22q Minded

05/11/2025

Did you know that 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is one of the most common chromosome conditions — affecting around 1 in every 1,000 pregnancies?

The duplication of the same region also occurs, but it’s often less recognised and less understood.

This 22q Awareness Month, we’re shining light on these rare but important differences — and celebrating the many individuals and families who live with 22q every day.

✨ More common than rare. More connected than you think.
Follow or visit www.22qminded.com to learn more about the science of 22q and how small genetic changes can shape big stories.

03/11/2025

November is 22q Awareness Month 💫 — a time to explore the science behind one of the most common yet little-known chromosome conditions.

Sometimes, a small section of chromosome 22 is missing (a deletion). Other times, that same section is repeated (a duplication).
These tiny genetic changes can influence how a person grows, learns, and feels — but everyone with 22q is unique, with their own strengths and story.

Follow or visit www.22qminded.com to join our newsletter for expert guidance from psychologists who specialise in 22q — supporting individuals and families at every age and stage.

01/11/2025

November is 22q Awareness Month 💫 — a time to shine light on some quite common but little-known genetic conditions.

Inside every cell are 23 pairs of chromosomes, carrying the instructions that make us who we are. Chromosome 22 is small but mighty, holding hundreds of genes that quietly guide how our body and brain develop.

Follow or join our newsletter at www.22qminded.com for expert guidance from psychologists who specialise in 22q — supporting individuals and families at every age and stage.

31/10/2025

We are going to Brussels 😊 We hope to see you there and we would love the opportunity to talk so come up for a chat 🦋🌸

- Conference speakers 💬 -

Over the next weeks, we’ll be introducing each speaker and their subject right here — and you’ll even get the chance to reply to their questions here in the comments !

Getting a 22q diagnosis can feel overwhelming—what comes next matters. This is what doctors Sasja Duijff and Linda Campbell will discuss at the conference 🧬💪

Their presentation explores how families can navigate early challenges, build support, and strengthen connections after diagnosis. Join us as we share practical ways to care for both your child and yourself 🤝

📩 ⤵️ Help each speaker learn more about your situations by answering their questions in the comments. Do you have any questions? Ask them in the comments too!

29/10/2025

Sometimes, the biggest shift happens when something suddenly makes sense.

A parent might say, “I always thought it was just the syndrome.” And that makes complete sense — when a child has 22q, so much happens on the surface: hospital stays, pain, daily challenges. But underneath, there can also be quieter stories the body remembers — moments too early to explain, yet still shaping how safety feels.
In our upcoming Global Webinar on Preverbal Trauma in 22q, with the mother of a daughter with 22q, Laura Maats-Klein, Dr Linda Campbell and Dr Sasja Duijff we’ll explore how recognising these early layers can help parents and professionals support connection, calm, and safety — at any age.

💻 Recording included with registration
👉 www.22qminded.com/events

27/10/2025

Even when early experiences leave their mark, safety and connection can still grow — at any age. 💛

It’s not about erasing the past, but about creating new moments of trust, calm, and laughter that help the body (and heart) learn something different.

✨ Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or professional — this webinar offers practical ways to support healing through everyday moments of connection.

📅 Sunday 9 November 2025
💻 Recording included with registration — so you can watch in your own time.
👉 Register at www.22qminded.com/events

27/10/2025

Understanding is the first step.

Now it’s time to look at how connection grows — through play, presence, and moments of safety that can happen at any age.
Sometimes it can be hard to even think about the idea that your child might have gone through anything that may have caused preverbal trauma.
Especially when you know that every hospital stay or surgery was necessary tfor their well-being.

We can’t always prevent early stress or pain — but we can understand how it might still live in the body and shape connection today.
That understanding opens a way forward: small, gentle steps that help children (and adults) feel safe again.

💛 Our upcoming webinar is about hope, understanding, and practical ways to rebuild safety and connection.

📅 Global Webinar on Preverbal Trauma in 22q
🗓 Sunday 9 November
🎥 Can’t join live? Register to receive the full recording.
👉 www.22qminded.com/events

24/10/2025

💚 3 Gentle Ways to Rebuild Safety

Sometimes healing starts smaller than we think.
A familiar song.
A shared look during play.
A quiet “That was scary.”
These small, repeated moments help your child’s body learn:
“You’re safe with me.”

In our webinar, we’ll explore how preverbal trauma can show up — and how tiny, everyday gestures can begin to restore safety and connection.

💛 Global Webinar on Preverbal Trauma in 22q
📅 Sunday 9 November | 👉 www.22qminded.com/events

It’s not about perfection — it’s about presence.

22/10/2025

After early hospital stays or stressful beginnings, many parents notice that the connection can feel fragile — even long after the medical part is over.
This week’s post is about the small, gentle ways safety can begin to return.
Tiny, everyday moments that help a child’s body feel: “You’re safe with me.”

💛 Global Webinar on Preverbal Trauma in 22q

📅 Sunday 9 November | 👉 www.22qminded.com/events

For parents and professionals who want to understand how preverbal trauma can show up — and learn gentle, practical steps to support safety and connection.

22/10/2025

At 22qMinded, we support the whole spectrum of 22q-related conditions, and today, we’re recognising everyone impacted by Phelan-McDermid syndrome (also known as 22q13 deletion syndrome).

This rare genetic condition can affect how a person learns, communicates, and experiences the world. It often brings complex challenges but also incredible strength, individuality, and resilience.

We see the families, caregivers, and individuals navigating this path. Your stories matter, and we’re committed to raising awareness and building more understanding and support across the 22q community.

Check our blog on www.22qminded.com/blog/

Let’s keep working toward a world that values and includes every kind of brain.

20/10/2025

When we think about preverbal trauma, we often picture babies or infants. But its effects can reach far into adulthood — sometimes in ways we don’t expect.

In this short story, Dr. Sasja Duijff, paediatric psychologist and EMDR therapist at 22qMinded, shares the experience of a 31-year-old client with 22q11 who felt an intense fear of “getting lost.”

What began as a puzzling reaction revealed something deeper — how early medical experiences can quietly shape safety and connection, even years later.

💛 Global Webinar on Preverbal Trauma in 22q
📅 Sunday 9 November | 👉 www.22qminded.com/events

For parents and professionals who want to understand how early experiences continue to echo — and how to support safety and connection.

17/10/2025

When your child’s behaviour puzzles you, it can be hard to know what’s going on. Sometimes what looks like “just personality” is an early signal of preverbal trauma.

In this webinar, we’ll look at what those signals can mean — and how gentle, everyday moments of safety and connection can begin to make a difference.

You won’t leave with quick fixes, but with understanding and ideas you can start to build on at home.

📅 Global Webinar — Nov 9
👉 Register at www.22qminded.com