Prof Damien Ridge

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he/him
PGDipCounsPsych MACounsPsych PhD FHEA FRSA MBACP (Accred)
Waiting list for new clients
Waiting list for new clients

This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.

London, Greater London, SW16
Waiting list for new clients
Waiting list for new clients

This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.

About me

I’m a warm, experienced psychotherapist who supports people struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, and relationship difficulties. My approach is relational and psychodynamic, which means we focus not just on symptoms, but on understanding the deeper patterns that shape your life and relationships.

Therapy with me offers a calm, compassionate space where you can talk openly, make sense of your experiences, and find new ways forward. Over time, this process can help you feel more confident, peaceful, and alive — not simply coping, but thriving.

Many people come to me feeling stuck, anxious, or weighed down. Together, we work towards easing immediate distress while also exploring what might lie beneath — so that real, lasting change becomes possible.

Speaking with a skilled therapist can open new possibilities: rediscovering your energy, deepening self-understanding, and connecting more fully with who you are.

Clients often share that through therapy, they’ve come to see their lives more clearly and now thrive in ways they hadn’t thought possible.

Training, qualifications & experience

I’m an Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP Accred), which means I meet BACP’s higher standards of training, experience and ethical practice. My work is professionally supervised to ensure you receive high-quality care.

I’ve provided counselling with Mind and co-developed the Atlas Men’s Wellbeing Clinic at Victoria Medical Centre, London. My research on depression and recovery has been adopted by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) for national guidance on treating depression. Currently I sit on the Men's Health Academic Network advising on the implementation of the first Men's Health Strategy for England.

Alongside my clinical work, I’m a professor and researcher specialising in mental health and recovery, and I teach on a Postgraduate Diploma/MSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy. This means I stay up-to-date with cutting-edge developments in therapy and research — and I’m deeply committed to ongoing professional growth.

I have over 25 years of experience practising yoga and mindfulness, which informs my grounded and compassionate approach.

I’ve supported people from all walks of life facing depression, anxiety, chronic illness, long COVID, cancer, HIV, and men’s mental health issues. I also work extensively with LGBTQ+ clients and welcome people from all backgrounds.

Member organisations

Registered / Accredited

Registered / Accredited

Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.

Accredited register membership

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Therapies offered

Fees

Additional information

Note: I currently have a waiting list only.

I work in person from Streatham Hill, or online.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Early morning
Morning
Early afternoon
Late afternoon
Evening

Further information

I currently practice from Streatham Hill or online via Zoom for Business.

Streatham High Road, London, Greater London, SW16

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)

Online platforms

Zoom
Prof Damien Ridge
Prof Damien Ridge