Meet the women of LIVIN – Deanna Van Reyk

Growing up in WA before moving to Vic in ‘95, these days Dee’s LIVIN’ the dream on the Goldie as LIVIN’s Fundraising Coordinator. Having first heard of LIVIN during her time working with Beyond Blue (as a pioneer of BB’s fundraising department, no less!), she started seeing LIVIN merch and stickers popping up all over the place.

Maybe it was serendipity, and maybe it was a sign… maybe it was something even more.

“Being part of a team that is working towards an amazing cause and that truly live and breathe LIVIN values”, is the most exciting thing about working with LIVIN, Dee says, and a big part of what attracted her in the first place. One of the biggest reasons she’s stayed with us?

“The authentic and open conversations where nothing is off the table”, she says, as if she doesn’t contribute in her own major way to LIVIN’s authentic culture of positive outlook and community betterment.

When she isn’t helping to make a difference with LIVIN, she’s helping out her bestie in a Chai Tea side hustle, only as a hobby, she humbly assures us.

An artist at heart, Dee is a certified maestro able to play the piano AND cello AND flute! Talk about skilled! She’s also done various gigs over the last 15 years as acting extras (another glamorous hobby), and to top it all off, is a fantastic roller skater. We can’t help but wonder if she can do them all at once…

Dee’s true artistry, she would like everyone to know, is when going to the movies, she has the superhuman ability to finish a ‘share’ pack of Maltesers… before the film even starts!

Dee’s Mental Health Tip:

Apart from all the basics like eating well, enough sleep, reducing stress and exercise, for me, keeping good mental health also includes;

Speaking: I have a treasured inner circle of close people that I can bounce my thoughts off and know that I can have honest and helpful conversations.

Pilates: It’s so mindful, because if you’re not in the moment and concentrating, you’ll fall flat on your face.

A good belly laugh: Releases endorphins and gives you a real natural high.

Beach day/walk: I find it a great full sensory experience of beautiful sights, sounds, feels, smells and tastes.

Quiet time: We have so much sound and visual noise around us all day with phones, computers, tv etc. so I crave silence at times as it allows time to mentally process stuff.