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

Girl sharing concerns and issues with psychologist, concept of consultation and therapy

Why Talk Therapy is Not Always the Answer: Understanding Alexithymia

5 December 2025 No Comments

Alexithymia is related to both emotional processing and language. People with alexithymia may not recognise emotional expressions on faces as well as other people. They may find it hard to talk about interpersonal relationships or other people’s feelings, and describe their own emotional experiences with simple language without vivid descriptions. They may be less sensitive to the emotional meaning of language and tend towards concretist thinking and avoidance of metaphors.

Shot of two young women drinking coffee while sitting together at home

When Eating Disorders Are So Often Maintained by Interpersonal Difficulties, Why Do We Continue to Focus on Scales, Weight, Calories and BMI?

24 November 2025 No Comments

In this blog, we explain how lasting recovery requires addressing past traumas, interpersonal difficulties, and other underlying experiences that maintain eating disorder symptoms. We outline some of the effective treatment modalities available, and question why so many recovery programs still focus on weight and numbers.

Teenager boy feeling sad during therapy session with psychologist

My Teen Will Not Accept Help: Is Coercion Ever Acceptable? How We Can Collaborate Towards Wellness

21 November 2025 No Comments

Collaborative treatment helps young people feel heard, understood, and considered as a person, not a ‘patient’. It builds trust between teenagers, mental health professionals, and parents. It encourages young people to stay in treatment and receive treatment again if it’s necessary.

Thoughtful, Sad Teenager Sitting At Psychologist'S Office

Treatment for the Children and Families of Therapists and Psychiatrists: Why We So Often Feel Unable to Reach Out for Help and Why It Is So Important That We Do

17 November 2025 No Comments

For therapists and psychiatrists, caring for and empathising with others is part of the profession. Therapeutic relationships require work and sensitivity, balancing emotional and social

Conversation of young woman with psychologist, social worker, outdoor at meeting in park on lawn

Is a Mental Health Diagnosis an Identity? Navigating Stigma, Labels, and Identity Formation as a Teen

14 November 2025 No Comments

When teenagers receive a mental health diagnosis, they may experience a mixture of feelings. Some teenagers feel relieved when they are diagnosed with a mental

Therapist Talking To Unhappy Teenage Patient

I Feel Empty Inside: What Is Emptiness in Borderline Personality Disorder?

10 November 2025 No Comments

Young people with borderline personality disorder often experience feelings of emptiness. They might describe these feelings in different ways. They may talk about a sense

image of a teenage girl looking worried, depressed, concept of mental health

BPD or CPTSD – Is There a Difference?

7 November 2025 No Comments

This blog explores the similarities and differences between borderline personality disorder and complex PTSD, and what is needed to make an accurate diagnosis. It also offers some information on the medical and social context in Australia, and how this can impact diagnostic practices.

Borderline Personality Disorder in Under-18s in the UAE: When Is Diagnosing Too Early and When Is It Too Late?

3 November 2025 No Comments

Borderline personality disorder used to only be diagnosed in young people after the age of 18. But there is now a consensus in the medical community that BPD can be reliably and accurately diagnosed during adolescence, with a similar prevalence and stability of symptoms to the disorder among adults.

teenage boy talking to a psychologist, concept of counseling and therapy

Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder

30 October 2025 No Comments

Psychotherapy approaches can be delivered in both residential and outpatient settings. In outpatient settings, young people with borderline personality disorder attend regular therapy sessions while continuing to live in their home environment. They may participate in a combination of different approaches, or one psychotherapy approach alongside other kinds of psychosocial support.

Gender Differences in BPD

23 October 2025 No Comments

This blog explores some of the gender differences in different aspects of borderline personality disorder. Unfortuantely, most studies include adults and not adolescents, and include only women and men. We’ve included some of the key research findings here.

Teenage Girl Relaxing on Bed Using Laptop in Cozy Bedroom Setting

When Does a Teenager’s ‘Messy Room’ Become a Warning Sign?

6 February 2026

When a young person develops very low self-worth, they can feel like they don’t deserve to have a clean and tidy room. If they feel hopeless about life, or like nothing has meaning, they might feel like there’s no point in keeping their space organised. Fatigue, another common symptom of depression, can leave young people struggling to find the energy to complete even simple self-care tasks.

teenager talking to a counselor or therapist, concept of mental health treatment

EMDR in Teen Trauma Therapy: Why Is the Preparation Phase So Important?

2 February 2026

Before teenagers begin to reprocess traumatic events, they have to be able to access these memories, thoughts, and emotions safely. The preparation phase of EMDR supports teenagers in developing distress tolerance skills that help them cope with the pain connected with traumatic memories. It also helps them to access suppressed emotions and feelings in their bodies.

Teenage Boy Listening Attentively during Group Therapy Session

Parentification and Narcissistic Abuse: How Can Narcissistic Abuse Lead to Children Taking on the Role of Parents?

23 January 2026

In this blog, we look at how narcissistic abuse from one parent to the other impacts the family system, leading children to take on the role of parents. We also outline the long-term harm this can cause for young people’s mental health.

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