Blogs & News

Today is Blue Monday.
The day that’s said to be the hardest of the year.

The holiday season at Yes We Can is all about togetherness, warmth, and genuine connection. For fellows who cannot spend this Christmas at home with their families — or for whom a loving home environment was not always a given — these moments truly make the difference. That’s why we go the extra mile together to create Christmas memories that last.

In a month dedicated to gratitude, we speak with former fellows Lisa, Ties, Tessa and Sil about the gifts that recovery has brought them. Whereas the holiday season used to revolve mainly around loneliness and substance use, all four fellows now look forward to a time filled with connection and togetherness with loved ones.

In this “Lesson from the Clinic” our CTO Kees Haverkamp talks about the impact of social media on young people.

Christmas is all about togetherness, love, warmth and connection, yet for many young people December is actually the most difficult month of the year. While everyone around them is celebrating, they struggle with loneliness that no one notices, high expectations, and a sense of not being understood. Alessia, a former fellow and now an expert by experience at Yes We Can, knows this feeling better than anyone.

The holiday season is here. A beautiful and warm time at Yes We Can Youth Clinics. Behind these meaningful days are the heroes of the Sports & Development Programme team. Today we speak with Ferry (Sports & Development Programme Officer). Together with his team, they start building months in advance on something that can’t be captured in a script: experience. They play a role in everything connected to sport, play and connection.

The holiday season is often seen as a time of connection, light and fresh beginnings. But for many teenagers and young adults who struggle with gambling behaviour or a gambling addiction, this period can actually feel more tense and challenging. Not because it suddenly becomes ‘cosy’, but because the temptation to gamble is everywhere — and the barrier to joining in gets lower.

The Sinterklaas spirit could be felt across Yes We Can Youth Clinics last week, as the Good Saint and his Pieten came to visit. From a morning full of joy and wonder with bags of treats and presents for the children of our colleagues, to filled shoes for our fellows and fun activities – it was all there. Enjoy a look back at a week full of Sinterklaas cheer at Yes We Can.

"The way we connect and engage with one another has always remained at the heart of Yes We Can throughout the years."

What once began as an outdoor and survival camp in the Ardennes grew into a magical place where young people are truly seen and can be completely themselves.

On World Suicide Prevention Day, we pause to reflect on a theme that, for many young people, feels invisibly close: struggling with thoughts that life is too heavy to bear. Isa, a former fellow and now Case Manager at Yes We Can, knows what it is like to live in that darkness. But she also shows that there is always hope, no matter how hopeless it may seem.

Isabelle, Wiebe, Niek and Fenne — four former fellows — join Jan Willem and Petra, the founders of the Yes We Can Healthcare Group, on the sofa. In this remarkably open and honest conversation, they look back together. On the birth of Yes We Can. On the darkest moments, the turning points, and the road to recovery. But above all: on that crucial moment when someone truly believed in them — when they themselves no longer could.

For years, former fellow Jelmer lived behind a mask. To the outside world, he appeared as the funny, cheerful guy. But deep down, he felt lonely, afraid and misunderstood. At Yes We Can, he learned to accept himself. “I’m not perfect, because I’m human. But because I’m human, I am perfect.”

For years, former fellow Deborah lived mainly for others, doing what was expected of her. In this process, she gradually lost herself. At Yes We Can, she was able to break her unhealthy patterns and rediscover what it truly means to feel happy.

Former fellow Selina knows better than anyone how it feels when social media takes over your life. During her treatment at Yes We Can, she found the strength to break free from her addiction, her depression and the constant feeling of never being good enough.

They know what it feels like to struggle, to fall, and to rise again and use their own life experience to make a difference at Yes We Can: our Recovery Heroes. They see through the masks and quickly build trust through shared experiences. Senior Counsellor Kyra shares how her life story has become her strength and how she uses it to help our fellows move forward in their recovery.

Using data to gain deeper insights into the effectiveness of treatments while reducing administrative burdens. The Yes We Can Healthcare Group achieved this with its self-developed intelligent applications. Digital innovation ensures their team can focus on what truly matters: guiding young adults with mental health issues, addictions and behavioural problems, towards recovery.

Young people all around the world struggle with mental health issues, addiction or behavioural problems. Early recognition of warning signs and behavioural changes is crucial to intervene as soon as possible.

At the Yes We Can Healthcare Group, more than 500 colleagues work with just one goal: everything for our fellows, residents and their families. But who are these colleagues and what do they find so special about working at Yes We Can? Head of Recruitment Isabelle shares her story.

Christmas at Yes We Can: a time to never forget. For our dear, brave fellows who aren’t spending Christmas at home with their families, it can feel a bit sad. That’s precisely why everyone at Yes We Can Youth Clinics goes above and beyond to give them an unforgettable Christmas.

The festive season has officially begun, and this year, Saint Nicholas, paid a magical visit to Yes We Can Clinics to create an unforgettable day for all our fellows. And what a celebration it was!

The new Yes We Can necklace.

The Yes We Can necklace, if you know it, you understand just how much it means to our fellows. Every fellow who completes their treatment at Yes We Can Youth Clinics receives this necklace.

Yes We Can Youth Clinics was filled with Halloween chills for our fellows during an unforgettable evening. From carving and decorating pumpkins to braving a spooky forest walk, we turned this evening into a magical experience full of connection and joy. Creating valuable memories and enjoying the little moments during the holidays is also part of the path towards recovery of our fellows. And what can not be missed on such a spooky night? A ghost story by the campfire of course. 

We are enormously proud to share that the World Health Organization is now one of the Global Insurance Partners of Yes We Can Youth Clinics (part of the Yes We Can Healthcare Group).

Everything for our fellows, residents, and their families—that’s what the Yes We Can Healthcare Group stands for. But we can’t achieve this without our colleagues, which is why the independent research agency DUO Market Research conducted an employee satisfaction survey in the spring of 2024 among all colleagues at the Yes We Can Healthcare Group.

Measuring the effectiveness of treatments should really be something systematic in order to ensure that what your organisation is doing makes sense.

Every ten weeks, she visits us, inspiring many fellows over the years. Sameena, an ultra-athlete, manages to captivate everyone each time with her life story.
Continue reading and watch the video.

In addition to Christmas, we have another holiday in the Netherlands in December, namely Sinterklaas. Watch here the pictures.

Yes We Can Youth Clinics is part of the Yes We Can Healthcare Group. Watch the video to meet our other family members.

Proud to say that Yes We Can Youth Clinics (part of the Yes We Can Healthcare Group) has a new in-network partnership with Henner (who represents insurance agencies like UnitedHealthcare Global).

More than proud to announce that Yes We Can Youth Clinics (part of the Yes We Can Healthcare Group) is an in-network partner to insurance company Cigna.

Yes We Can Youth Clinics (part of the Yes We Can Healthcare Group) has become an in-network partner of insurance company AFSPA.

We’re very proud to announce that Yes We Can Youth Clinics (part of the Yes We Can Healthcare Group) has become an in-network partner of International SOS (who represents insurance agencies like TriCare and other major insurance companies worldwide).

We’re very proud to announce that Yes We Can Youth Clinics (part of the Yes We Can Healthcare Group) has become an in-network partner of AP Companies.

We’re very proud to announce that Yes We Can Youth Clinics (part of the Yes We Can Healthcare Group) has signed a key contract with international, USA based, health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield and GMMI.

Every day, everyone at Yes We Can Youth Clinics (YWCYC) is getting out of bed to help families and fellows to the best of their abilities. But however motivated and passionate, the world still wants to know if what we do really works. For that reason, we yearly commission an independent research agency to analyse our effectiveness and levels of satisfaction.

Jan Willem Poot (Founder Yes We Can Youth Clincis), Marcel Pierre (CFO) Hedzer Schotsman (COO) and Piet Jansen (Director International Relations) would like to take you along in an eventful 2020, in which many wonderful developments also took place.

From 2 – 4 December, Yes We Can Youth Clinics attends the virtual congress of IACAPAP (The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions). And you are welcome! Themed ‘Starting from the Beginning – Laying the Foundation for Lifelong Mental Health’, this three-day virtual congress will cover issues that are close to our hearts, as well as trends and topics of interest to the adolescent and child psychiatry community.

On the 10th of November, Yes We Can Youth Clinics will attend the virtual conference of Outstanding Schools Middle East: a conference on outstanding leadership, education and wellbeing for international- and private schools. And you are invited!

Director International Relations Piet Jansen has written a blog about how youngsters can get lost in the virtual world nowadays. Curious?

Senior Casemanager Domonique has written a blog about how she overcame a depression and eating disorder herself and the importance of the right mental healthcare.

Aftercare Therapist Charlie Rowley has written a blog where he shares tips and tricks on how to use your phone in a healthy way

Romy van Schayik works at the communications department of Yes We Can Youth Clinics. To experience what it's like to be a fellow, she joined them for one day at our clinic in Hilvarenbeek.

Would you like to know more about the measures we take to keep the Corona virus from spreading? Please check this page.

What does the coronavirus do with youngsters who suffer from gaming addiction? Former fellow Victor is recovering from his gaming addiction for 5 years now and has written a blog about the coronavirus and gaming.

Therapist Charlie Rowley shares tips and tricks on how to manage anxiety during lockdown/social distancing.

Yes We Can Youth Clinics is still open for admissions for young people age 13-25 suffering from complex mental health issues and addictions. Despite worldwide travel restrictions, it is still possible to travel to the Netherlands.

Senior Counsellor Kyra Bartels talks about one of the most important tools during recovery: a daily gratitude list.

Philippa Williams, Equine Facilitated Psychotherapist, visited Yes We Can Youth Clinics last week. Philippa and her colleagues offer facilitated psychotherapy interventions with horses. ‘When we experience high levels of stress and trauma, part of our brain, called Broca’s area, responsible for accessing verbal memories, shuts down. The horses help to access the issue of the clients bottom-up; in a gentle yet powerful way.’

Wednesday January 8, Joanne Bradford (UK); author, certified healing practitioner and life-consultant, visited Yes We Can Youth Clinics. She works with YWCYS fellows as a life coach in the UK. We had the honor to ask her some questions and got to know how we can learn from her experience.

In this column YWCYC founder Jan Willem Poot talks about why addictive elements and gambling elements in games should be banned for minors.

In this column YWCYC founderJan Willem Poot talks about Yes We Can Youth Clinics offering a safe and drug-free environment.

In the spring of 2019 the Yes We Can Group had a large employee satisfaction survey carried out by research agency DUO Market Research. The results are in and we are so very proud of them.

The Guardian reporter Sarah Marsh spent a full day at Yes We Can Youth Clinics and wrote a very impressive article.

Yes We Can Youth Clinics is located in an environment that is maintained on a daily basis by our housekeeping department, technical department and all colleagues who make sure that it looks perfect every day. Learn why we think this is so important.

Take a look inside Yes We Can Youth Clinics and its surroundings!

At Yes We Can Youth Clinics, psychiatrists and psychologists, but also of experts by experience and youth coaches work together in order to come to the best result for our fellows. CEO and Founder Jan Willem Poot explains the importance of working in a disciplinary way.

Every week we receive letters from our former fellows. We really love reading everything about how they are doing. Brice is one of these fellows.

Two years ago, Yes We Can Clinics opened the doors of a beautiful clinic in Hilvarenbeek in The Netherlands, after having been located in the Belgian Ardennes for seven years. This new location also enabled us to realise our dream of treating international adolescents.

Last December, the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate visited our beautiful clinic. The report states that Yes We Can Clinics meets all the requirements and rules on all points of care provision.