Fiona Yassin

Fiona Yassin, MSEd

International Program Director at The Wave

Expertise Psychology, Child Psychology, Personality, Research, Trauma, Eating Disorders

Highlights

Registered Psychotherapist and Accredited Clinical Supervisor in both the U.K. and UNCG.
Member of the International Chapter of IAEDP, with training in CBTe (Oxford Group), FREED (King’s College, London), TF-CBT, RO-DBT, and GPM.
Member of The Australia and New Zealand Eating Disorders Association.

Experience

Fiona Yassin is the International Program Director at The Wave, holding multiple credentials including being a registered Psychotherapist and Accredited Clinical Supervisor in both the U.K. and UNCG (Registration number #361609 National and International Council of Psychotherapists). She is EMDR trained (EMDRIA) and practices as a Trauma therapist (Registration number #10000054651).

Fiona’s expertise includes being a member of the International Chapter of IAEDP, with training in CBTe (Oxford Group), FREED (King’s College, London), TF-CBT, RO-DBT, and GPM. Her specializations cover the treatment of Eating Disorders and Borderline Personality Disorder, as well as families in High Conflict Divorces and Psychiatry across the female lifespan.

Additionally, Fiona holds the distinction of being a Fellow of APPCH, a senior accredited Addiction Professional, and a member of The Association of Child Protection Professionals. She is also trained in MBT (Child and Family and Adult) and Reflective Parenting with The Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families, and is a Member of The Australia and New Zealand Eating Disorders Association.

Fiona holds an MSc in Neuroscience and Mental Health awarded by King’s College London, where she received The Dean’s Award. She is currently completing an MSc in Psychiatry at Cardiff University Medical School and is a PhD Candidate in Mental Health Research at Lancaster University. Outside of her professional pursuits, she enjoys spending time with her three cats, going for long walks on the beach, and appreciating the beautiful animals in her garden.

More from Fiona Yassin

Anxious Teenage Student Sitting Examination In School Hall

Understanding Perfectionism at School

22 March 2024 No Comments

It’s okay for young people to want to do well at school, whether that’s in exams, sports, or other activities. Setting high targets can be motivating and help some adolescents to realise their potential. But when standards become exceedingly high, it can start to affect a young person’s well-being – particularly if they tend to focus on their mistakes and are self-critical when standards are not met.

Woman with two kids are going to school, conception of education.

School Refusal: How Parents Can Help

18 March 2024 No Comments

School avoidance can have a big impact on young people’s well-being and futures, but change is possible. Sometimes, schools can adapt parts of their programs to address the issues that are making a young person anxious. Some young people require professional support to address anxiety disorders that may underlie school refusal.

Happy young woman applies makeup on her face in front of the mirror

What Is Body Checking?

15 March 2024 No Comments

Teenagers and adolescents with eating disorders usually over-evaluate their shape and weight. Instead of placing their self-value in different aspects of their identity and personality, all or almost all of their self-worth relates to their body. Behaviours like body checking may reinforce a young person’s distorted beliefs about their own bodies, increase body dissatisfaction, and cause them to place even more self-value in their shape and weight.

Psychologist, high school behavior counseling teenage student

How Are Eating Disorders Treated and Managed?

11 March 2024 No Comments

There are several different evidence-based treatment approaches for eating disorders. Some approaches focus on changing eating habits within a family setting, while others emphasise the way that thinking patterns and behaviours interact to maintain eating disorders. Eating disorder treatment can also involve different levels of care. These include inpatient treatment (also known as residential treatment) and outpatient treatment.

Bottle with different pills. Top view. Concept of drugs, treatment of diseases, medicine and pharmaceuticals.

Can Medication Help Treat Eating Disorders in Young People?

8 March 2024 No Comments

While research on the effectiveness of medication for young people with eating disorders is still in its early stages, big progress has been made. Today, several studies have investigated different types of medication for young people with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or unspecified eating disorders.

Concept of growing thin girl with a plate full of tape.

Eating Disorders vs Disordered Eating

4 March 2024 No Comments

When disordered eating behaviours meet certain criteria, someone may receive a diagnosis of an eating disorder. Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions involving disordered eating behaviours that significantly harm a young person’s mental and physical well-being.

Portrait of a lonely schoolgirl standing outside her classroom with classmates in the background

How Eating Disorders Affect Young Adults Socially

1 March 2024 No Comments

Interpersonal relationships and eating disorders are closely linked. Friendship difficulties may be a risk factor for developing eating disorders, while strong interpersonal bonds and support systems often play a big role in recovery. Eating disorders can also have a significant impact on young people’s social lives, their friendships, and sense of belonging.

Teenage girl talking to psychologist at home

What to Look for in Eating Disorder Treatment

16 February 2024 No Comments

Understanding how to choose effective eating disorder treatment for young people can make a big difference in their recovery journey. In this blog, we outline some important characteristics of successful, reliable treatment programs that can guide your decision.

Sad upset worried Indian woman girl in yellow studio with measuring tape dissatisfied with body

Early Signs of Eating Disorders in Young Adults

12 February 2024 No Comments

Recognising the signs of eating disorders and reaching out for support is the first step in the recovery process. While recovery from an eating disorder is always possible, research shows that early interventions are associated with better outcomes. This means spotting early signs of disordered eating behaviours can be especially important.

smiling teenage girls are sitting in open air cafe and eating fast food

How Binge Eating Disorder Develops in Teens

9 February 2024 No Comments

While there is no single cause for binge eating disorder, there are several different risk factors that make the development of BED in teens more likely. This blog explores these risk factors and outlines some of the developmental pathways to binge eating disorder. It also outlines the emotional-behavioural cycles that can cause the disorder to persist in young people.

upset teenager sitting on a sofa with image of a distressed parent in the background

Addiction in the Family and Teen Mental Health

20 April 2026

Parental addiction affects young people in different ways. Parents are often unable to meet children’s physical and emotional needs when their lives are dominated by seeking a substance or engaging in a behaviour. In many cases, families experience role-reversal, when children or adolescents become responsible for meeting their parents’ and family’s needs, disrupting normal processes of child development.

Person Talking with Therapist at Counseling Session

Teen Alcohol Use and Emotional Coping

17 April 2026

If a young person is misusing alcohol, it’s important that they receive additional help. With professional support, teenagers can develop new coping mechanisms and address underlying experiences that underpin their behaviours.

blurred image of a young woman, face obscured by shadow and light, concept of mental health

Schizophrenia in Young People: A Parent’s Guide

13 April 2026

In this blog, we offer some basic information about schizophrenia, treatment and recovery. We touch on the impact of schizophrenia on the family, trauma therapy within schizophrenia treatment and the prevalence of the disorder in different places around the world.