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Sandra Kakacek

Contributing Faculty

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

School of Counseling

Degree Program M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Dr. Sandra Kakacek is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and has been a director of training and assistant for seven years and taught master students for twelve years. She has been a practicing psychotherapist for over thirty years of which sixteen have included working as an equine-assisted psychotherapist. She has three chapters in textbooks, eight published journal articles as well as countless workshop presentations. Her expertise ranges from counseling clients from a juvenile justice center weekly, to individual children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Dr. Kakacek utilizes horses to help clients by designing semi-structured problem-solving experiences to assist clients to uncover their strengths and apply these to life’s challenges outside of the arena. She is currently the President of the Illinois Counseling Association and very active in the American Counseling Association. She will be on the International Committee and Taskforce for Portability in July 2018.

Courses Taught

COUN 6726-6 - Couples & Family Counseing

COUN 6317-2 - Child & Adolescent Counseling

COUN 6316-27 - Techniques of Counseling

COUN 6316-14 - Techniques of Counseling

COUN 6316- - Techniques of Counseling

COUN 6316 - Techniques of Counseling

COUN 6316 - Techniques of Counseling

Education

EdD, Northern Illinois University - DeKalb

Public Service

Illinois Counseling Association, Chair - Springfield, IL

Publications

Kakacek, S. L. (2016). Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: Applying Strengths-Based Solutions in an Arena for Change.

Kakacek, S. L. (2016). Conflict in Couples and Families.

Kakacek, S. L. (2016). Divorce and Separation.

Presentations

Kakacek, S. L. (2015). Clinical Demonstration with Hispanic Client. UNIBE-International University.

Kakacek, S. L. (2014). Equine-Assisted Therapy and Veterans. ICA.

Kakacek, S. L. (2017). Decision Making Using equine -Assisted Therapy. ICA.

Kakacek, S. L. (2015). Equine-Assisted Therapy for Anxiety Disorders. ICA.

Kakacek, S. L. (2016). Equine-Assisted Therapy for Reading Clinic. Northern Illinois University.

Kakacek, S. L. (2016). Healing Trauma with Equine-Therapy. Trauma Bytes Conference Online sponsored by the Traumatology Interest Network (TIN) of the American Counseling Association.

Kakacek, S. L. (2017). Supervision for Site Staff, Chicago, IL.

Kakacek, S. L. (2017). The Imposter Syndrome, Association of Counselor Educators and Supervision, Chicago, IL..

Kakacek, S. L. (2018). Treating Trauma with Equine-Therapy. ICA.