A willingness to share hard-won life-lessons can be a gift for others and Year 12 BSSC student, Geordie Williamson, has quite a story to tell.
Geordie missed almost three years of school due to the crippling effects of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Misunderstandings about OCD are common, but true OCD is a severe mental health illness.
“OCD is a combination of distressing thoughts which you respond to by doing a certain thing to try and stop the thought—or stop the imagined consequence of the thought,” Geordie explains.
“You get a rush of relief once you have completed the action. Unfortunately, all this rush does is reinforce the value of that action—and those actions quickly become something you just have to do.
“The mental load is massive as your mind runs wild. I found fighting against myself completely exhausting.”
When Geordie first began having disturbing thoughts, his initial solution was to ask his mum if he could stay in his room for a week.
“I thought I could fix this myself,” he says.
But he couldn’t, and Geordie soon realised he was in serious trouble.
“I walked into my parents’ room one night and said, ‘I need help’.”
They took him to the Royal Children’s Hospital where he was given medication that immediately calmed everything down.
“I thought, ‘great, I’m sorted’,” Geordie remembers. But the drug’s side effects mean it can only be used occasionally.
Geordie remembers his dad “scouring the universe” looking for help.
“When I was 14, I spent six weeks at Melbourne Wellbeing Group. They changed my life by teaching me how to avoid following through with the compulsion.
“It was so hard, but so important.”
Similar to many chronic physical and mental health issues, Geordie says OCD is still there, but he has effective techniques to manage it.
OCD also brought a surprisingly wonderful change to Geordie: he began to paint and has discovered he’s wonderfully talented.
“While I hate OCD, I also don’t hate it—because painting has given me such satisfaction. Of course, I’d prefer to have gotten here via a different path!
“My family have been amazing. Even though many young people struggle with their parents during adolescence, I still feel like my parents are the best in the world!
“They took such good care of me when I was so unwell, and I have an intrinsic sense of the privilege of an amazing family. I feel very grateful for life at the moment.”
Geordie’s grandmother, a primary school teacher who died before he was born, was also a painter.
“Her paintings on the wall of my Pa’s house give me a real connection to her and I wonder what she would think about my art.
“I’ve also realised I can combine my love for science and art through a career as an art conservator. That’s what I’m aiming for now.”
Meanwhile, Geordie exhibits as widely as he can, including entering his portrait of Sydney-based classical singer and vocal coach, Yasmin Arkinstall, in Townsville’s prestigious biennial art and photography show, The Percivals, in 2024.
The work is “proper huge” Geordie says. It arose out of his admiration for Yasmin who not only lives with OCD, but has written an opera advocating for greater understanding about this often hidden but debilitating condition.
The portrait recently won him first prize in the 2025 Bendigo Raw Arts Award and after being exhibited at The Capital, is presently part of an exhibition in Richmond.
It’s hard to imagine that, a few years ago, it seemed Geordie’s school days were over.
A brief return to his old school reminded him how much he loved learning—but he needed a change.
The family, from Woodend, made enquiries after BSSC was recommended to them. Geordie quickly realised how flexible the college was, how organised it was, how amazing the Wellbeing Team was, and how the timetabling would allow him to create a predictable routine and maximise his study-blocks.
Despite feeling a little daunted, Geordie found the Step Up program fun, and re-integrating to school turned out not to be the challenge he expected.
“It all seemed to happen quite naturally, and I loved Year 11,” he says. “I had lost my social identity for a time—but BSSC provided a stable platform for me to discover who I am, and a fresh start to build who I want to be.”
This year Geordie is studying Art Making and Exhibiting: Sculpture, Art: Creative Practice, English, and Biology. Unsurprisingly, the art floor is his favourite place at BSSC.
He’s found Marcus an inspiring teacher who structures classes so everyone knows exactly what they need to focus on.
Being able to study multiple art subjects and gradually make positive connections with other students—especially this year—has seen Geordie thrive.
“When I study my art subjects I make my notes really beautiful with lots of colour and decoration—which helps me remember the content. Studying art is about being thorough with your folio.”
Geordie’s interest in microbiology and molecular biology overflows into art as he notices the tiny details in the natural world and around him every day.
He’s also found Edrolo resources really useful.
In English, where contemporary issues are often in focus, Geordie says he’s sometimes conflicted about wanting to be up-to-date and aware, but the news can be pretty distressing.
He lists issues such as Climate Change, AI’s negative potential, and the helplessness of the individual in the face of huge systems moving the world in concerning directions.
“I was into Climate Change activism when I was younger. But activism is exhausting and it’s so hard to fight huge systems.”
He laughs when asked what he’d like to change about the college: “We need microwaves in E-Block!”
Being ‘back on track’ has opened up opportunities to re-engage with badminton too.
If Geordie could have a conversation with himself when he was twelve, he would say, “Look I’m sorry, but you’re probably not going to be a scientist.”
When he became unwell with OCD, Geordie remembers people giving him all kinds of well-meant advice.
“We all need to be very careful with the advice we give. It must be nuanced with a real understanding of that other person’s situation.
“I’d acknowledge how scary and tiring it is and say that although it’s hard work to get well, it’s so worth it,” Geordie says. “If anyone at BSSC would like to talk about OCD, I’m happy to chat with them and give them some resources.”
If it was possible he’d love to talk with his 14-year-old self to tell him, “Right now it feels like it won’t be okay. But it will.”
