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.
Emerging adulthood – the transition from childhood or adolescence to adulthood – is often a challenging and unstable time. Young people may be undergoing physical, psychological, and social changes and exploring their identity and place in their communities.
For young people who have experienced trauma, symptoms of PTSD or unprocessed trauma can underlie eating disorder symptoms, sustaining disordered eating behaviours and, if untreated, acting as barriers to lasting recovery.
Interventions are important events that help young people understand that they need treatment and encourage them to receive professional help. Interventions are often staged by parents, family members, and others who are close to a young person. They may involve an open conversation, statements of support and care, and setting of boundaries.
Eating disorders are serious conditions that cause harm to the mental, physical, and social lives of young people. There’s no such thing as a “mild” eating disorder and some types of eating disorders can be fatal if left untreated. This means that understanding how to choose good treatment is really important.
Stigma is one of many barriers that young people face when accessing mental health care. Stigma can act on several levels: young people may encounter stigma among healthcare professionals, from their parents, or internalised within themselves.
Many people struggle with aspects of school life, but for autistic people, it can be especially difficult. They may understand teachers’ instructions differently, find it hard to navigate the complexities of social life, and struggle with loud corridors or busy rooms.
Autism is not a mental health problem. But some autistic young people experience challenges with their mental health – and research shows they’re more likely to than people who are not autistic.
Eating disorders are one type of mental health disorder that seem to affect autistic young people more than other people. Young autistic people may show different disordered eating behaviours, such as using food to cope with emotions or placing a lot of their self-value on body shape or weight.
When we think of eating disorders, we usually associate them with Western perceptions of an ‘ideal’ body. For a feminine body, Western ideals typically promote
Adehonia – the loss or reduced ability to experience pleasure – can affect young people for a variety of reasons. It may be precipitated by loss or grief, times of stress, or other distressing situations.
Mental health disorders like anorexia nervosa and borderline personality disorder are common among young people in Kuwait. For parents, seeing a young person face challenges in their mental health can cause stress, anxiety, sadness, and frustration. It’s not easy to know how to act or when to reach out for support.
Identifying and treating anorexia as soon as possible is crucial to effective treatment and recovery. Without timely treatment, children can experience serious and long-term harm to their mental and physical health. This means that it’s really important to look out for the signs of anorexia in pre-teens as well as adolescents and seek professional support if there are any concerns.
Social isolation and loneliness may cause young people to become more inward-focused and preoccupied with their body shape and weight. Meaningful social relationships are important in creating a sense of perspective and self-worth. Relationships help young people understand the many ways they are valuable and emphasise their hobbies and passions. Without these relationships, it’s easier for disordered eating attitudes and behaviours to dominate a young person’s life.
