ABOUT ME/BIO
Something brought you here.
Maybe you already understand what's been difficult, and yet it keeps returning. The same reactions. The same patterns, sometimes in a different city.
That gap between what you understand and what you still carry is often where the work begins.
I am a clinical psychologist based in Dubai, specialising in EMDR and psychodynamic work with adults, children, and adolescents. My work focuses on what persists despite insight: trauma, anxiety, emotional patterns that repeat, attachment difficulties. I trained at Aix-Marseille University with a dual specialisation in child and adult psychology, and spent 5 years working in trauma-focused settings in the south of France. EMDR trained at IFEMDR Levels 1 and 2, recognised by EMDR France and EMDR Europe. Member of EMDR France. DHA licensed.
You can read more about my approach to EMDR therapy in Dubai on my website: www.ysntherapy.com
Sessions in English, French, and Arabic, in person at ClearMinds Center in JLT, and online across the UAE.
HOW I CAN HELP YOU
If you notice that certain situations trigger reactions that feel stronger than they should or that you keep arriving at the same emotional place despite understanding why this is often a sign that earlier experiences are still active in the present.
My work with adults focuses on what persists despite insight : trauma, anxiety, recurring relational difficulties, emotional patterns linked to earlier life experiences. EMDR offers a structured way to process these at the level where they are held not just understood, but carried.
For children and adolescents:
I use a holistic, child-centred approach. My process begins with a thorough assessment: the child's environment, developmental history, relationships, and what they themselves understand about why they are here. Therapy works best when the child is an active participant — not simply brought to sessions, but genuinely engaged in them.
Approaches I use with children include EMDR-based work (Adaptive Information Processing), play therapy, and when relevant, guidance for parents navigating what their child is expressing.
WHY I AM SPECIALIZED IN THIS FIELD
My clinical background is specifically built around trauma and what persists when experience has not been fully processed. Before moving to Dubai, I spent 5 years working in trauma-focused settings in the south of France, including work with victims of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and complex trauma, as well as in schools and child protection services.
This shaped how I understand symptoms: not as isolated problems, but as signals pointing toward earlier experiences that still need to be integrated. EMDR gave me a structured, evidence-based way to work at that level. My psychodynamic training gave me a way to understand how these patterns form and repeat over time.
Working with both children and adults, across three languages, in a city where many people are navigating life far from their original context, has reinforced that belief: what we carry tends to surface when conditions are right. The work is learning to recognise it, and then process it.
WHAT I SAY TO PEOPLE WHO FEEL NERVOUS OR HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THERAPY/ASSESSMENT
There's no right or wrong reason to seek therapy. Sometimes it's a specific difficulty — anxiety, a phobia, a loss. Sometimes it's a pattern you've noticed but can't seem to change. Sometimes it's simply a sense that something isn't quite right, without knowing exactly what.
Reaching out doesn't require clarity. The first conversation is simply a chance to understand what brings you here — and whether working together feels like the right fit.
WHAT MEASURES I USE IN ASSESSMENTS
For children, my assessment process covers four key areas: developmental history (language, motor, emotional milestones), the child's environment (family dynamics, school, friendships), personal and relational history, and any potential transgenerational influences. I use observational methods and, where appropriate, standardised developmental tools.
For adults, assessment is integrated into the early phase of therapy. It focuses on identifying the memory networks and earlier experiences that may be contributing to current difficulties, in line with the Adaptive Information Processing model used in EMDR.
SLIDING SCALE OR PRO-BONO
I currently offer a limited number of sliding scale spots. At the moment it's full at the moment, but I welcome enquiries for the waiting list.
