.

The Collingwood midfielder stepped away from football indefinitely in December 2019 to focus on his mental health.

Now Beams worries the current coronavirus pandemic will contribute to mental health issues in the AFL, but hopes the season suspension will prompt players to explore their outside interests.

“It’s so important, I think, to have something outside your everyday job in life,” Beams said.

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“I know I struggled for a lot of years with not being able to have an outlet outside of football and at the moment you’re forced to have some sort of outlet.”

Former Collingwood Magpies footballer Dayne Beams checks out his artwork in his Bayswater art workshop in Melbourne.
Camera IconFormer Collingwood Magpies footballer Dayne Beams checks out his artwork in his Bayswater art workshop in Melbourne. Credit: MICHAEL DODGE/AAPIMAGE
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For Beams, art therapy became that outlet, when he “stumbled across” it while in a mental health facility last year.

“I just wasn’t doing really well in my life and I went in with an attitude of just being open and being open-minded to give everything a go,” he said.

“I received a program for the weeks I was there and I looked at it and the two things that stood out to me on the page that I thought I wouldn’t enjoy were actually yoga and art therapy.

“I scoffed at those things, I felt ‘those are two things I’m not gonna enjoy’ and they actually turned out to be the two things I enjoyed the most.

“While the yoga’s fallen off a bit, my art, it’s my purpose in life - I love it.”

Art became Beams’ escape - then his passion.

Former Collingwood Magpies footballer Dayne Beams sands back a coffee table in his Bayswater art workshop in Melbourne.
Camera IconFormer Collingwood Magpies footballer Dayne Beams sands back a coffee table in his Bayswater art workshop in Melbourne. Credit: MICHAEL DODGE/AAPIMAGE

He set up a website - Health of Mind Art - with a portion of the profits from his abstract art directed to mental health charity Love Me Love You.

Now 30, Beams is eyeing life after footy in the mental health space.

He is enrolled in a counselling diploma and hopes to one day use his art factory as a therapy room.

Dayne Beams celebrates a goal at the MCG.
Camera IconDayne Beams celebrates a goal at the MCG. Credit: DANIEL POCKETT/AAPIMAGE

“It is nice to have a direction, a clear picture on where you want to go in life - because footy’s only a small part of your life,” he said.

“I’m quite calm about the whole thing.

“I know for a lot of players it’s a big stress trying to find what you’re passionate about, because what I think a lot of people don’t understand is how demanding football is and how much it takes up of your life.

“There’s guys who study whilst playing but it is challenging to get that balance right because footy is so demanding.”

Beams recognises managing his depression will be a lifelong challenge - but finally feels like he’s found solid ground.

“I literally just live day by day - that’s what I tell myself,” Beams said.

“Each day, if I feel good I acknowledge that within myself and it’s been a bit of a challenge because it’s strange for me to actually feel good.

“So it’s allowing myself to feel those good emotions because it’s something that’s eluded me for a number of years now - the feeling of actually feeling good and happy with life.”

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