About Yasmin Shaheen-Zaffar
BACP-Registered Trauma Counsellor, Neurodivergent Advocate, Creator of The Sandwich of Capacity™
My Story
I'm Yasmin, a late-diagnosed neurodivergent counsellor, creative practitioner and developer.
For many years, I felt as though I was "failing". I left my first year of university twice, quietly slipping away without anyone really noticing. Later, during my counselling degree, I repeatedly struggled with written essays. With the right support, I began to understand why: my brain makes sense of counselling theory visually.
Explaining ideas differently led, by happy accident, to my first resource, The Empty Chair Cards. The work grew from there, including The Sandwich of Capacity™, a visual metaphor that makes emotional regulation and the window of tolerance more accessible.
All my life I have been creating: writing, making, developing wellbeing tools and finding visual ways to express complex ideas. But until my diagnosis, I often felt too shy to fully develop my creative practice as an artist.
Since 2025, I have begun consciously building my public creative practice. I am passionate about taking therapeutic ideas beyond the therapy room and translating them into educational, immersive and participatory art experiences.
Our ethos: Creating connections that matter.
Our approach: Protecting curiosity through creative expression.
Credentials & Expertise
✓ BACP-Accredited Trauma Counsellor
Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
✓ Founder, Watoto Play Ltd
Creating neuro-affirming, trauma-sensitive therapeutic resources
✓ Neurodivergent Lived Experience
Late-diagnosed ADHD, bringing authentic understanding to neurodivergent support
✓ Specialisations
- • Polyvagal Theory & Window of Tolerance (Dr Dan Siegel)
- • Trauma-Informed & Trauma-Sensitive Practice
- • Emotional Regulation & Nervous System Support
- • Neurodivergent-Affirming Approaches
- • Creative & Play-Based Interventions
- • Taking Therapy Ideas Beyond the Therapy Room
My Work
Being neurodivergent, I'm more visual - so I take therapy ideas and make them accessible through creative, visual tools that people similar to me can understand and use.
The Sandwich of Capacity™
Visual metaphor for understanding nervous system capacity and emotional regulation
The Homestead Model™
Therapeutic framework for understanding safety and nervous system states
Polyvagal Teen®
Resources helping teens understand their nervous system and emotional regulation
Glad We Talked®
Communication programme for meaningful conversations and connection
Gladism™
Philosophy and approach to therapeutic work and connection
Empty Chair Cards
Visual therapeutic tool making Gestalt therapy techniques accessible
Scribbledeedo®
Creative expression tools for emotional exploration and wellbeing
Neurosloth® Academy
Learning platform for neuro-affirming approaches and resources
Weekly Creative Drop-In
Free Tuesday sessions 9:30-11:00 (UK Time) for community connection
Visit Watoto Play for therapeutic cards, games, and tools for wellbeing professionals
My Philosophy
Many of my tools don't come with rigid instructions - intentionally - so you can stay curious and discover your own ways to use them. Not everyone learns as I do (I learn by doing and rarely read the manual!), so I'm here to offer just enough guidance to help you get started and keep going.
At the heart of my work is a commitment to neuro-affirming, trauma-sensitive practice that celebrates differences, protects curiosity, and creates connections that truly matter.