Dr. Rebecca M. Ridge PhD, TEP
5/128 Lower St. George’s Crescent • Drummoyne 2047 N.S.W., Australia
Telephone: (02) 9181-1531 • E-mail: rebeccamridge@aol.com
And 21125 Lake George Blvd. N.W. Anoka Minnesota 55303

REGISTERED PSYCHOLOGIST • MEMBER COLLEGE OF HEALTH PSYCHOLOGISTS APS
TRAINER, EDUCATOR PRACTITIONER IN PSYCHODRAMA, GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY, SOCIOMETRY REMEDIAL MASSAGE THERAPIST • EDUCATOR

• Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentration in Somatic Therapies and Psychodrama, Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, OH, USA, completed October 2007
• Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counselling, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA, 1997
• Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies and Child Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA, 1975
• Diploma of Remedial Massage, New School of Natural Healing Arts, Tampa, FL, USA, 1981

• Trainer, Educator, Practitioner of Psychodrama, Group Psychotherapy, and Sociodrama, 1,500 training/supervision hours, 1987 to present; certified by American Board of Examiners, 1998.
• CranioSacral Therapy Diploma, Dr. John Upledger DO, Upledger Institute, West Palm Beach, FL, USA, 1993.
• Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training BSZ40198, certified by NSW Vocational Education and Training Board, Australia.
• Equivalent to “Train the Trainer” Teaching Certificate for conducting, reviewing assessing, planning, promoting, and delivering training-education programs; accredited to teach in any VETAB Training Institutions in Australia.
• Licensed Massage Therapist, Florida, USA, 1981 to present; Licensed by Florida Board of Massage and accredited by Australia Traditional Medicine Society.
• Infant Massage Instructor Certificate and Registration, International Association of Infant Massage, 1984.

Educator/Lecturer, Nature Care College, Sydney Australia, 1989 to present

• Teach Holistic Counselling for the Health Care Professional.
• Wrote and developed Holistic Counselling 2 course for naturopathic students.
• Developed diploma course in reflexology.
• Co-wrote and participated in developing first-year course in holistic counselling.
• Developed courses in positional release, baby massage, and guided imagery and relaxation workshop; lecture and train students in these areas.

Trainer, Educator, Practitioner in Psychodrama and Group Psychotherapy, Accredited by American Board of Examiners in Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama and Sociometry, Accredited Trainer in US, Primarily Private Practice, Sydney Australia, and Twin Cities, MN, USA, 1996 to present

• Facilitate ongoing workshops and training groups for professionals in group-therapy skills and psychodrama, incorporating bodywork, guided imagery, creative and expressive arts, and psychodrama for healing and transformation.
• Provide therapy groups for specific populations:
• Women’s Personal Development
• Women Who Run With the Wolves
• Recovery and Repair From Childhood Trauma and Abuse
• Rebuilding the Body of Trust
• Composing a Life
• Reweaving the Threads
• Healing the Courageous Heart
• Body Alchemy
• Enlivening the Body, Mending the Mind

International Lecturer/Facilitator, Recovery and Healing from Incest Program (RAHI), New Delhi, Calcutta, and Bombay, India, Oct. to Dec. 2000

• Taught six weeks of psychodrama and group psychotherapy to professionals who work with survivors of trauma and abuse in program sponsored by the Ford and MacArthur foundations.

International Lecturer, Upledger Institute, West Palm Beach, FL, USA, 1994 to present

• Lecture on SomatoEmotional Release therapy. USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada etc.

Postnatal Care Educator, Sydney Baby Health Clinics, Sydney, Australia, 1989 to 1995

• Taught ongoing infant-massage courses and stress management for new mothers.

Dean of Students, New School of Natural Healing Arts, Tampa, FL, USA, 1985 to 1987

• Developed curriculum for remedial massage program and prepared students for state board exams.
• Lectured in remedial massage techniques and reflexology.

Workshop Leader, The New School of Natural Healing Arts, Tampa, FL, USA, 1986 to 1988

• Led workshops in guided imagery and relaxation, nutrition and colonic irrigation, and reflexology.

Infant Massage Instructor, Nature Care College, Sydney Australia, 1998 to present

Childbirth Educator and Counsellor, Alpha House Residence, Tampa, FL, USA, 1982 to 1986

• Served as birth coach and counsellor for pregnant, single teen mothers.

Women’s Support Group Facilitator, The Hyde Park Wellness Centre, Tampa FL, USA, 1982 to 1989

• Led spiritual development and leadership training.

Instructor, Corporate Wellness Program, Honeywell Co. and Medtronics Co., Minneapolis, MN, USA, 1978 to 1980

High School Teacher, Special Education, Crossroads School, Johannesburg, South Africa, 1977 to 1978

• Developed curriculum for children with learning and emotional disabilities.

• Developed Salvo Care “Bereaved by Suicide” and “Grief and Loss” programs and taught specialized counselling skills to staff, 1990 to 1995.

Registered Psychologist, NSW Psychologist’s Registration Board, Australia, Private Practice, Sydney, Australia, 1992 to Present. Member of Australian Psychology Society. Member of College of Health Psychologists.

• As psychotherapist, specialize in individual, couples, and family therapy.
• Work with relationship issues, bereavement and loss, life transitions, trauma, and abuse, health related issues affecting bodymind and relationships.
• Supervise students and therapists.

Accredited Supervisor, NSW Psychologist’s Registration Board, Australia, and American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, US, Sydney, Australia, 1993 to Present.

• Supervise students applying for registration as psychologists.
• Provide professional supervision for therapists working with groups or individuals.

Bereavement and Grief Counsellor, Salvo Care Crisis Centre, Salvation Army, Sydney Australia, 1989 to 1995

• Developed support groups and trained facilitators in “Bereaved by Suicide” and “Grief and Loss” programs.

Founding Partner/Director, Hyde Park Wellness Centre, Tampa, FL, USA, 1984 to 1990

• Established professional health centre to provide therapeutic massage, counseling, and wellness programs.

Director, The Healing Arts Conference of Tampa Bay, Tampa, FL, USA, 1985 to 1987

• Developed and co-ordinated annual professional conference that involved 50 presenters from healthcare community at large, including MDs, nurses, psychologists, and creative and expressive arts therapists.
• Ensured that conference built links among various healing modalities and the arts as therapy, along with providing a unique community educational experience for 500 attendees.

Group Facilitator for Grief and Bereavement, The Life Centre, Tampa FL, USA, 1986 to 1988

• Facilitated support groups and individual counselling for persons with life-threatening diseases and those grieving the loss of a loved one.

Remedial Massage Therapist, Private Practice, Sydney, Australia; Minneapolis MN, USA; and Tampa FL, USA, 1981 to Present

• Provide body-oriented therapies, including CranioSacral therapy, reflexology, positional release, guided imagery, accupressure, psychosynthesis, and process-oriented psychotherapy.

Recreational Specialist, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 1972 to 1980

• Served as arts-and-crafts therapist, as well as parenting and youth-groups educator, and community-events programmer.

• Shiatsu Certificate, Nature Care College, Sydney, Australia, accredited by Australia Traditional Medicine Society, 1999.
• Body Mind Centering, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, 1989.
• JinShin Do Certificate, Suncoast School of Massage, Tampa, FL, USA, 1987.
• Osteopathic Techniques for the Body, Dr. Seldon Nelson, DO, 1986.
• Psychosynthesis Training, Dr. Harry Sloan and Poldi Orlando, PhD, 1985.

• Ridge, Rebecca. The body alchemy of psychodrama, to be published 2008
• Ridge, Rebecca. Psychodrama Training Manual, Sydney, Australia, 2000.
• Ridge, Rebecca. Positional Release Handbook, Sydney, Australia, 1993.
• Weber, Marcea, and Ridge, Rebecca. Natural Health and Healing for Children, Simon and Schuster, 1999

• “Rebuilding the Body of Trust,” Third World Congress for the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Melbourne, Australia, March 2000.
• “Soul Retrieval,” National Suicide Prevention Association Conference, Sydney, Australia, April 2001. Presented workshop and facilitated groups.
• Psychodrama presentations, various Australia and New Zealand Psychodrama Association (ANZPA) conferences, 1998 to 1999.
• Psychodrama presentations, ASGPP, American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama National conferences. 2002-2004
• USA Body Psychotherapy Conference, “The Roots of Trust” 2005.
• Hakomi Conference, “The Magic of Relationship” 2005.

• The interface among somatic therapies, psychology, and group psychotherapy, including psychodrama.
• Affective neuroscience and communication with the body mind: How the nervous system’s early attachment and bonding experiences impact the emotional realm of the client.

• Full Member, Australian Psychological Association, No. 101378
• Full Member, College of Health Psychologists, No. 101378 MAPS
• Member, National Association of Grief and Loss
• Member, American Society for Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama
• Member, Australian and New Zealand Psychodrama Association
• Member, Australian Traditional Medicine Society, No. 2839
• Member, Networking for Exploring Creativity in Therapy through the Arts (NECTA) of Australia
• Member, National Suicide Prevention Association

Country and Place of Birth: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Interests: Dance, yoga, golf, bushwalking, camping, and traveling

Marital Status: Married with two stepsons and two step grandchildren

Present Citizenship: Australia and USA