A two-day international conference entitled “Mental Well-Being for All: The Conference on Strength-Based and Preventive Interventions in Hong Kong and Chinese Communities”, co-organised by Hong Kong Shue Yan University (HKSYU) and the Division of Counselling Psychology of the Hong Kong Psychological Society, opened on 6 November 2026. The conference attracted more than 100 participants from around the world, including psychologists, counselling and mental health professionals, researchers, and students.
Opening remarks were delivered by Professor Catherine Sun Tien-lun, HKSYU Senior Vice President and Honorary Chair of the Conference, and Dr Amos Cheung, President of the Hong Kong Psychological Society.
Professor Sun emphasised that psychological knowledge does not exist independently of culture. She noted the importance of examining how psychological theories and practices can be made culturally meaningful and relevant, and how local research can better inform professional practice. She expressed hope that the conference would provide a platform for dialogue across disciplines and professions, challenge established assumptions, and generate new possibilities for prevention, intervention, and community engagement.
Dr Cheung highlighted that clients bring with them their own cultural values, family bonds, and ways of making sense of suffering. He stressed that interventions should honour these strengths rather than simply adopt models developed elsewhere. “There is no single right way to help,” he remarked, “only the approach that best fits the individuals before us.”
Professor Sun subsequently delivered a keynote address entitled “Reimagining Counselling Psychology through Cultural Grounding, Decolonisation, and Professional Becoming.” In her presentation, she explored how counselling psychology in Hong Kong and across Asia can develop theoretical frameworks and practical approaches rooted in local cultures, languages, and social experiences while drawing on international professional knowledge and expertise.
Roundtable Discussions and Oral Presentations:
