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The Team

Project Lead: Professor Dr. med. Frank Röhricht

MD FRCPsych;  Consultant Psychiatrist/Medical Director at East London NHS Foundation Trust, London; 

Honorary Clinical Professor Queen Mary, University of London & 

Honorary Professor of Psychiatry, St George's Medical School, University of Nicosia, Cyprus

Professional Biography:

trained in Integrative Body Psychotherapy (Netherlands/USA); since 1987 working as body psychotherapist in various settings

  • 1997 (Nov) to date Consultant Psychiatrist, Newham Community NHS Trust / East London & the City University Mental Health NHS Trust, now East London NHS Foundation Trust
  • From 2000 to 2013 Clinical Director for Adult Mental Healthin Newham
  • From 2013 to 2018 Associate Medical Director Research & Innovation
  • Since 2018 Medical Director Research, Innovation & Medical Education

Qualifications & Training:

  • Medical Qualification (MBBS equivalent in Germany) in 1990. Frank completed his M.D. in 1995 at Free UniversityBerlin/Germany, (Doctor of Medicine by Thesis): “Body concept and body schema and their relationship with psychopathological symptoms within acute paranoid schizophrenia”
  • Specialist Training in Psychiatry, Neurology and Psychosomatic Medicine from 1990 – 1997 and CCST in Psychiatry July 1997

Memberships and Appointments

  • Since 1998: Member of Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych, and FRCPsych)
  • 2000-2010: Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Unit for Social & Community Psychiatry, Queen Mary University of London. Member of the German Association for Psychosomatic Medicine. Chair of the research section of German Association for BodyPsychotherapy (part of European Association of Body Psychotherapy), Patron of the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK.
  • 2008-2011: Visiting Professor University of Hertfordshire, School of Psychology.
  • 2011-2017: Honorary Professor University of Essex, Centre for Psychonanalytic Studies, UK 
  • Since 2012: Honorary Professor of Psychiatry, St George's Medical School, University of Nicosia, Cyprus
Prof. Frank Rohricht

Project Manager: Nina Papadopoulos

Senior Dance Movement Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor 

Nina Papadopoulos is a UKCP registered Senior Dance Movement Psychotherapist, Psychologist and Clinical Supervisor working in the National Health Service and in private practice in the United Kingdom.

She works with a diverse range of patients/clients including refugees and others recovering from trauma.

Nina is involved nationally and internationally in the education and training of Dance Movement Psychotherapists.

Over the last 16 years she has been involved in research projects in the National Health Service extending the applications of Dance Movement Psychotherapy to schizophrenia, depression  and somatic symptom disorder/medically unexplained symptoms.  

Professional Association: Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK

Nina Papadopoulos

Psychotherapist: Georgia Konstantinidi

Embodied Movement Psychotherapist  

Qualifications & Training

  • University of Ioannina, Greece Ptyhion Philosophy- Pedagogy & Psychology 2001 – 2005 
  • Goldsmiths College, U. of London Master of Arts (M.A.)Dance Movement Therapy 2006 – 2008 

Georgia Konstantinidi is registered with the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapist UK and is an Embodied Movement Psychotherapist, practicing for the past 15 years.

Georgia initially trained to work within the psychodynamic approach and embodied perspectives. I now also integrate other models of practice, such as person-centred, systemic and psychoanalytic approaches. Further trainings in Mindfulness, body-mind awareness practices and other creative arts therapies approaches have also enriched my practice. She has also offered training to other professionals and supervision to Arts Therapies students. 

For more than 10 years now, she have worked in various community, educational and health care settings, in the UK and in Greece. Her clinical experience includes work in the NHS and the private sector: Adolescents Mental Health Units, Adults Mental Health centres, Women’s centres, Care Homes and therapeutic centres for children with autism, emotional or learning difficulties.

Georgia Konstantinidi

Drama and Movement Psychotherapist: Rosie Leach

An HCPC Dramatherapist and a certified Sesame (Drama and Movement) practitioner, Rosie trained with University of Roehampton (2020-2022) and Psyche and Soma (2018-2019). Rosie has completed a Foundation in Dance and Movement Psychotherapy (2019- 2020) with the University of Roehampton, and courses in the transpersonal approach to psychotherapy with Re-vision (2019 and 2020-2021).

Rosie's clinical experience includes work in the NHS at a care centre for older people and a Forensic (secure) mental health unit, and work in the public sector, at an education centre for young people facing exclusion, and a primary school.  

As a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Practitioner for the BDD Service, Rosie draws on a decade of experience practising Mindfulness, as well as training courses in Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (2023), Mindfulness-based Addiction Recovery (2020), Mindfulness for Self-compassion (2014) and Mindfulness for Insight (2012).

Rosie draws on a broad range of past experiences within her therapy practice: a decade of work experience as a community arts practitioner, four years' experience as a Money and Debt caseworker, as well as extensive work as an educator, events-organiser, gardener and researcher. Values uniting Rosie's work experiences are creativity and care for the health and happiness of people and their environment.

Professional Association: British Association of Dramatherapists (BADth). 

Qualifications & Training

  • MA Dramatherapy 
  • PGCert Drama and Movement Therapy (Sesame approach)
  • MSc Environment and Development
  • BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics

 

 

Rosie Leach

Dance Movement Psychotherapist: Brenda Naso

Dance Movement Psychotherapist 

Qualifications & Training

Brenda Naso is a registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist (ADMP UK), Clinical Supervisor (Roehampton University) and Somatic Movement Therapist (IBMT UK). She comes from an international and eclectic professional and educational background. It was through her personal experience with a Dance Movement Psychotherapist that she decided to pursue studies in DMP and other body-oriented practices. She has over 15 years working experience in different clinical settings such as the NHS, both acute and community mental health, the charitable sector, private clinical and supervisory practice. 

In the context of her work in the NHS, she also provides embodied practice interventions to large teams of nurses, consultant psychiatrists, ward managers and other health professionals. She has co-created pioneering therapeutic work with occupational therapists, clinical psychologists and activity coordinators. 

Brenda has extensive experience working with children and adolescents who have suffered from trauma and abuse. In the context of her work with Kids Company, she was responsible for the implementation and management of various services offered by the charity. Amongst these were the provision of clinical work, caseload management, overseeing trainee therapists in placement, line management and clinical supervision, facilitation of reflective practice for teachers and therapeutic workshops for children. 

Brenda has been lecturing on the MA DMP at Goldsmiths since 2013 and  has been one of the course convenors of the Foundation DMP for 5 years. She has presented her work at the South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, PsychArt, University of Central Lancashire, Birkbeck College and the Wellcome Trust. Her international lecturing activities have taken her to Lithuania, Romania, and Spain and Greece.  

Publication 

Naso, Brenda 2015. ‘Embodied Landscapes. E-motion XXV (1), pp. 3-4. 

Academic Qualifications 

  • Diploma in Dance Movement Psychotherapy Supervision 
  • MA Dance Movement Psychotherapy 
  • PgDip Dance Movement Psychotherapy 
  • PgDip Institute for Bodywork and Movement Therapy.
Brenda Naso

Service Facilitator: DaeNia La Rodé

Qualifications & Training:  

  • Augustana College, IL, USA BA Neuroscience and Biology 2015 – 2019  
  • University College London (UCL) MSc. Clinical Neuroscience 2019 – 2020 

DaeNia La Rodé is a Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership PhD Student. 

She has delivered presentations in both specialist and non-specialist settings, presenting research in medical and social neuroscience comprising of work with cells, animals and humans and has peer reviewed for the Association for Psychological Science.  

She has been recognised by Augustana’s Centre for the Study of Ethics for her paper titled “Ethical Dilemma of Alzheimer's Disease and Informed Consent” and has done research on Power Morality and Bribery which she presented at an international conference in Washington DC. 

Additionally, her background is both scientific and administrative with 4 years in academic administration. 

DaeNia La Rodé