Meet the Shadows Team
LOUISE CRAIK
Founder/Operations Director
My name is Louise Craik, and I am the Founder and Operations Director of Shadows Depression Support Group and the Shadows Wellbeing Centre. I established Shadows on Monday 16th January 2017 in Glanaman, Ammanford, after witnessing first-hand the lack of accessible, compassionate mental health support within our local communities.
My motivation came from deeply personal experience. Several members of my immediate family have lived with mental health struggles, and like many others in our area, they found it difficult to access timely, understanding support. This gap in provision — combined with the growing need I saw around me — drove me to create a safe, welcoming space where people could talk openly, receive guidance, and feel less alone.
Before launching Shadows, I consulted with local GP surgeries, the Community Mental Health Team, the Local Authority, and mental health charities including Mind and Hafal. I also maintained regular communication with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to ensure our approach was grounded in best practice and community need.
What began as a small weekly support group of around 30 attendees has grown far beyond anything I imagined. Over the last nine years, more than 5,000 people have accessed Shadows for support — through in‑person sessions, community outreach, and remote support for those unable to attend in person. While our roots are in Glanaman, we now support individuals and families across Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, parts of Pembrokeshire, and surrounding areas, as well as people nationally and internationally through our remote services.
Shadows works closely with GP surgeries, the Job Centre, Police, Probation Service, and other community partners who regularly refer individuals to us. We have welcomed numerous guest speakers, delivered wellbeing and mental health courses, and developed a wide range of support sessions tailored to the diverse needs of the communities we serve.
My aim — and the aim of Shadows — has always been simple: to ensure that no person, and no family, has to face depression, trauma, or mental health challenges alone. We remain committed to providing accessible, non‑judgemental, lived‑experience‑led support that empowers people to feel safe, understood, and connected.
My motivation came from deeply personal experience. Several members of my immediate family have lived with mental health struggles, and like many others in our area, they found it difficult to access timely, understanding support. This gap in provision — combined with the growing need I saw around me — drove me to create a safe, welcoming space where people could talk openly, receive guidance, and feel less alone.
Before launching Shadows, I consulted with local GP surgeries, the Community Mental Health Team, the Local Authority, and mental health charities including Mind and Hafal. I also maintained regular communication with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to ensure our approach was grounded in best practice and community need.
What began as a small weekly support group of around 30 attendees has grown far beyond anything I imagined. Over the last nine years, more than 5,000 people have accessed Shadows for support — through in‑person sessions, community outreach, and remote support for those unable to attend in person. While our roots are in Glanaman, we now support individuals and families across Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, parts of Pembrokeshire, and surrounding areas, as well as people nationally and internationally through our remote services.
Shadows works closely with GP surgeries, the Job Centre, Police, Probation Service, and other community partners who regularly refer individuals to us. We have welcomed numerous guest speakers, delivered wellbeing and mental health courses, and developed a wide range of support sessions tailored to the diverse needs of the communities we serve.
My aim — and the aim of Shadows — has always been simple: to ensure that no person, and no family, has to face depression, trauma, or mental health challenges alone. We remain committed to providing accessible, non‑judgemental, lived‑experience‑led support that empowers people to feel safe, understood, and connected.
JENNIFER MACKEY
Director/Manager/Facilator
My name is Jennifer, and I am a Director and Facilitator at Shadows Depression Support Group. My journey with Shadows began long before I ever imagined becoming part of the team. For over 40 years, I have been a carer and support to my husband, who has lived with mental health issues for more than five decades.
Throughout that time, I struggled to find meaningful support for either of us within our local area.
When I came across a poster for Shadows, I decided to attend a session to see what the group was about. From my very first visit, I knew I had finally found a place where we were understood. The knowledge, compassion, and lived experience within the group gave me guidance I had been searching for over many years. I learned more in those first few weeks about mental health and how to support my husband — and myself — than I had in decades of trying to navigate things alone.
My husband noticed the change in me almost immediately. I was no longer frightened or overwhelmed by his illness, and I felt more confident and informed. Seeing this, he decided to attend Shadows too. He had rarely spoken openly about his mental health before, but he found the environment supportive and helpful.
I have also experienced depression twice myself, including after the loss of my mother, so I understand the emotional impact from both a personal and a carer’s perspective.
After several months of attending, I felt ready to offer my support to Louise, the Founder. In October 2017, she invited me to become a Facilitator — a role I was honoured to accept. Since then, I have never looked back.
I am deeply passionate about Shadows and committed to helping the organisation grow so we can reach and support even more people. It is important to me that no one feels alone, and that every person who walks through our doors receives the understanding, compassion, and guidance that changed my life and my husband’s.
Throughout that time, I struggled to find meaningful support for either of us within our local area.
When I came across a poster for Shadows, I decided to attend a session to see what the group was about. From my very first visit, I knew I had finally found a place where we were understood. The knowledge, compassion, and lived experience within the group gave me guidance I had been searching for over many years. I learned more in those first few weeks about mental health and how to support my husband — and myself — than I had in decades of trying to navigate things alone.
My husband noticed the change in me almost immediately. I was no longer frightened or overwhelmed by his illness, and I felt more confident and informed. Seeing this, he decided to attend Shadows too. He had rarely spoken openly about his mental health before, but he found the environment supportive and helpful.
I have also experienced depression twice myself, including after the loss of my mother, so I understand the emotional impact from both a personal and a carer’s perspective.
After several months of attending, I felt ready to offer my support to Louise, the Founder. In October 2017, she invited me to become a Facilitator — a role I was honoured to accept. Since then, I have never looked back.
I am deeply passionate about Shadows and committed to helping the organisation grow so we can reach and support even more people. It is important to me that no one feels alone, and that every person who walks through our doors receives the understanding, compassion, and guidance that changed my life and my husband’s.
MARC PRODGER
Director Facilitator
My name is Marc Prodger and I am 46 years old. I first walked through the doors of Shadows in 2021 as I was at the lowest point of my life, following the sudden loss of my wife.
For most of my life I have lived with Anxiety and OCD, often feeling as though I was fighting battles that no one else could see. When my wife passed away, those struggles became overwhelming and I found myself in a place of grief and isolation.
Walking into Shadows changed that.
For the first time I felt truly heard and understood. Listening to others sharing their lived experiences helped me realise I was not alone. Through those honest conversations, I began to understand my own mental health more clearly and discovered practical ways to cope, rebuild and move forward.
Mental health challenges to not simply disappear. Life will always bring moments of pain, loss and uncertainty. But what I have learned at Shadows is that when we talk openly and support one another, we can find strength even in our darkest moments. We can learn to live with our struggles in a healthier way, rather than letting them control our lives.
Today, it is a privilege to be part of the Shadows team and to share my story with others who may be facing similar challenges. Like everyone involved in Shadows, I bring my lived experience with honesty and compassion, in the hope that it helps someone else feel understood and supported.
Sometimes the hardest step is simply speaking out. But talking is not a weakness, it is strength. It is often the first step towards healing.
You are not alone. And no matter how difficult things may feel right now, your story is not over.
For most of my life I have lived with Anxiety and OCD, often feeling as though I was fighting battles that no one else could see. When my wife passed away, those struggles became overwhelming and I found myself in a place of grief and isolation.
Walking into Shadows changed that.
For the first time I felt truly heard and understood. Listening to others sharing their lived experiences helped me realise I was not alone. Through those honest conversations, I began to understand my own mental health more clearly and discovered practical ways to cope, rebuild and move forward.
Mental health challenges to not simply disappear. Life will always bring moments of pain, loss and uncertainty. But what I have learned at Shadows is that when we talk openly and support one another, we can find strength even in our darkest moments. We can learn to live with our struggles in a healthier way, rather than letting them control our lives.
Today, it is a privilege to be part of the Shadows team and to share my story with others who may be facing similar challenges. Like everyone involved in Shadows, I bring my lived experience with honesty and compassion, in the hope that it helps someone else feel understood and supported.
Sometimes the hardest step is simply speaking out. But talking is not a weakness, it is strength. It is often the first step towards healing.
You are not alone. And no matter how difficult things may feel right now, your story is not over.
SAMANTHA JOHN
Volunteer Facilitator
I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Samantha, and I began attending Shadows in 2018. I found my way to this group during one of the darkest periods of my life. I have lived with anxiety, depression, and PTSD for most of my life.
Everything became overwhelming and unmanageable after the death of my mother, leaving an abusive relationship, and facing challenges at work—all happening around the same time. I was deeply discouraged because I struggled to find accessible mental health support in the area. However, discovering
Shadows gave me a glimmer of hope for the first time in a long while.
After my first group session, I felt as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I found a space where I could speak openly, surrounded by people who understood and did not judge me. The facilitators, who had their own lived experiences, and listening to others share their stories made me feel seen. I started to learn various coping strategies and received information about resources and organizations that could help me with practical issues. The ongoing support and encouragement I received significantly improved my self-esteem and outlook on life.
We will always face challenges in our lives, but what I have learned is that by asking for help when we're struggling, openly talking, and supporting each other, we can always find some hope and recognize that we don’t have to suffer alone.
I am filled with pride to now be a part of the Shadows team. I am eager to support others through their journeys. By opening up about my experiences, I hope to inspire others to find hope in their own lives. Everyone faces difficult times, but it is important to remember that no matter how overwhelming things may seem, there is always a way forward.
Everything became overwhelming and unmanageable after the death of my mother, leaving an abusive relationship, and facing challenges at work—all happening around the same time. I was deeply discouraged because I struggled to find accessible mental health support in the area. However, discovering
Shadows gave me a glimmer of hope for the first time in a long while.
After my first group session, I felt as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I found a space where I could speak openly, surrounded by people who understood and did not judge me. The facilitators, who had their own lived experiences, and listening to others share their stories made me feel seen. I started to learn various coping strategies and received information about resources and organizations that could help me with practical issues. The ongoing support and encouragement I received significantly improved my self-esteem and outlook on life.
We will always face challenges in our lives, but what I have learned is that by asking for help when we're struggling, openly talking, and supporting each other, we can always find some hope and recognize that we don’t have to suffer alone.
I am filled with pride to now be a part of the Shadows team. I am eager to support others through their journeys. By opening up about my experiences, I hope to inspire others to find hope in their own lives. Everyone faces difficult times, but it is important to remember that no matter how overwhelming things may seem, there is always a way forward.
CARI JONES
Volunteer Facilitator
My name is Cari and I’m from Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire.
In November 2021 I found Shadows after my doctor told me about them and thank goodness he did.
After being with several different organisations and receiving countless amounts of counselling Shadows is like nothing I’ve ever come across before.
Their lived experience approach is what sets them apart. After 3 months everything changed and I knew I had to volunteer with them. I have now been here 4 years and love being a facilitator.
In November 2021 I found Shadows after my doctor told me about them and thank goodness he did.
After being with several different organisations and receiving countless amounts of counselling Shadows is like nothing I’ve ever come across before.
Their lived experience approach is what sets them apart. After 3 months everything changed and I knew I had to volunteer with them. I have now been here 4 years and love being a facilitator.
