Viviana Ni

About me 

I am Viviana Ni, and my preferred pronouns are she/her. I come from a background as a first-generation Chinese immigrant. While I was born and raised in China, a substantial part of my life has been spent living and learning in Southeast Asia, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia. My professional identity and approach have been significantly influenced by the blending of Western and Eastern philosophies, resulting in a profound understanding of clients from various cultural backgrounds. These diverse aspects of my identity, along with my experiences and the contexts I’ve been in, play a crucial role in shaping my role as a counsellor.

I am a licensed clinical counsellor and registered art therapist who offers bilingual clinical counselling and art therapy services in both English and Mandarin.

With over 9 years of dedicated, full-time experience, I have provided support to a wide range of clients, including children, youth, and adults from diverse cultural backgrounds. My clients include individuals dealing with psychological distress, emotional and/or substance use challenges, as well as families coping with grief and loss. I’ve also worked with refugees who have experienced trauma in their home countries, children and youth with a history of psychological trauma, women who have faced childhood trauma, children with neurodivergent conditions, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals dealing with identity crisis and low self-esteem, among other concerns. I have applied my expertise in various settings, including hospitals, non-profit organizations, government agencies, international corporations, shelters, mental health institutes, and mindfulness-based companies.

My therapeutic approaches are rooted in mindfulness, trauma-informed care, somatic approaches, attachment theory, and client-centered therapy. Also, I am proficient in using creative art and play therapy. My counselling style is characterized by empathy, compassion, creativity, and a non-judgmental attitude, creating a safe and supportive space for you and/or your family to share your stories through both verbal and non-verbal communication.

I firmly believe in the value of your personal insights into your life experiences, and I am dedicated to working closely with you or your family to develop a tailored counselling strategy that aligns with your unique needs. I deeply appreciate the opportunity to assist you or your family in fostering self-awareness, self-empathy, and the journey to healing, as well as in implementing practical solutions to enhance your daily life.

Approaches
· Mindfulness-based
· Trauma-informed
· Attachment-informed
· Client-centred
· Somatic
· Creative Art Therapy
· Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
· EMDR
· Adlerian
· Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
· Narrative
· Harm-Reduction
· Psychodynamic

Licensure & Degrees
· Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
· Registered Art Therapist (BCATR), British Columbia Art Therapy Association
· Registered Canadian Art Therapist (RCAT), Art Therapy Clinical Supervisor, Canadian Art Therapy Association
· Professional Membership, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
· Master of Arts in Art Therapy, Goldsmiths University of London
· Master of Counselling Psychology, Adler University

Trainings
· Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Training
· Introduction to Mindful Self-Compassion Training
· Cognitive Behavioural Therapy meets Mindfulness
· Nature-based Expressive Arts Therapy Training
· Trauma-informed Training Level 1 & Level 2
· EMDR Basic Training Certificate
· Gender and Sexual Diversity in Youth
· Narrative Therapy: Strategies from leading frameworks
· Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders
· Using Acceptance Commitment Therapy in Addiction Treatment and Relapse Prevention
· Words are Not Enough: Sensorimotor Interventions for Suicidality among Adults, Adolescents and Children
· Introduction to Experiential Dreamwork for Clinicians
· Stopping the Nightmare: A Short-Focused Course
· Addressing Substance Use Treatment and Recovery in a Time of Social Disruption
· A Harm-Reduction Approach to Addictions
· Art in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Training
· San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety by Provincial Health Services Authority