Hello, I’m Stefanie Rico (pronouns: she/her).
I'm a Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist and Yoga Instructor with over a decade of experience working in the social service field. I truly love my work and feel so lucky to combine my passions for community-building, creative expression and a holistic approach to well-being.
I am a second generation Filipina-Canadian who is dedicated to anti-racist, anti-oppressive and trauma-informed practices. Contributing to a more just society is at my core. I am deeply inspired by ancestral wisdom and communities of care as catalysts for the healing journey.
As a lifelong learner walking alongside you on this path, I continue to engage in trainings and supervision for my personal and professional development. Consistent practices of self-reflection and connecting with community have also been instrumental to my growth. My calling has led me to this work, teaching tools that support the integration of mind, body and spirit as a compass and evolving guide to a life of purpose, peace and pleasure.
My formal education includes:
Master of Social Work (2013), University of Toronto
Bachelor of Psychology (2010), Western University
200-hr Yoga Teacher Training, Shivakali Yoga
50-hr Yin Yoga Teacher Training, Angela Jervis-Read, Yoga Space
Trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness training, New Leaf Yoga Foundation
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dr. Russ Harris
ACT for Depression and Anxiety, Dr. Russ Harris
ACT for Grief and Loss, Dr. Russ Harris
Facilitator training, Mindfulness Without Borders
Sound Meditation Instrumental Training, Charlie Gates
Reiki 1 Certification, GTA Reiki
HIGH FIVE® Principles of Healthy Child Development
Radical Mental Health First Aide: Suicide & Safety Planning, N. Oumou Sylla
Crisis Intervention Training, Distress Centres
A PERSONAL NOTE
Connecting with nature, spirituality and safe relationships have been my anchors as I've navigated the ebbs and flows of life. It has been a practice in self-exploration to connect with my intuition, embrace my sensitive nature, and develop self-acceptance. I believe that giving ourselves the time, space and support to practice deep inquiry can help us come back home to ourselves.
"We're all just walking each other home" - Ram Dass
Land Acknowledgement
I am a second-generation immigrant/ settler living in Tkaronto; now known as Toronto, which in Mohawk means ‘where there are trees standing in the water.” With great respect I acknowledge the original inhabitants and traditional guardians of this land as Indigenous peoples including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. Tkaronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaty signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands. It is our responsibility as settlers to commit ourselves to a continuous path of learning toward reconciliation and allyship of support for Indigenous rights to be restored.