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.
Social support can be especially meaningful between individuals who have shared experiences of grief and loss. When someone experiences a sudden and unexpected death, the grieving process can feel very different to when a death is expected, such as following a long illness. There may not be people they are close to who have had a similar experience, and this can feel isolating and lonely.
Timely intervention can prevent BPD traits from developing and intensifying and lead to earlier recovery. It also prevents much of the social and psychological harm that can result from BPD, such as the development of other mental health disorders or patterns of unstable and damaging relationships.
Like adults, children and young people also benefit from the restorative power of nature. Spending more time outdoors and in green spaces may help reduce mental health symptoms among an age group that’s particuarly vulnerable to mental health disorders.
Many children and adolescents have experienced some form of trauma. They may have experienced a death or loss in their family or among friends. Or they may have experienced attachment trauma when parents have been unable to meet their needs. Some children are exposed to violence in their community or in society, especially when countries experience instability and war.
One pattern of social media use that has drawn the attention of researchers is self-presentation and social comparison. Numerous studies have connected these behavioural patterns to negative mental health consequences, including perfectionism and eating disorders.
Like adolescents and adults with the disorder, young children also experience extreme mood swings with high and low episodes. However, these episodes can manifest in slightly different ways.
Like any person with an eating problem, children under 12 with early-onset eating disorders should receive professional support as soon as possible. Early interventions are associated with better outcomes, and treatment approaches have been adapted by researchers and professionals to effectively support young children.
Eating disorders usually develop during adolescence. But they are also common among young adults and adults, including among mothers. Food and body concerns that may not meet the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder – but are still harmful and distressing – are even more common.
Some types of picky eating can harm a young person’s development. Picky eating may also be a symptom of underlying mental health concerns that require attention and support.
Dissociative identity disorder is a type of dissociative disorder. Teenagers may be diagnosed with dissociative disorders if they have regular experiences of dissociation that are distressing and affect their daily life. Sometimes teenagers may have dissociative experiences that are symptoms of a different mental health disorder. In this case, they may not receive a dissociative disorder diagnosis.
Despite the prevalence of teen drug use in the UAE, widespread prevention strategies are still lacking. Both adolescents and experts highlight the need for school-based prevention programs and parental support to help young people stay safe and identify and support young people who may be using substances harmfully.
In this blog, we offer some information about the impact of compulsive sexual behaviours on children and the family system as a whole. We outline The Wave Clinic’s pioneering family and child intensives that offer unique and valuable support for young people affected by sex addiction.
Dialectical behavioural therapy is a type of talking therapy originally designed for adults with borderline personality disorder. Since then, it has been adapted for treatment among adolescents and offered for a wide range of mental health concerns, including eating disorders, self-harm, and emotional dysregulation. Usually delivered in outpatient settings, studies have shown that DBT is highly effective in improving young people’s mental health symptoms and quality of life.
