Sandra Kakacek, Ed.D.

OVERVIEW

Prior to joining Adler University, Dr. Kakacek gained valuable experience as an assistant of training and has taught practicum and internship courses for seven years. She embraces the knowledge and diligence of site supervisors and welcome their expertise and commitment to Adler’s students. Working with a wide range of sites gives students a rich experience and helps prepare them to become future social justice catalysts for change.

Her teaching philosophy is grounded in her early experiences as a junior high school teacher and shaped by her ongoing work in the field. She incorporates principles of social constructionism in her instruction and draws on Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. She continually assesses students’ needs and evaluates their skill development and application.

Dr. Kakacek aims to create an open, accepting environment where students feel comfortable engaging in dialogue — and even agreeing to disagree with one another and with her. She integrates multicultural and social justice principles into every class she teaches, with the goal of empowering students to become catalysts for social change. She works to support students’ learning processes through a multisensory approach, adjusting lesson structures as needed to best meet their needs. This flexibility fosters open dialogue and encourages participation from all students. She does not position herself as the sole expert; instead, she views everyone as journeying and learning together.

Her areas of expertise include equine-assisted psychotherapy and child, adolescent, and family counseling. Over the past 35 years, she has worked with clients experiencing a wide range of mental health disorders and transitional challenges, with most presenting concerns involving post-traumatic stress, sexual abuse, and anxiety disorders. When appropriate, she incorporates equines into semi-structured, non-riding therapeutic activities tailored to clients’ needs. She also had the opportunity to provide weekly equine-assisted counseling to incarcerated juveniles for eight years. Additionally, she integrates metaphor-based interventions throughout her sessions.

Her goals for Adler University students are clear: she feels a strong responsibility, as a social catalyst for change, to help students uncover and strengthen their abilities to serve their communities and enrich the lives of those they encounter. She is honored to coordinate training and teach future practitioners, guiding them as they develop into impactful leaders for social change.

MEMBERSHIPS + ASSOCIATIONS

• Illinois Counselor Educators and Supervisors,Secretary, 2013-15 and president 2015-16.
• Illinois Counseling Association, President-elect, 2015-16 and president 2017-2018.
• American Counseling Association.
• American Counseling Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling.
• American Counseling Association for Counselor Education & Supervision.
• American Counseling Association for Creativity in Counseling.
• American Counseling Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development.
• American Counseling International Association for Resilience and Trauma in Counseling.
• American Counseling Military& Government Counseling Association.
• American Counseling International Association for Marriage and Family Counselors.
• American Counseling International Asocation.
• Illinois Counseling Association.
• Illinois Counselor Educators and Supervisors.
• Illinois Association for Multicultural Counseling.
• Illinois Association for LGBTQ Issues in Counseling.
• Illinois Mental Health Counseling Association.
• Illinois School Counseling Interest Group.
• International Association of Counselors.
• North Central Association for Counselor Education & Supervision.