The Frank Ridge Memorial Foundation is proud to be culminating our 13th year of service and thrilled to be embarking on our 14th in 2027. All of our seminars are NY State Education Department approved for Continuing Education contact hours (CEs) for ALL NYS licensed Psychologists (#PSY-0009), Social Workers (#SW-0096), Mental Health Counselors (#MHC-0010), Marriage & Family Therapists (#MFT-0014), Creative Arts Therapists (#CAT-0065), and Psychoanalysts (#P-0018).
SCROLL DOWN the entire page for seminar details & registrations, Self Study seminars, NY State Office of the Professions requirements & announcements, and our cancellation policy.
Seminars presented by the Frank Ridge Memorial Foundation are topical; feature movies; are delivered in our intimate home/office space, live-online via Zoom (Live-online via Zoom hours count as live-in-person CEs) or through Self Study; and they’re fun. Class sizes are small to enhance optimal participation. I watch hundreds of movies every year in search of accurate, responsible, compassionate depictions of mental health conditions & issues that impact well being. Movie-viewing provides the springboard for provocative thought and lively conversation. Seminars are enhanced with up-to-date, comprehensive study materials. Our live-in-person seminars fill quickly. We recommend you register at your earliest convenience. Seminars are curated and facilitated by Julie Ridge, LCSW-R, a master trainer with 30+ years of teaching experience.
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SEPTEMBER, 2026
NEW – GRIEF – healing through. 7 CEs (for the price of 6) We all grieve in our own time and our own way. There is no right way, no wrong way. There is no appropriate duration, no timeline. There is no “you’ve grieved long enough, it’s time to move on already.” It takes as long as it takes, no more, no less. Anyone who has ever loved will eventually experience grief. It is an essential passage – a symbol that we have lost something of personal importance – a loved one or a beloved pet, our health or our youth, our home or our livelihood, our innocence or our faith. Grief may well be the most significant emotion of all. This seminar features two powerful movies (including the 2025 Academy Award winning Hamnet); spans over 300 years; and features illustrations of grief, trauma and healing.
WHEN: Live-in-person Sat, September 26, 11-6:30 pm, 2026, 7 CEs. This session is FULL. Email me at [email protected] to be placed on the wait list, or register for the Saturday, October 3rd session, same time, same place.
WHERE: Our home/office: 400 W 43rd St (corner of 9th Avenue), #41E, NYC, NY.
COST: $150 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, Psychoanalysts (LP), CATs and Psychologists (PSY).
REGISTRATION for the September 26 session of GRIEF – healing through – live-in-person is now closed. Another session has been scheduled for October 3rd.
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WHEN: Live-online + self study, Zoom session Tues., September 29, 7-9:30 pm, 7 CEs (3 live-online + 4 self study). Seats available. [For Zoom seminars, you watch the movies independently. I do not provide links to the movies.]
WHERE: Online via Zoom.
COST: $150 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For GRIEF – healing through – live-online + self study, Zoom session, September 29, 7:00 – 9:30 pm: REGISTER HERE
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WHEN: Live-in-person, Saturday, October 3, 11-6:30 pm, 2026, 7 CEs. Seats available. [For live-in-person seminars we watch the movies together.]
WHERE: Our home/office: 400 W 43rd St (corner of 9th Avenue), #41E, NYC, NY.
COST: $150 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, Psychoanalysts (LP), CATs and Psychologists (PSY).
For GRIEF – healing through – live-in-person Sat October 3, 11-6:30 pm: REGISTER HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW or LCSW, MHC, MFT, Psychoanalyst (LP), CAT or Psychologist (PSY)) and license number to complete your registration.
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OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2026
NEW – CONNECTING DOTS: say it in a song. 18 CEs. This is our last CONNECTING DOTS series in 2026. Four consecutive weeks, four atypical movie musicals. Sometimes musical theater is pensive, sometimes it’s fluffy, sometimes it’s dark and introspective, sometimes it’s soulful – but at its heart – what makes this theatrical form distinctive from the rest, is the marriage between narrative, music and lyrics. When emotions are too big, they burst into song. This series takes us from Sondheim to Mozart, exploring themes of fractured fairy tales, impossible dreams, moral ambiguity, and adolescent angst.
WHEN: Live-in-person, Saturdays October 17, 24 & 31, and November 7, 1-5:30 pm. 18 CEs. Seats available. [For live-in-person seminars we watch the movies together.]
WHERE: Our home/office: 400 W 43rd St (corner of 9th Avenue), #41E, NYC, NY.
COST: $350 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, Psychoanalysts (LP), CATs and Psychologists (PSY).
For CONNECTING DOTS: say it in a song – live-in-person Oct 17, 24 & 31, and Nov 7, 1:5:30 pm: REGISTER HERE
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WHEN: Live-online + self study, Zoom session Tuesdays, October 20 & 27, and November 3 & 10, 2026, 7-9:30 pm, 18 CEs (10 live-online + 8 self study). Seats available. [For Zoom seminars, you watch the movies independently. I do not provide links to the movies.]
WHERE: Live-online via Zoom.
COST: $350 for all NY licensed LMSWs, LCSWs, MHCs, MFTs, Psychoanalysts (LP), CATs and Psychologists (PSY).
For CONNECTING DOTS: say it in a song – live-online via Zoom, Oct 20 & 27, and Nov 3 & 10, 7-9:30 pm: REGISTER HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW or LCSW, MHC, MFT, Psychoanalyst (LP), CAT or Psychologist (PSY)) and license number to complete your registration.
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DECEMBER, 2026
Our last seminar in 2026 – NEW to celebrate the holiday season: We Can Be Kind 6 CEs. If you have the choice to be right or to be kind – be kind. What is kindness? Why does it seem so difficult to conjure on the world stage these days? Where does the abundance of cruelty come from? Can kindness be the antidote to what ails us?
WHEN: Live-in-person Sat, December 5, 11-5:30 pm, 2026, 6 CEs. Seats available. [For live-in-person seminars we watch the movies together.]
WHERE: Our home/office: 400 W 43rd St (corner of 9th Avenue), #41E, NYC, NY.
COST: $150 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, Psychoanalysts (LP), CATs and Psychologists (PSY).
For We Can Be Kind – live-in-person Dec 5, 11-5:30 pm: REGISTER HERE
OR
WHEN: Live-online + self study, Zoom session Tues., December 8, 7-9:30 pm, 6 CEs (3 live-online + 3 self study). Seats available. [For Zoom seminars, you watch the movies independently. I do not provide links to the movies.]
WHERE: Online via Zoom.
COST: $150 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For We Can Be Kind – live-online + self study, Zoom session Dec 8, 7-9:30 pm: REGISTER HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW or LCSW, MHC, MFT, Psychoanalyst (LP), CAT or Psychologist (PSY)) and license number to complete your registration.
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Huge thanks to everyone who came to see my one-woman show, BIPOLAR & THE ENGLISH CHANNEL, a mini-memoir in two acts, last year, December 3-14, of 2025. Although it was a short run, we were reviewed very favorably by Talkin’ Broadway.com and Stage and Cinema – to read the reviews, press these links: Talkin’ Broadway and Stage and Cinema. We are happy to bring BIPOLAR & THE ENGLISH CHANNEL to you. Please email me at: [email protected] to discuss the possibilities.
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Scroll down for menu of SELF STUDY SEMINARS.
MADNESS IN THE PALACE – uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. 6 self study CEs. Life among the Royals has held the public’s fascination for eons. For this retrospective I’ve selected two movies – the first, Corsage, an historical drama about an eccentric Empress of Austria from the 1800s; the second, Grace of Monaco, a glimpse into the challenges of Hollywood royalty becoming a royal princess. I do not provide links to the movies. How you access them depends on your cable network and premium channels. Upon receipt and confirmation of your registration, you will be emailed the study materials and instructions. They will not arrive instantaneously. Thank you for your patience.
COST: $100 for all NY licensed LMSWs, LCSWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For MADNESS IN THE PALACE self study: REGISTER HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW, LCSW, MHC, MFT, LP, CAT or Psychologist) and license number to complete your registration.
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IF YOU’VE MET ONE PERSON WITH AUTISM, you’ve met one person with autism. 6 self study CEs. Two powerful documentaries: In a Different Key, the story of the first person diagnosed with autism, and, The Reason I Jump, an intimate exploration inside a neurodiverse mind, explore the world of the spectrum with fresh eyes. I do not provide links to the movies. How you access them depends on your cable network and premium channels. Upon receipt and confirmation of your registration, you will be emailed the study materials and instructions. They will not arrive instantaneously. Thank you for your patience.
COST: $100 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For IF YOU’VE MET ONE PERSON WITH AUTISM self study: REGISTER HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW, LCSW, MHC, MFT, LP, CAT or Psychologist) and license number to complete your registration.
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WE ARE MORE THAN OUR WORST DAY: people in prison – 6 self study CEs. We all have bad days. Some of us have colossally bad days – with severe consequences. Two movies – Sing Sing, about a prison program that rehabilitates through an innovative theater program, starring Colman Domingo and featuring former prisoners who were in the program and have remained prison-free, and Daughters, a poignant documentary about a prison program designed to bring daughters together with their incarcerated fathers for a father-daughter dance – are the springboard for an exploration of the humanity behind the prisoner. Note: I do not provide links to the movies. How you access them depends on your cable network and premium channels. Upon receipt and confirmation of your registration, you will be emailed the study materials and instructions. They will not arrive instantaneously. Thank you for your patience. Though you may be tempted, please do not watch the movies before you receive the study materials – they guide your viewing.
COST: $100 for all NY Licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For WE ARE MORE THAN OUR WORST DAY self study: REGISTER HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW, LCSW, MHC, MFT, LP, CAT or Psychologist) and license number to complete your registration.
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THE OPPOSITE OF ADDICTION ISN’T SOBRIETY: it’s connection. 6 self study NY SED approved CEs. Two movies –The Days of Wine and Roses, starring Jack Lemon and Lee Remick and The Year of the Dog (2022), starring and directed by Rob Grabow. This new seminar on addiction takes a fresh view on healing and recovery. Note: I do not provide links to the movies. How you access them depends on your cable network and premium channels. Upon receipt and confirmation of your registration, you will be emailed the study materials and instructions. They will not arrive instantaneously. Thank you for your patience. Though you may be tempted, please do not watch the movies before you receive the study materials – they guide your viewing.
COST: $100 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For THE OPPOSITE OF ADDICTION ISN’T SOBRIETY: it’s connection self study: REGISTER HERE.
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW, LCSW, MHC, MFT, LP, CAT or Psychologist) and license number to complete your registration.
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SURVIVING THE SEASONAL BLUES: with an assist for alleviating year-round doldrums. 6 self study CEs. During the holiday and winter season, not everyone is decking the halls and feeling the jolly. When it seems everyone else is merry and gay, for many being alone feels lonelier, the Winter Blues swell into full blown depression, and the need to check in with loved ones is more powerful than ever. Two movies – It’s a Wonderful Life and The Holdovers – a classic holiday movie and an Academy Award nominee, have been selected to prompt thought of how we can help those we care for, as well as provide ourselves with much needed self care. Note: I do not provide links to the movies. How you access them depends on your cable network and premium channels. Upon receipt and confirmation of your registration, you will be emailed the study materials and instructions. They will not arrive instantaneously. Thank you for your patience.
COST: $100 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For SURVIVING THE SEASONAL BLUES self study: REGISTRATION HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW, LCSW, MHC, MFT, LP, CAT or Psychologist) and license number to complete your registration.
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BORN THIS WAY – about Neurodevelopmental Disorders. 6 self study NY SED approved CEs. With the documentary Far From the Tree, based on Andrew Solomon’s Best Seller of the same name, and the romantic comedy Keep the Change, participants will explore a myriad of neurodevelopmental disorders – from learning disabilities to Dwarfism. Note: I do not provide links to the movies. How you access them depends on your cable network and premium channels. Upon receipt and confirmation of your registration, you will be emailed the study materials and instructions. They will not arrive instantaneously. Thank you for your patience. Though you may be tempted, please do not watch the movies before you receive the study materials – they guide your viewing.
COST: $100 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For BORN THIS WAY self study: REGISTER HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW, LCSW, MHC, MFT, LP, CAT or Psychologist) and license number to complete your registration.
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LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE: LGBTQ stories. 6 self study CEs. After decades of progress, LGBT rights are under assault again. Two movies – Milk and Every Act of Life – feature the fight for LGBT freedoms, the gains, the losses, and the struggles that lie ahead. For us, the ‘T‘ in LGBTQ is alive and well! Note: I do not provide links to the movies. How you access them depends on your cable network and premium channels. Upon receipt and confirmation of your registration, you will be emailed the study materials and instructions. They will not arrive instantaneously. Thank you for your patience. Though you may be tempted, please do not watch the movies before you receive the study materials – they guide your viewing.
COST: $100 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For LOVE IS LOVE self study: REGISTER HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW, LCSW, MHC, MFT, LP, CAT or Psychologist) and license number to complete your registration.
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VOICES IN MY HEAD: about schizophrenia. 3 self study NY SED approved CEs. With the documentary A Guy Called Dad: a daughter’s journey, Stavon Arnold – a sweet, kind, gentle father, husband and son – provides us a glimpse into the world of schizophrenia. His daughter Kacey Arnold shows us how his chronic condition impacts individuals trying to care for a beloved family member. Note: I do not provide a link to the movie. How you access it depends on your cable network and premium channels. It is available on Amazon Prime, or purchase on DVD. Upon receipt and confirmation of your registration, you will be emailed the study materials and instructions. They will not arrive instantaneously. Thank you for your patience. Though you may be tempted, please do not watch the movie before you receive the study materials – they guide your viewing.
COST: $50 for all NY licensed SWs, MHCs, MFTs, LPs, CATs and Psychologists.
For VOICES IN MY HEAD self study: REGISTER HERE
Fill in all fields. Enter BOTH your discipline (LMSW, LCSW, MHC, MFT, LP, CAT or Psychologist) and license number to complete your registration.
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As of April 2023, the NY State Education Office of the Professions requires ALL mental health professionals (social workers, mental health counselors, creative arts therapists, psychoanalysts, marriage & family therapists, and psychologists) to complete a minimum of 3 CEs with a State Approved Provider in “Ethics & Maintaining Professional Boundaries with Clients” within every renewal cycle. The Frank Ridge Memorial Foundation, Inc is an approved provider of both Ethics and Maintaining Professional Boundaries.
Additionally, NY State requires all mental health practitioners to complete updated mandated reporter training by November 17, 2026. For those who completed the current training between 11/1/2022 and 8/31/2025 you will need this additional training in order to be in full compliance with the recent changes in law. I do not offer this specialized training. For a full list of approved providers, visit: https://www.op.nysed.gov/about/training-continuing-education/child-abuse-identification-reporting. I recommend the Abuse Child Research Association, at: https://www.mandatedworkshop.com/app/study/ Their course is only $25, can be completed online, meets the new requirement and provides a certificate you can submit to the NY State Office of the Professions. Note: this 2 hour seminar is required, but it does not count toward your 36 triennial CEs.
For more information about Continuing Education contact hours go to the New York State Office of the Profession’s website at: https://www.op.nysed.gov/about/training-continuing-education. There is no State restriction as to how many of your 36 CEs you can earn from a single provider, within a single calendar year. We present Certificates of Completion after completion of each seminar.
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If you would like to receive notifications as soon as registrations open, email us at: [email protected] to be placed on our mailing list. We thank you for passing our information along to your colleagues. Your patronage keeps us alive!
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REFUND POLICY: Cancellations received more than 3 days (72 hours) in advance of fully Live-in-Person or Live-online (via Zoom) sessions, can receive a 100% refund or full credit toward a seminar of equal price. Cancellations received 3 days (72 hours) before a seminar or for a seminar after you have gotten your study materials, cannot be refunded, nor can tuitions be applied to future seminars. Self Study seminars cannot be refunded. If you have extenuating circumstances, please contact me and I will do my best to reach an equitable solution with you.
