I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Professional Art Therapist who believes healing happens when people feel seen, understood, and accepted for who they are. My work is person-centred, collaborative, trauma-informed, and strength-based, and I strive to create a safe, inclusive space for people of all identities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community.
I primarily work using evidence-based counselling approaches to support emotional well-being, insight, and change. For those who are interested, I also offer art therapy as an additional way to explore experiences through metaphor, imagery, and creative expression. No art skills are needed! Whether we work through talking, art, or both is always guided by your comfort, preferences, and goals.
I work with children, young adults, parents, families, and individuals navigating life transitions, stress, identity questions, and emotional challenges, including those within the LGBTQ+ community. I also enjoy supporting people who want to better understand themselves, their relationships, and their values, moving at a pace that feels right for them in an affirming and supportive space.
As an immigrant who grew up in an Asian cultural context, I offer culturally responsive and BIPOC-affirming counselling, and I am fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin. Your voice and feedback matter, and our work together is shaped collaboratively in a warm and supportive space.
你好，歡迎你來到這裡。很多人在踏入諮詢時，會帶著一些緊張與不確定，這是很正常的。在這裡，你不需要急著改變什麼，我們可以一起慢慢理解你正在經歷的感受與處境。
我是一名註冊臨床心理諮詢師與專業藝術治療師。我相信溫和、以人為本與尊重是最重要的價值。我希望為不同身份與背景的人提供一個安全且包容的空間。
我的主要方法以循證心理治療為基礎，幫助你更好地理解情緒、關係與自我。如果你願意，也可以嘗試藝術治療，透過圖像和隱喻表達那些難以用語言說出的部分。不需要任何藝術基礎，一切以你的舒適感與意願為主。
我可以使用粵語、普通話與英語進行諮詢。在這裡，你可以安心地表達自己，慢慢發現內心的力量與方向。
Depending on your concerns, goals, and needs, I utilize a variety of clinical approaches and techniques to assist you. Including but not limited to:
The focus of person-centred therapy is always on you and not on any diagnosis or categorization. As a Clinical Counsellor, I provide a climate conducive to personal growth and change. Through empathy and trust, our relationship will be productive, genuine, and non-judgemental. Together, we explore your thoughts and feelings, positive or negative, without the risk of rejection or judgement.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on the way you think (cognitive) and act (behavioural). CBT helps you to identify the relationship between your thoughts and your feelings. By making small changes to the way you think, you can ultimately change the way you feel.
Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) is a therapeutic approach based on the premise that emotions are key to identity. According to EFT, emotions are also a guide for individual choice and decision making. EFT is tested and proven for couples therapy, but it is also used to address individual depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress (EFIT – Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps individuals accept their thoughts and feelings, rather than trying to suppress or eliminate them. It focuses on developing psychological flexibility to live a more meaningful life aligned with one's values.
Art therapy blends psychotherapy with creative expression, using visual arts like drawing, painting, and sculpting to help individuals explore emotions, reduce stress, build self-awareness, and process difficult experiences that words can't easily capture, guided by trained professionals, and benefiting people of all ages without needing prior art skills.
Narrative therapy is a form of psychotherapy that helps individuals externalize their problems, viewing them as separate from their identity, and then rewrite their life stories to focus on their values, skills, and preferred future. It emphasizes the power of storytelling and collaborative meaning-making between the therapist and client.
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Professional Art Therapist based in Downtown Vancouver, Mars Qiu believes healing happens when people feel truly seen. Offering culturally responsive, BIPOC-affirming therapy fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, Mars bridges cultural gaps to provide deep, trauma-informed emotional support.
Conveniently located in Downtown Vancouver, Mars provides professional art therapy and clinical counselling in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English. He offers a warm, non-judgmental space where you can express yourself naturally and feel deeply understood. Recognizing the unique nuances of the Chinese and immigrant experience, Mars specializes in helping clients navigate complex family expectations, intergenerational conflict, cultural identity struggles, anxiety, depression, and the unique burnout of living between two worlds.
Book a Free 15-Minute ConsultationAt Chroma Counselling, we understand how meaningful it can be to speak with a counsellor who shares your language and cultural background. Mars is a Chinese-speaking counsellor who offers culturally responsive therapy for Chinese individuals, couples, and families living in Vancouver and throughout British Columbia.
Mars offers compassionate, collaborative clinical counselling and art therapy for adults and children navigating:
- Anxiety, stress and burnout
- Depression and low mood
- Intergenerational conflict and family expectations
- Cultural adjustment and immigrant experiences
- Self-esteem, identity, and LGBTQ+ affirmation
- Exploring emotions through creative expression (no art skills needed!)
