Dr Gary Shepherd

Teaching

I teach on the undergraduate Counselling and Mental Health programme and the postgraduate Humanistic Counselling MA where I have module lead responsibilities. The modules I teach include Research Methods, Independent Research Project, Dissertation, Introduction to Professional Practice, Developing Professional Practice, Professional Identity and Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural Approaches.

In my role I supervise a number of PhD students and from June to September I run a summer school programme where undergraduate, postgraduate and teaching colleagues have the opportunity to undertake a research project leading to academic publication. 

Research

Principal Investigator (PI) York St John Institute of Social Justice funded £10,000 Communities Research Grant "Menfulness Evaluation Project".

PI on £7,000 follow-on Menfulness Evaluation Project for the Institute of Social Justice Communities Research Grant.

This was a co-designed participatory research project aiming to identify best practice and inform the future development and growth of a male suicide prevention charity. The project explored the effectiveness of an online and offline support group catering for hegemonic men. 

Secured £95,000 grant funding through the Humber & North Yorkshire ICB Health Inequalities fund 2024/25 for a new Menfulness development project.

I am the departmental Impact Case Study Lead for Unit of Assessment 3 (UoA3). Within this role I co-ordinate research activities around the York St John Communities Centre Impact Case Study.

Publications and conferences

Book Chapters

Shepherd, G. (2025). Humanistic Person-Centred Set Facilitation. In P. Cauwelier & G. Boak (Eds.), Action Learning: Facilitation and Coaching (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 29–42). Routledge.

Publications

Shepherd, G, murphy, H, Woodhams, J and Watling, S,. (2025) Using public spaces for male community mental health support.Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community. DOI: 10.1080/10852352.2025.2558388.

Farrar, Eugene and Shepherd, Gary (2025) How does involvement in campaigning, impact close relatives bereaved by gambling-related suicide? OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying.

Murphy, H., Watling, S., Woodhams, J., & Shepherd, G. (2024). What do men gain from listening to men's mental health podcast episodes?.Mental Health & Prevention, 200347; doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2024.200347

Shepherd, G. (2024). Humanistic person-centred set facilitation. Action Learning: Research and Practice, 21(1), 30-42.

Shepherd, G., Astbury, E., Cooper, A., Dobrzynska, W,. Murphy, H,. Whitley, A. (2023) The challenges preventing men from seeking counselling or psychotherapy, Mental Health & Prevention, Vol. 31, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2023.200287

Shepherd, G. (2020) ‘Normally I'd get really agitated, but I just laughed!’: What do participants reflect upon on a Transactional Analysis/Mindfulness based anger management programme? British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 48 (4). pp. 537-551. 

Shepherd G,. Cant, M. (2020) Difficult to change? The differences between successful and not-so-successful participation on anger management groups. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 20 (2). pp. 214-223. 

Shepherd, G. (2019) An anger management programme as an action learning set. Action Learning: Research and Practice, 16 (3). pp. 256-265. 

Shepherd, G. (2017) ‘From where I'm looking it just seems like two people have missed the boat…’: Understanding set behaviour from a socioanalytic perspective. Educational Action Research, 26 (5). pp. 682-696. 

Shepherd, G. (2016) Developing Deep Group Reflection within a Critical Reflection Action Learning (CRAL) Set. Action Learning: Research and Practice, 13 (3). pp. 252-262. 

Shepherd, G. (2016) How a small family run business adopted Critical Reflection Action Learning using hand drawn images to initiate organisational change. Action Learning: Research and Practice, 13 (1). pp. 69-78.

Research Reports

Shepherd, Baxter, Perry (2025) Right Care Right Person- findings from a small-scale evaluation, Institute for Health & Care Improvement, York St John University, York

Shepherd, G., Murphy, H., Watling, S. and Woodhams, J., (2024). Menfulness Evaluation of Service Report. Project Report. Institute for Social Justice, York St John University, York.https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/10463/

Conference Presentations

Shepherd, G. and Murphy, H. (2025) "Co-producing men’s mental health and suicide prevention research with a charity partner", The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy International Research Conference, Manchester, UK.

I organised and presented at the one-day "Menfulness Conference" (July 2024) held at York St John University.

Shepherd, G. (2023) How can set effectiveness be improved by incorporating Person-Centred theory? In: 8th International Action Learning Conference, 17-19th April 2023, York St John University.

Shepherd, G. (2019) Do therapists ever get lonely? In: Alone Together Symposium, 10th-12th April 2019, York St John University. 

The Gambling Research Alliance

The Gambling Research Alliance (GRA) is a collaboration of academics, charities, and research partners committed to advancing our understanding of the ways in which gambling impacts individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole. By embedding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the heart of its mission, the GRA ensures that its research is representative, ethical, and impactful, while centring the voices of those most directly affected by gambling harms. This approach not only strengthens the integrity of the research but also ensures that its outcomes are both relevant and meaningful for diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, service providers, and affected communities.

Through co-production with individuals who have lived experience of gambling harms, the GRA produces research that is practical, ethical, and actionable. Lived experience partners play an important role in shaping research questions, methodologies, and outputs, ensuring the work reflects the realities of those most at risk. This inclusive approach facilitates engagement with underrepresented and vulnerable groups, such as women, young people, minority ethnic communities, and families affected by gambling-related harm, while actively addressing barriers such as stigma, accessibility, and cultural sensitivities. By fostering trusted partnerships between academics, charities, and communities, the GRA creates a collaborative environment in which all voices are equally valued, driving innovation and long-term sustainability in gambling research and harm reduction initiatives.

The alliance draws upon the networks and expertise of its community partners to amplify diverse voices and extend the reach of its findings beyond traditional academic channels. Dissemination efforts include community events, social media campaigns, and advocacy work, ensuring that research outcomes are accessible to a wide range of audiences and directly inform policy development, service provision, and public health strategies. This model of knowledge exchange directly supports UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) priorities, positioning the GRA as a leader in the co-production of evidence-based strategies to reduce gambling harms locally, nationally, and internationally.

Members of the alliance are active contributors to the national dialogue on gambling harm and reform. Collectively, they have engaged in advocacy and activism, providing expert contributions to government consultations, Select Committees, and All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs), including those focused on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) and electronic gambling machines (EGMs). This engagement reflects the alliance’s commitment to bridging the gap between research, practice, and policy, ensuring that lived experience and academic insight inform decision-making at the highest levels.

The alliance’s academic partners bring a wide range of specialist expertise. Their research interests include the design characteristics of gateway gambling products and their role in the normalisation of gambling behaviours, particularly among children and young people. Other areas of research focus on the impact of gambling-related suicide, the experiences of families bereaved by gambling harms, and the psychological mechanisms underpinning risk-taking, decision-making, and gambling-related reasoning. This work is complemented by research into tailored interventions that aim to improve engagement with support services and reduce risky gambling behaviours. By drawing on diverse perspectives and methodologies, the alliance maintains a comprehensive understanding of the UK gambling landscape, supported by up-to-date knowledge of industry practices, public health policy, and evolving legislation.

The GRA’s charity partners bring deep, authentic expertise grounded in lived experience. Many of these organisations were founded by individuals whose personal encounters with gambling harm motivated them to create meaningful change. These leaders are passionate advocates and peer support specialists, delivering frontline services to individuals and families in recovery and working to prevent others from experiencing similar harm.

One alliance partner provides a dedicated, women-only space for those affected by gambling, whether through their own gambling behaviours, as affected others, or through negative experiences within the gambling industry. This organisation works to amplify women’s voices, challenge stigma, and influence services to better meet the specific needs of women, offering safe and accessible pathways to support and recovery.

Another partner operates a registered charity that supports individuals and families navigating the often devastating effects of gambling addiction. Inspired by their own journey of seeking help for a family member with a gambling problem - and finding little understanding or support - they have built a community in which no family must face gambling harms alone or without resources. Their mission reflects the GRA’s overarching commitment to empowerment, recovery, and systemic change.
By integrating academic excellence with community-led action, the Gambling Research Alliance represents a powerful model for addressing gambling harms. Its work has the potential to inform policy reform, strengthen public health interventions, and improve the lives of those most affected by gambling.

For partners interested in supporting this transformative work or joining the alliance, please contact Gary Shepherd at g.shepherd@yorksj.ac.uk.