Author – Mentor – Speaker
I have been consciously immersed in the nature and nurture of our human psyche for 30+ years
From 1991 to 1999 I completed my university studies and internship to become a registered psychologist and practiced in this capacity until June 2022 when I voluntarily deregistered to free and refine my offerings
My internship was in community mental health in Victoria’s far south west. I was introduced to the western approach of diagnosis and treatment for mental illness, high risk behaviour and alcohol and other drug misuse. At the same time I connected with the local Gunditjmara people and was privileged to sit by the feet of elders who shared their dreamtime and song lines about enriching health and life. Together we co-created Pathways to Best Practice which included culturally harmonious ways to assist Gunditjmara youth to re-connect with country, community and culture for healing and purpose. The program was highly successful and since this magical time the innate wisdom has lovingly informed both my professional practice and my inner work
One of my deep passions is surfing and during my intern years I began surfing very large waves, often solo and at dark, sharky outer reefs along the shipwreck coast of Victoria. I applied the strategies I was teaching my clients to master fears in their life to my fears in big waves and quickly achieved sound improvement in the quality of my mindset and my big wave riding ability. Along with the purity of personal challenge, I loved the psychological challenge of mastering my fears and exploring every dimension of our human psyche through my activity of passion
In late 1999 I combined my passions for surfing and psychology and became the first psychologist to consult globally on the Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour. From 2000-2004 I travelled and worked with top junior to elite competitive surfers, free surfers and big wave riders. The athletes called me the Surf Psychologist and my pioneering work culminated in my first book The Surfer’s Mind: The complete, practical guide to Surf Psychology
In 2005 I began riding a new wave when I was appointed Senior Psychologist at the New South Wales Institute of Sport. Here I expanded my skillset greatly through collaborative projects with coaches and the sports science sports medicine team and delivering personal and performance psychology services to emerging and national team athletes on world championship, Commonwealth Games and summer and winter Olympic and Paralympic Games campaigns. I also fulfilled several leadership roles including Principal Psychologist for the Australian Paralympic Team at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympics
While I continue to enjoy being in service in classic high performance realms such as individual and team sports, extreme, adventure and artistic pursuits, emergency services and all levels of business, I now primarily share my offerings with everyday mum’s, dad’s, elders and youth who wish to achieve personal best in their path of nurturing self mastery, strong family, community and the next generation, as nature intended…
New offerings include my LoveMastery mentoring program and my second book 100 Dawns: A divine entwine of Mother Nature and human nature
Professional Roles
– Author – 100 Dawns – Published February 2018
– Author – The Surfer’s Mind – Published April 2004, reprinted September 2006
– Mentor & Speaker – richybennett.org – Februay 2023-present
– Founder Surf Psychology – surfpsychology.org – August 1999-present
– Performance Psychologist in private practice – August 1999-June 2022
– Performance Psychologist – AFL Umpires, 2019-2021
– Guest Lecturer – Early Childhood Development, Victoria University, Melbourne, 2017
– Consulting Psychologist – Headspace Youth Mental Health Service, Geelong, 2014-2016
– Principal Psychologist – Australian Paralympic Team, 2012 Paralympic Games, London, UK
– Senior Psychologist – New South Wales Institute of Sport, 2005-2011
– Performance Psychologist – Australian Institute of Sport, 2005-2010
– Performance Psychologist – Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, 2006-2010
– Australian Team Psychologist – 2010 Commonwealth Games, Delhi, India
– Australian Team Psychologist – 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Vancouver, Canada
– Principal Psychologist – Australian Paralympic Team, 2008 Paralympic Games, Beijing, China
– Australian Team Psychologist – 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China
– Sport Psychology Lecturer – Australian College of Natural Therapies, Sydney, Australia, 2007
– Australian Team Psychologist – 2006 Commonwealth Games, Melbourne, Australia
– Surf Psychologist – Association of Surfing Professionals, Global, 2000-2004
– Senior Psychologist – Pathways to Best Practice, Gunditjmara Country, SW Victoria, 1998-1999
– Senior Psychologist – Portland Community Psychiatric Service, SW Victoria, 1997-1999
Education & Qualifications
– Registered Psychologist – August 1999
-June 2022
– Psychology Internship Program – Supervisor: Associate Professor Carol Hulbert PhD, Director Clinical Program and Director Psychology Clinic, The University of Melbourne, 1997-1999
– Advanced Training in the Reiki Method of Natural Healing, Denise & John Crundall USUI SHIKI RYOHO, Life Resource Reiki Centre, Warrnambool, 1997-1998
– Diploma of Solution Oriented Counselling, Centre of Effective Therapy, Melbourne, 1997
– Honours Degree in Psychology – Sport Psychology Thesis – Deakin University, Geelong, 1995
– Bachelor of Arts – Double Major: Psychology & Sociology – Deakin University, Geelong, 1991-1994
– Victorian Certificate of Education, Wesley College, Melbourne, 1990
Divine Teachers
– My highly spirited and enlightened Labradors
– Family, friends and elders
– Mother Nature
Thank you for the opportunity to be in Loving service
