Gemma Hookins, MA, MPhil. MBACP


Co-Founder of The Play Therapy Centre (PTC)

Accredited Play Therapist

Certified Clinical Supervisor


Gemma has over 20 years of experience working with children, young people and families, in a variety of settings in the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates. Her professional background is in play therapy, with a particular interest in how play can provide children with a safe and developmentally appropriate way to express and process their experiences and emotions. Her therapeutic approach is relational, child-centred and culturally sensitive, recognising each child’s individual needs, relationships and wider context.


She holds a Master’s degree in Practice-Based Play Therapy from Leeds Beckett University, UK, graduating in 2019. Where she was awarded for her research examining the effectiveness of non-directive play therapy with adolescents diagnosed with autism and intellectual disabilities. She also holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil), for which she researched the effectiveness of non-directive play therapy as a treatment for childhood anxiety disorder in the United Arab Emirates.

Additionally, Gemma is a Certified Clinical Supervisor, providing supervision to certificate and diploma-level therapeutic practitioner trainees, qualified play therapists and other professionals.

Gemma’s background is in education, she has supported special needs children in schools, held roles in special needs schools as a teacher and taught within a class of Special needs and mainstream children, furthermore, she is a qualified EYFS (early years foundation stage) teacher. She has gained 7 years experience working as a play therapist at a Children’s Hospital in Dubai, UAE (United Arab Emirates), under the mental health centre of Excellence, where she provided play therapy within the hospital, and in the outpatient clinic.


Gemma contunues to advocate for children and young people's mental health with her research. Furthermore, she promotes awareness of mental health issues to the wider community, breaking the stigma, supporting families, and striving to help heal the young minds of today.


Qualifications

  • Master of Arts in Play Therapy, Leeds Beckett University U.K. (2019).
  • Post Graduate Diploma, Certified Play Therapist, Canterbury Christchurch University, U.K. (2010).
  • Post Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play, Canterbury Christchurch University, United Kingdom (2008).
  • Diploma in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming, 2007).
  • Post Qualifying Certificate in Clinical Supervision of Play and Creative therapies


       Other Trainings

  • Certified clinical supervisor of play and creative arts therapists (2023)
  • Certified Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) in clinical reliability (2023).
  • Three-day Foundational TraumaPlay Certification Training Level 1 (UK, 2023).


Memberships 

  • Member of Middle East Psychological Association (MEPA)
  • Memeber of Emirates Medical Association (membership no: 25-138290)
  • Member of Association for Play Therapy (APT(U.S)).
  • Member of American Psychological Association (APA)
  • Member of the International consortium of Play Therapy Associations (IC-PTA)
  • British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy BACP Registered member 420897 MBACP

 

Linsencing

  • Licensed Psychologist (License Number: CDA-PL-0001754)


Publications

  • Co-Authored Book Chapter - Play in two different ways- A Reflection on Play Practice in the United Arab Emirates –– Book - Play in Hospitals, Real Life Perspectives (2023).
  • Published my first children’s story book about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Name of Book; Yousef’s Story (in English and Arabic (2023)). Youtube link to the story
  • Article: Using the power of play therapy to heal a frightened child, from darkness into the light November 2022.www.psychotherapy.net
  • Association of Play Therapy Magazine (APT) - Play Therapy around the world, Volume 17, Issue -March 2022. Article: Play Therapy in the United Arab Emirates. (pp.28-31).www.a4pt.org