About Beyond Cubicles
📢 #BeyondCubicles is a weekly LinkedIn series created by Carolina D’Souza, born out of her own experience transitioning from a corporate career to independent consulting. Since its launch in June 2024, the series has evolved into a platform that showcases the inspiring journeys of several founders who have redefined the traditional 9-to-5.
Through authentic narratives, #BeyondCubicles highlights themes of courage, resilience, and purpose. The stories feature individuals from diverse industries—ranging from tech and education to wellness and adventure—who share their experiences of stepping away from conventional roles to pursue passion-driven careers.Â
✨ Note: All features in this series are unpaid and shared as a way to honor and amplify real stories of transformation.
“Follow your passion and trust the process.”
After years of working in traditional institutions, Stella Antoniou and Gemma Hookins saw the same gap from different vantage points: accessible play therapy for children and families in the UAE.
But their efforts to address this need within structured systems eventually reached a ceiling.
“I’d set up the play therapy service in a children’s hospital and had gone as far as I could,” says Gemma.
Stella, who worked as a Play Therapist in schools for eight years, saw progress but limited flexibility. “I felt I had now gained enough experience to leave and pursue something more flexible and creative,” she says.
The two had earlier collaborated on a government program in Abu Dhabi. When Gemma left the hospital, they decided to join forces and launched PTC- The Play Therapy Centre in Jumeirah Lake Towers in February 2025.
Stepping into entrepreneurship felt instinctive, says Stella. “When I was younger, I sold sandwiches in my community, and by the time I was 20, I set up a fitness app in Greece. Running a business didn’t feel foreign; it felt natural.”
For Gemma, the shift from employee to co-owner brought its own learning curve. “Business is tricky… but if you never try, you’ll never know.”
They say their partnership has been key. Stella steers the business, and Gemma is both a business partner and a mentor.
The community backing has followed. “Past colleagues, parents, and clinics have shown incredible support,” says Gemma. “What truly surprised me was how warmly play therapy has been embraced,” says Stella.
They’ve built trust by staying authentic and connecting with professionals who align with their mission. As Gemma puts it, “While our personal branding journey is still in its early stages, it has already helped us connect with the right people.”
Originally from the UK and Greece, Gemma and Stella moved to Dubai drawn by a shared conviction: the UAE needed more accessible, child centered mental health support.
Their advice for anyone at a crossroads? “Follow your passion and trust the process,” says Gemma. “Growth takes time,” Stella adds.