Garion Sparks-Austin

My name is Garion, and I am the Founder of Co & Associates, a practice built on the belief that emotional and mental health are not meant to be navigated alone. My journey—from my early beginnings in Seoul, South Korea, to the life I've created today—has been one of joy, challenge, resilience, and profound personal growth. Adopted in the early 1980s, I grew up following the path I thought I was "supposed" to take, only to discover that life had a very different plan for me. I have been a wife, a mother, a divorcee, a survivor—and through it all, I've become a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist dedicated to supporting others through their own transformations.

With over 19 years of experience in the social services and mental health sector, I have supported individuals and families through a broad spectrum of concerns, including trauma, mental and emotional health challenges, separation and divorce, substance abuse, parenting issues, domestic violence, neurodiversity, and major life transitions. My work centres on helping people rebuild, redefine, and reconnect with themselves during times of uncertainty or change.

I am especially drawn to working with clients who feel stuck or disconnected—those who sense that something deeper is influencing their relationships, career, coping patterns, confidence, or overall wellbeing. Many of my clients come wanting to understand the root causes of their experiences, whether related to neurodiversity, emotional overwhelm, old wounds, or long-standing patterns that no longer serve them. Together, we focus on uncovering the underlying "why" so they can move forward with clarity, emotional safety, and renewed direction.

A core area of my specialization involves supporting clients navigating complex or high-conflict relationships. This includes experiences of domestic violence, coercive control, narcissistic abuse, estrangement, and high-conflict separation or divorce. In these situations, I help clients regain stability, reclaim their sense of self, and navigate challenging dynamics with grounding, strategy, and compassion.

My clinical work is grounded in a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist lens. I draw from a diverse knowledge base and utilize integrative therapeutic approaches tailored to each person's needs. My style is casual, conversational, and collaborative—rooted in genuine, raw, and deliberate engagement. Therapy with me is not prescriptive; it's relational. It's a mutual dialogue where you lead the pace, and together we shape the work.

A core passion of mine is normalizing ongoing conversations around emotional health. I believe that regular emotional check-ins aren't just beneficial—they're essential. They help reduce the often invisible isolation so many people experience, while creating space for vulnerability, discovery, and meaningful self-development.

At my core, I am deeply committed to helping others, building community, and creating spaces where people feel seen, safe, and connected. It is an honour to walk alongside clients as they reclaim their stories, strengthen their sense of self, and redesign their lives.

I look forward to working with you.