Profile

Viveka Ichikawa

Therapist, social worker, educator, and researcher. I am a mixed-race Japanese female, born and raised in Tokyo. Then, I came to Canada first time in 2005. My sessions are available in English and Japanese.

Life can be overwhelming, and you may sometimes feel lost—Deciding to try therapy is a step toward seeking a new perspective to understand the world, people, and yourself. This is a safe and empowering space for you to build/regain hope in your life.
Since 2014, I have worked as a social worker and therapist in Canada and Japan with immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ+community members, single parents, (international) students, and other racialized individuals.
The scope of my practice is not limited. However, it covers racialized trauma, intercultural and gender/sexual identity, mental health, stress management, relationship/family conflict, and other life/health crisis and issues.
I have been trained in narrative therapy, emotion-focused therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and critical multicultural therapy approaches.

I am also a PhD candidate at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, researching bi/multi/mixed racial identity, multicultural/multi-language couple and family therapy, critical international social work education, and anti-oppressive, social justice-based and decolonizing research and therapy approaches.

University of Toronto Website Profile

Teaching:

  • Course Instructor, Diversity and Equity in Working with Children and Families, Early Childhood Education program, Urawa University (2018-2023)
  • Course Instructor, Generalist Practice in Context, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary (2022-current)
  • Course Instructor, Elements of Social Work Practice and Social Work Practice Laboratory, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto (2022-current)
  • Course Director, VIolence in Family, School of Social Work, York University (2023-current)

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto

The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto is ranked the number one graduate school of social work in Canada and number two worldwide (2019) and has produced many social work researchers and practitioners.
With a campus in Toronto, Canada’s largest city, known for its LGBTQ+ advocacy work and active reception of refugees, innovative social work research is conducted in various fields. Graduates work across Canada and the world.