Olympia Valance: ‘I see a psychologist’

Olympia Valance has a warmth and positive energy like no other. She’s real, down-to-earth and hilarious, but the actress reveals to WHO that during this past year, since leaving Neighbours, landing her role on Playing for Keeps and spending time in Los Angeles, she has learnt a lot about herself.

“I’ve really learnt how important it is to have good friends and family around. There have been times where I’ve really needed support,” she explains.

“Life’s a roller-coaster, you have your ups and downs. You try to deal with things on your own. You try to sit in your own head, but that’s probably the worst thing you can do.”

To deal with the tougher moments, Valance, 25, says she sees a psychologist.

“When I finished Playing for Keeps, I remember calling Laura, my best friend, saying, ‘I’m sad again. This is not good for me. This is not mentally good,’” she shares.

“I saw the pattern. The pattern is I need to be working and when I’m not filming, I need to have something on the go. I see a psychologist. It’s really important to speak to someone who is impartial, especially in this industry, but in any industry. I see her every second week. I think it’s really healthy. There’s no shame.”

Above all else, the actress embraces who she is.

“The one thing that I am is 100 per cent myself,” she says. “I’ll throw an F-bomb here and there – this is just me. Love me or hate me. I spent too many years when I was younger trying to fit into what I thought people wanted me to be. F–k that. Honestly, I feel so much happier just being me.”

See more on WHO’S Sexiest in this week’s issue of WHO, on sale now.