Experts
Expertise in forensic psychiatry
The core of W&D’s expertise comprises an array of diverse and mutually supportive professional backgrounds relevant to the forensic psychiatry.
Dr. Allan Seppänen
Dr. Seppänen is the medical director at the largest forensic facility in the Nordics, Niuvanniemi hospital, where treatment needs vary from psychoses to substance abuse and personality disorders. He is heavily involved in service development and the supervision of both junior and senior doctors.
Previously, he has worked as the clinical director of the unit of enhanced rehabilitation and forensic psychiatry at Helsinki University Hospital, and as a consultant forensic psychiatrist and prison physician. He has also served as a medicolegal expert at Helsinki Administrative Court, giving expert opinion in cases involving mental health legislation. He has been involved in the design of new forensic facilities and services in Finland, including outpatient service development and the designing of structural hospital solutions in close partnership with architects. He has also served as an expert in international service development projects in Kosovo and Egypt.
Through his experience as a clinician, conducting research and working on both a national and international level as a medicolegal expert he has obtained a firm understanding of the clinical challenges, service provisions and legislation that affect psychiatric services, especially forensic psychiatry, and prison healthcare both in Finland and globally.
Jenni Kaunomäki
Jenni Kaunomäki is a forensic psychologist and cognitive analytical therapist with time limited approach on therapeutic treatments. For the past 10 years, she has worked in various positions as a psychologist, with areas of interest revolving around violence, crime, and security. Specifically, her most prominent areas of expertise are violence risk assessment and challenging interaction situations. Kaunomäki's trainings have been praised for their clarity and expertise. Currently, she is delving into the themes of callousness in the field of scientific research.
Photo: D. Karava
Aissa Bah
Aissa Bah is a Doctor of Medicine (M.D., Ph.D) and a medical specialist consultant in forensic psychiatry. She also has qualifications in addiction medicine and forensic psychology. Dr. Bah works as a senior medical officer in the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland in official and expert positions. In 2023–2024, Dr. Bah was involved in establishing a National Forensic Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic at Niuvanniemi Hospital in Kuopio, Finland, which is the largest forensic psychiatric hospital in the Nordics. Before her current position her clinical career focused mainly on working in state forensic hospitals and prisons with severely symptomatic forensic psychiatric patients.
Dr. Bah’s center of interest in violent radicalization concentrates especially on phenomena related to mental health. She has substantial clinical experience in different types of violence risk assessment and rehabilitation, in addition to which she provides lectures and training, and collaborates as an expert consultant with various authorities and non-profit organizations. Bah has served as a medicolegal expert at Helsinki Administrative Court, and she has co-authored a handbook about the psychodynamics of violent radicalization, which is scheduled to be published in the spring of 2025.
Jouni Holappa
Jouni Holappa has worked at the Prison and Probation Service of Finland since 2009 and is currently a senior specialist responsible for the prevention of violent extremism and radicalization. In addition to his prison administration duties, Holappa also has work experience at the National Bureau of Investigation.
Holappa's expertise focuses on identifying violent radicalization, interacting with radicalized individuals, and preventing serious violent crimes. In his role as a senior specialist, Holappa has also developed working methods for disengagement from violent extremism. In addition, Holappa is an experienced lecturer and trainer.
