About Me

Rieko Asaba, Expressive Arts Therapist in Training, RCYC, RECE

My path to becoming a therapist began with my own healing. I was a university student, far from home, when I stepped into a therapy room for the first time. I still remember how powerful it was to feel truly seen and heard, and to realize I was no longer alone in my experience. That moment changed the way I understand the power of connection, and it continues to guide the way I hold space for others.

I chose the name Wildflower Therapy Studio because I believe that each of us carries a unique gift to offer the world. Like wildflowers, we grow in our own time and in our own way, all while staying rooted in connection. Wildflower Therapy Studio is grounded in compassion, creativity, and the belief that healing is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Whether through art, somatic awareness, words, or silence, I aim to support you in discovering your inner resources and your own path to growth and belonging.

I am currently completing my clinical training through the CREATE Institute, specializing in Expressive Arts Therapy. I am a therapist-in-training and not currently a Registered Psychotherapist. All services are provided under the clinical supervision of an RP.

Professional Affiliations:

  • Ontario Expressive Arts Therapy Association
  • Registered Early Childhood Educator (Ontario)
  • Registered member of Ontario Associated Child and Youth Care

Photo by Melanie Gordon

My areas

  • General anxiety, eco anxiety, worry about the future
  • Depression, emotional/physical fatigue, or confusion

  • Trauma and PTSD (childhood and adult experiences; intergenerational)

  • Neurodiversity

  • Relationship difficulties

  • Helping professionals

  • Perfectionism

  • Immigration and acculturation stress

  • Various forms of oppression (sexism, racism, sizeism, ableism, classism) and their intersection 

My training and clinical experience

For the past two years, I’ve worked as a child and youth practitioner in a live-in treatment home at Strides Toronto, where I’ve integrated arts-based activities to support youth. I am currently completing my clinical practicums by offering both group and one-on-one expressive arts therapy sessions to a range of clients, including refugee children, survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and those who have experienced family violence and trauma.

  • Graduate diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy, The CREATE Institute (In progress)
  • Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Level 1 Certificate, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute (In progress)
  • Bachelor of Child and Youth Care with distinction, University of Victoria, June 2022
  • DBT Skills for Adolescents and Families, Psychwire, December 2023

My Values

Safety

Safety is the foundation of all meaningful work. I strive to offer an anti-oppressive and trauma-informed space where you or your child can feel supported, seen, and free to show up just as you are.

Compassion

I meet each person with warmth, care, and deep respect for their story. You do not have to go through things alone. We move together at a pace that feels right for you.

Playfulness

Play is a powerful way to connect, explore, and express what’s inside. Whether through the arts or in relationship, I invite a spirit of curiosity and openness into the work.

Sense of wonder

I cherish moments of surprise, aliveness, and beauty that can arise when we slow down and pay attention. Wonder connects us to ourselves, to each other, and to the world around us.

My Approaches

There are times when what we feel inside is hard to put into words. When experiences feel overwhelming, confusing, or too complex to name, the arts can offer another way in.

Expressive arts therapy invites us into the imagination through creative play. This might include movement, sound, painting, poetry, storytelling, or any form that feels right in the moment. We follow what’s alive, trusting the creative process to help us connect with ourselves, access inner resources, and discover new possibilities.

My approach is relational, trauma-informed, and guided by deep respect for each person’s pace. I draw on expressive arts, body-based awareness, and the importance of safe connection. Together, we listen not only to words but also to sensations, images, gestures, and emotions. All of these are valid ways of understanding and expressing your experience.

I also bring my lived experience to this work. Raised in Japan and having immigrated to Canada as a teenager, I understand what it’s like to live between cultures. These experiences have shaped my deep commitment to cultural sensitivity, belonging, and co-creating a space where you feel safe, seen, and supported just as you are.

You do not need any artistic experience to begin. What matters is a sense of curiosity and a willingness to explore. I will meet you where you are, and together we will find ways to tend to what is present.

Work with me
A serene spring meadow full of blooming oxeye daisies in warm, golden light.