Bridget O'Neill Kruger, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Cape Town WC
As a person I value kindness, boundaried compassion, connection, equality, inner strength, growth, personal accountability, responsibility and integrity. Accordingly, I aim to practice these values in my daily personal and professional life. I thoroughly enjoy my work and can only hope that the ripple effect thereof will spread to make the world healthier and better for all living beings. My focus as a psychologist is ultimately on connection. With that in mind, I have a deep commitment to seeing people grow and reconnect with themselves, their partners, their passions, dreams, life, others, nature and the world around them.
I am Dr Bridget O’Neill Kruger, a HPCSA registered Clinical Psychologist as well as a Holistic & Earth Medicine practitioner from Cape Town, South Africa.
My Integrative and Holistic approach is also reflected in my varied training background and experience.
I obtained my Therapeutic Reflexology and Meridian Therapy Diploma through The International Academy of Reflexology & Meridian Therapy associated with Dougans International in 2003. Shortly after, I proceeded to finish both my undergraduate degree and Honours degree in Psychology through the University of South Africa. My Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology was completed at the University of the Free State with my research dissertation focused on The Role of Mindfulness in the Psychological Well-Being and Life Satisfaction of Adults. This was followed by my internship at 3 Military Hospital in Bloemfontein, before returning to Cape Town to complete my community service placement at Groote Schuur Hospital. Shortly after going into private practice in 2015, I was accepted as a doctoral candidate at the University of the Free State. My Doctoral degree in Psychology was completed in March 2020 with my research exploring the Mindfulness, Attachment and Satisfaction Experiences of Couples.
In addition, I have continued to add to and widen my professional skillset to practice as an Animal Assisted Practitioner (Ethology Academy) and Emotionally Focused Therapist (Advanced level), as well as completing trainings in Encounter-centred Couples Therapy (EcCT, Imago Africa), Breathwork (Breathwork Africa), Psychedelic Harm Reduction & Integration, working with altered states of consciousness and working therapeutically with dreams. More recently, I entered my training as a Cacao Kuchina working with ceremonial cacao as a non-psychedelic plant medicine.
Apart from having worked with adults, children and adolescents, I have also developed and presented skill building workshops to groups and communities in different part of South Africa. I also occasionally participate in public talks or presentations regarding mental health matters.