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.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects focus, concentration, and impulsivity. Some traits of ADHD can make everyday life challenging for young people: they may find it difficult to complete tasks or be prone to risky behaviours.
Teenagers, adolescents, and other young people are especially vulnerable to mental health issues. Adolescence is a time of change, identity searching, and mental and physical development. Young people’s mental health during their teenage years can also affect their psychological well-being later on in life, as they move into adulthood. Protecting the mental health of young people is fundamental.
Eating disorders usually begin during adolescence, often at the start of a young person’s teenage years. However, in some cases, eating disorders can begin earlier in children as young as 8, 9 or 10. Known as early-onset eating disorders, young children’s eating problems are often similar to those experienced by older adolescents, underpinned by concerns about shape and weight and attempts to cope with difficult emotions.
Young adulthood is also a time of self-discovery. During their adolescent years, young people often explore questions of identity, such as gender identity, religion, culture, and sexuality. Young people start to build a picture of who they are, where they come from, what they want, and where they are heading.
Moving on to further education can feel exciting, but it can also be very different from their school years. Young people may experience a range of emotions, including nervousness, excitement, and worry.
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.
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.
