"When I had the kids, I went through the depression/anxiety cycle - from loving motherhood, to hating it - and one thing after another made me feel like a complete failure," said Mrs Hall.

"Then one day I had my epiphany moment: the kids were whining and I slammed down a bread knife onto the bench. It bounced and narrowly missed my son's head.

"That was the moment I thought, I have to change."

But when searching for answers, Mrs Hall found limited resources for mothers on how to handle their feelings, so she wrote and self-published The Happy Mum Handbook.

"Motherhood stress often centres on the response to a child's behaviour, and not the behaviour itself.

"Often we have too many expectations of what life should be like, and how we should be as mums but we don't always get what we want - what we do get is an experience."

Mrs Hall spent 12 months writing the manuscript, subsequently training as a life coach and later a course facilitator with the Anti-Depression Association of Australia.

She said the book employs methods used successfully by the ADAA to overcome depression, anxiety and stress.

"I wanted to help women understand what causes the stress and how to change it through specific strategies. This is by no means a solution, but tools that mums can use to avoid stress."

Mrs Hall will tell the story of her transformation from an "angry, miserable mum" to a happy one at free talks at the Chirnside Park Community Centre on October 26 and November 16. Bookings: 97272243.

The Happy Mum Handbook is available at www.thehappymumhandbook.com