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.
Childhood trauma can have a big impact on the emotional and social development of a young person. During childhood, young people are growing both psychologically and biologically. When distressing events happen in this time, the consequences can be far-reaching, staying with a young person into their adult life.
It’s normal for young people to experience some mood and behavioural changes in winter and summer. Young people may cope with feelings of sadness during the colder, darker months, or find it harder to sleep in the summer.
Many people think that autistic children and adolescents aren’t interested in making friends or spending time with others. However, for a lot of young people in the autism community, this isn’t true. Autistic people often want to be close to others and seek companionship, but lack the social skills to make friendships a reality.
Some young people look forward to the summer holidays, waiting for the chance to take a break from work, spend time with friends, and enjoy fun activities. However, this isn’t the case for everyone. Many teenagers and adolescents struggle with a lack of routine and distance from their usual support systems while others have to navigate difficult environments at home.
In the past, people thought that many more boys than girls were autistic. Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder among girls and women were very rare and diagnostic criteria for autism tended to reflect the traits presented by men and boys. However, we now know that there are many non-binary people, girls, and women on the autistic spectrum.
Film, animation, and other types of media can have a big impact on the thoughts and feelings of young people and the social norms that shape society. Through its portrayal of different characters, anime may have both positive and negative effects on how young people perceive themselves and others around them.
Young people living in Hong Kong experienced many changes during the pandemic. Schools were closed for several months at a time, physical activities were restricted, and opportunities to spend time with friends were limited. As well as these changes, young people shared worries and anxieties that they, family members or other people close to them would become ill.
When a young person commits to seeking mental health treatment, it’s a huge step forward. However, there are still some decisions to be made. There are many different options available for young people, including local residential treatment, outpatient treatment, and residential programs abroad.
This parents’ guide offers some more information about what conduct disorder is, how it affects a young person’s life, and how to distinguish it from other conditions. It also explores different treatment options and introduces The Wave’s transformative approach to recovery.
Eating problems develop when a young person’s relationship with food starts to take over their daily life, affecting their ability to feel good or do the things they care about.
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.
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.
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.
