Local Speakers

Accredited Play Therapist,

Certified Clinical Supervisor, and PhD research student.

Gemma Hookins is an accredited play therapist form the United Kingdom. Residing in Dubai UAE for the past 16 years, Co-founder of the play therapy centre (PTC) established in 2025.

Gemma has over 20 years’ experience working with children and young people, in a variety of settings in the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates.

Gemma holds a master’s degree in Practiced Based Play Therapy at Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom, where she graduated in 2019, and awarded for her research on the effectiveness of play therapy with adolescents diagnosed with autism and intellectual disabilities.

Gemma is currently enrolled on a postgraduate doctorate degree, researching the effectiveness of non-directive play therapy as a treatment for childhood anxiety disorder in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, Gemma is a trainee clinical supervisor offering supervision for certificate therapeutic practitioner course trainees and other professionals.

Gemma’s background is in education, she has supported special needs children in schools, she 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 is an advocate of young people’s mental health, within her role in the mental health centre of excellence, and her continued research. 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.