Damien Ridge

Damien is Professor of Health Studies, and a practicing psychotherapist. Initially studying medicine, he transferred to the social sciences, to become a leading qualitative research expert on the lived experience of health conditions. He previously worked in the Health Experiences Research Group (HERG) at the University of Oxford, where he fleshed out for the first time what recovery from depression actually entailed for patients. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) subsequently adopted Ridge & Ziebland's (2006) research on recovery extensively in their guidance on the treatment and management of depression in adults in the UK (2010). He is currently funded to investigate a new NHS-based psychological treatment approach for those living with and beyond cancer, long-Covid and racialised minorities, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and sexual health, and caring for people living with Alzheimers in times of Covid. With a h-index of 33 and an i10-index of 67, Damien has published two books and over 100 peer-reviewed academic journal papers/book chapters. His key areas of study are depression and recovery; suicide and men; men and mental health; chronic health conditions; HIV and sexuality. His work has been funded by the MRC/ESRC, NIHR, Department of Health, NHS, NIHR, Wellcome Trust, Make My Day Better (MMDB), Quintin Hogg Trust (QHT) and various other charities. His approach to psychotherapy draws from psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive and mindfulness traditions.