Racquel Vivero-Chong

Racquel is a Registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW) and Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO) with over 20 years of experience in the field of mental health services. She is guided by the principles of recovery, hope, empowerment, compassion, inclusion, and resilience. Her goal is to assist and collaborate with clients in exploring and rediscovering their capacity to function positively in the face of adversity by managing life’s struggles with creativity and courage.

Racquel has had the privilege of working with clients from diverse backgrounds and unique needs in both hospital-based and community settings. She specializes in providing individual psychotherapy to adults facing challenges related to depression, anxiety, emotional distress, self-esteem issues, trauma recovery, relationship and interpersonal issues, bereavement and loss. Her approach to psychotherapy is integrative and eclectic, drawing from multiple evidence-based treatment modalities to address individual’s unique needs. Some of the modalities she incorporate include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT); mindfulness-based approaches, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and trauma-based counselling.

She is currently a full-time Psychotherapist / Social Worker at Michael Garron Hospital – Toronto East Health Network (formerly Toronto East General Hospital) in the Adult Outpatient Mental Health Department, where she has been providing comprehensive psychosocial assessments and individual psychotherapy treatment for adults since 2012. Having had the privilege of helping individuals from a variety of backgrounds across hospital-based and community settings, Racquel deeply treasures the curiosity and personal empowerment inherent in the therapeutic journey.

• Master of Social Work, University of Toronto, 1998
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Specialized Honours), York University, 1995
• Advanced Master Program on the Treatment of Trauma, National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine, 2020
• Level 1 Certificate in Trauma Counselling for Mental Health Professionals, Sick Kids' Centre for Community Mental Health, 2019

• Over 20 years of experience developing skills in psychosocial assessment, crisis intervention, and collaborative psychotherapeutic practice
• Co-authored “Providing culturally sensitive care: An ethnocultural guide for front-line staff in long-term care” in the Canadian Nursing Home Magazine
• Authored and published "Reminiscence Therapy: The Group Approach in Long-Term Care", Canadian Nursing Home Magazine
• Presented at the 17th World Congress of International Association of Gerontology in Vancouver, BC in 2001
• Previous teaching experience as a part-time faculty member with Durham College—School of Health and Community Services—Graduate Certificate Program of Addictions and Mental Health from 2011 to 2012
• Recipient of Excellence in Service at MGH in June 2017
• Enjoys fishing, skiing, running, travelling, and exploring the outdoors