Candy used to work in the Family Health Services and Child Assessment Services, Department of Health.  She then pursued her interest and enthusiasm for further study and explored appropriate interventions for children with emotional problems to help them reach their optimal developmental potential.  Candy holds a  Post-graduate Certificate in Psychology, Master of Art in Practice Based Play Therapy, Master of Social Sciences in Marriage and Family Therapy, Master of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, and Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Health Sciences (Nursing).  Professionally, she is a qualified Floortime Practitioner (ICDL, U.S.A.), Certified Filial Therapy Therapist (Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center, Inc., U.S.A.), Certified Child-Centered Play Therapist (Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center, Inc., U.S.A.), Accredited Play Therapist (PTI. U.K.) as well as a registered nurse (Hong Kong Nursing Board). Candy learned Child-centered Play Therapy and Filial Therapy from Dr. Risë Vanfleet (who is one of the brilliant fellow students of Dr. Bernard Guerney, the pioneer of Filial Therapy in the 1960s).  She is experienced in applying play therapy and filial therapy for children with various kinds of emotional and behavioral issues.  These include general anxiety symptoms, separation anxiety symptoms, school refusal, depressive mood, bereavement, attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity disorder, insecure attachment, low self-esteem, parental separation, learning difficulties, poor peer relationships and developmental problems such as autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit.  Her enthusiasm in promoting the overall development of children with developmental challenges, such as children with an autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit, and developmental delay is never diminished.  She concerns a lot about the stress level of parents in parenting and likes to share with parents through workshops, talks, training, etc topics on proper parenting, promotion of children’s socio-emotional development and on promoting children to extend beyond their known potentials.

Publication

Lok, C.  (2016). The efficacy of individual and non-directive play therapy on Chinese children with anxiety disorders. International Journal of Play and Creative Arts Therapies. 1(1), 55-65. 

Athen is a certified play therapist and a provisional supervisor of Play and Creative Arts Therapy for Play Therapy International. Her professional practice is governed by the Professional Standards Authority of the United Kingdom. Athen has been supporting children of difficult backgrounds for years. The cases she handles include parental relationship, self-esteem issues, physical abuse, sexual abuse, abandonment, parent imprisonment, etc.

Before starting her services in play therapy, Athen held various senior positions in multi-national corporations including Dairy Farm Ltd, Coca-Cola China Ltd, and Swire Resources Ltd.

Athen holds a Master Degree in Counselling.

Mr. Chow has been working in different multinational companies in the FMCG and financial industries. He is currently working in an American bank, heading the market research function. 

About the education, Mr. Chow has got a Master of Arts in Mathematics and Statistics from York University in Canada, a Master of Social Science in Counselling from University of South Australia, a Master of Social Work in Family-centred Practice and Family Therapy from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a Master of Education from The University of Hong Kong. 

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