Garon Sheppard

You Don't Have to Walk the Dark Miles Alone
There comes a point where carrying everything on your own becomes exhausting.

You smile. You keep going. You tell everyone you're fine. But inside, anxiety, grief, stress, relationship difficulties, addiction or self-doubt can leave you feeling lost, overwhelmed and disconnected from the person you used to be.

If that's where you are today, I want you to know one thing:

You don't have to walk the dark miles alone.

My name is Garon, and I believe healing can begin when someone finally feels seen, heard and understood.

I've experienced loss, addiction, anxiety and the process of rebuilding my own life. Those experiences don't make me your therapist — my professional training and experience do — but they have given me an understanding of what it can feel like when life seems to have no clear path forward.

That understanding helps shape the compassionate and non-judgemental way I work.

The Lantern Path
Imagine you're walking through a dark woodland. You don't need someone to drag you towards the destination. Sometimes you simply need someone to walk beside you, holding a lantern until you begin to see the path for yourself.

That is at the heart of my work.

1. Pause
A confidential, non-judgemental space where you can stop carrying everything on your own and have an opportunity to be genuinely heard.

2. Understand
Together, we can gently explore the experiences, emotions and patterns that may be keeping you stuck, without judgement or blame.

3. Heal
Using a Person-Centred and integrative approach, drawing where appropriate on CBT- and DBT-informed approaches, mindfulness, psychoeducation and practical therapeutic tools, we'll work together to develop greater understanding, confidence and emotional balance.

The aim is not to tell you how to live your life, but to work collaboratively with you towards greater understanding, emotional balance and meaningful change.

4. Grow
As understanding develops, therapy can help you reconnect with your strengths, values and the parts of yourself that may have become lost beneath anxiety, grief, difficult relationships or challenging life experiences.

5. Walk Forward
The aim isn't to rely on therapy forever. It is to support you in developing greater self-awareness, resilience and confidence so that you feel increasingly able to continue your journey independently.

Whether you're experiencing anxiety, depression or low mood, grief and loss, relationship difficulties, addiction and recovery, low self-esteem, stress or emotional overwhelm, you don't have to face everything alone.

Based in Milton-under-Wychwood, West Oxfordshire, I offer face-to-face, online, telephone and Walk-and-Talk counselling.

Sometimes one conversation can be the beginning of seeing a different path forward.

Your journey starts with a single step. I'll walk beside you until you're ready to carry the lantern yourself.

My Therapeutic Approach
Person-Centred Therapy: At the foundation of my practice is a confidential, empathic and non-judgemental therapeutic relationship where your individual experiences, needs and values are respected.

CBT-informed approaches: Where appropriate, we may explore patterns of thinking, behaviour and emotional responses and consider alternative ways of responding.

DBT-informed approaches: I may draw on practical skills relating to mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness where these are appropriate to your individual needs.

Mindfulness and psychoeducation: These can provide additional practical ways of developing awareness, grounding and a greater understanding of emotional experiences.

My approach is integrative rather than one-size-fits-all. How we work together will depend upon you, what brings you to counselling and what you hope to gain from therapy.

Areas I Commonly Support
Anxiety, stress and low mood: Exploring what's happening beneath the surface and developing greater understanding and practical ways of managing difficult emotions.

Grief and loss: Providing space to navigate bereavement and other significant losses without expecting grief to follow a particular timetable.

Addiction and recovery: Drawing on my counselling experience alongside more than 16 years' professional experience within addiction, homelessness, supported housing and mental health services.

Men's mental health: Providing a confidential space where men can speak openly about emotions, relationships, pressure, loss, addiction and mental health without judgement.

Relationships and boundaries: Exploring communication, attachment and emotional patterns and, where appropriate, drawing on CBT-informed and DBT-informed tools.

Self-esteem and confidence: Exploring the experiences and beliefs that may have shaped how you see yourself and supporting you towards greater self-acceptance.

Counselling Services
Face-to-Face Counselling: Available in Milton-under-Wychwood, West Oxfordshire.

Online Counselling: Video or telephone counselling across the UK and, where professionally, ethically and legally appropriate, for clients located overseas.

Walk-and-Talk Counselling: Counselling conducted outdoors while walking at an agreed pace, offering an alternative to sitting in a traditional therapy setting.

Walk-and-Talk remains a professional counselling session and is offered within the same therapeutic and ethical framework as my other counselling work.

Qualifications & Professional Standards
I am a qualified Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and NCPS Accredited Registrant, with 10 years' counselling experience in private practice.

My qualifications and additional training include:

Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills 
Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies – CPCAB
Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling
Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling
DBT Essentials – APT Accreditation, Level 1
DBT Essentials – APT Accreditation, Level 2
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Diploma – Centre of Excellence
Mindfulness Diploma – Centre of Excellence
I undertake regular clinical supervision and continuing professional development (CPD), maintain appropriate professional insurance and hold a current enhanced DBS certificate.

Reiki
I am also trained in Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki through First Degree, Second Degree, Master Level and Master Teacher.

Reiki is offered separately as a complementary wellbeing practice and is separate from my counselling and psychotherapy registration and accreditation with NCPS.

Sessions
Counselling sessions are £65 for 50 minutes.

Extended 100-minute Walk-and-Talk sessions are £130.

A limited number of reduced-fee sessions may be available depending on individual circumstances.

I also offer a free 15-minute initial consultation, allowing us to talk briefly about what has brought you to counselling and whether working together feels right for you.

Location
Face-to-face and Walk-and-Talk counselling is available in Milton-under-Wychwood and surrounding areas of West Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds.

Online counselling is available throughout the UK and, where appropriate, internationally, subject to professional, ethical and insurance requirements.

Website: garongreentherapies.com

Sessions are £65 for 50 minutes. I offer face-to-face, online, telephone and Walk-and-Talk counselling.

100-minute Walk-and-Talk sessions are £130

A limited number of reduced-fee sessions may be available depending on individual circumstances. Please feel free to contact me to discuss availability and whether working together feels right for you.

You Don't Have to Walk the Dark Miles Alone
If you're reading this, you've already taken an important first step.

Life can be incredibly complex, and there are times when we can feel overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected or unsure of the way forward. I provide a confidential, non-judgemental and collaborative therapeutic space where you can explore what you're experiencing, develop greater understanding and begin working towards meaningful change.

My Approach
I am an Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and NCPS Accredited Registrant.

My therapeutic foundation is Person-Centred. Where appropriate, I draw on CBT-informed and DBT-informed approaches, mindfulness, psychoeducation and practical therapeutic tools according to the individual needs of each client.

I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Our work is shaped around you, your experiences and what you hope to gain from counselling.

I am particularly passionate about supporting men who may appear to be coping on the outside while internally experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, addiction, stress or emotional overwhelm.

Ways We Can Work Together
Face-to-Face Counselling:
Sessions are available in a calm, private setting in Milton-under-Wychwood, West Oxfordshire.

Walk-and-Talk Counselling:
For clients who prefer an alternative to sitting in a traditional therapy room, counselling can take place outdoors while walking at an agreed pace in suitable locations around West Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds.

Walk-and-Talk remains a professional counselling session and follows the same therapeutic, ethical and confidentiality framework as my other counselling work, while recognising the particular considerations associated with working outdoors.

Online and Telephone Counselling:
Secure online and telephone sessions are available across the UK and, where appropriate, internationally, subject to professional, ethical and insurance requirements.

Mindfulness:
Where appropriate within counselling, mindfulness-based practices may be used to support grounding, awareness and emotional regulation.

My Background & Experience
My path towards becoming a counsellor has also been influenced by my own experiences of adversity, loss, addiction and rebuilding.

Those experiences don't make me your therapist — my professional training and experience do — but they have contributed to my understanding of how difficult life can become and the importance of being genuinely heard without judgement.

Professionally, I bring 10 years' counselling experience in private practice, alongside more than 16 years' professional experience within addiction, homelessness, supported housing and mental health services.

Areas I Commonly Support
Anxiety, stress and low mood
Addiction and recovery
Grief and loss
Relationship difficulties
Low self-esteem and confidence
Anger and emotional regulation
Men's mental health
Difficult life transitions and emotional overwhelm
Professional Standards
I am an NCPS Accredited Registrant and work in accordance with the NCPS Code of Ethical Practice.

I undertake regular clinical supervision and continuing professional development (CPD), maintain appropriate professional insurance and hold a current enhanced DBS certificate.

Reiki
I am also a qualified Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Master Teacher.

Reiki is offered separately as a complementary wellbeing practice and is separate from my counselling and psychotherapy registration and accreditation with NCPS.

Practical Information
Face-to-face counselling is available in Milton-under-Wychwood, West Oxfordshire.

I also offer Walk-and-Talk counselling in suitable locations within West Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds, alongside online and telephone counselling.

Standard counselling sessions are £65 for 50 minutes.

Extended 100-minute Walk-and-Talk sessions are £130.

A limited number of reduced-fee sessions may be available depending on individual circumstances.

Next Steps
I offer a free 15-minute initial consultation. This allows us to talk briefly about what has brought you to counselling, what you're looking for and whether working together feels right for you.

Website: garongreentherapies.com