The Hong Kong Academy of Play Therapy (HKAPT) was established in 2015, more than four years ago. In the past days, our association has gradually grown. This achievement is not only due to the concerted efforts of all our directors but also relies heavily on the assistance and support of many institutions and parents. We are also grateful for the guidance provided by Dr. Garry Landreth, Dr. Emily Oe, Dr. Sue Bratton, and Dr. Dee Ray during their successive visits to Hong Kong. At this particularly meaningful moment, I, on behalf of our association, extend our utmost gratitude to everyone.

        Thanks to the trust placed in me by our directors and colleagues, I am able to continue serving as the second-term president of the HKAPT, leading our association to take another step forward. In this new era, we need to adopt innovative thinking to enhance our cohesion in developing play therapy in Hong Kong.

       For the future development, we have set two major goals: First, we aim to bring together more play therapists, united in promoting play therapy. 'Play With Empathy' is our concept and direction: children have play, therapists provide warmth, supporting each other.

       We are also making a significant breakthrough in professionalizing play therapy in Hong Kong, an unprecedented development. Currently, there is no accrediting body in Hong Kong to review the qualifications of play therapists. The HKAPT bravely accepts this epoch-making responsibility. We will collect opinions from all parties, and in line with the current situation in Hong Kong, we will first establish the professional identity of "Certified Play Therapist" (CPT).

        The title "Certified Play Therapist" (CPT) marks a breakthrough in professional play therapy. We genuinely need public opinion on this matter, and our association is committed to humbly accepting everyone's views, hoping to embrace a broader expansion

​

 

Dr. Tom Yuen

Hong Kong Academy of Play Therapy

June 2020