About Us - Sotsiaaldisain

Marika Saard "Miracles happen all the time - they just have to be noticed!"

WHO AM I

I am a certified supervisor and coach. I am a social work organizer by education and I own a master’s degree in service design. In addition to that I have done several trainings in psychology, art therapy and supervision. At the moment I study psychology in master degree.

I am a full member of the Estonian Supervision and Coaching Association (ESCÜ).

I have developed the series of cards called „Contemplation“ that are meant for an additional tool for supervisors, coaches, psychologists, therapists and other professionals working in the field. I offer trainings with cards from Contemplation-series both in Estonia and abroad.

In relation to the metaphor cards I have developed, in 2018 the Estonian Supervision and Coaching Association awarded me for the contribution and development of the field.

Briefly about my work experience before entrepreneurship: I have worked as a caregiver in open care and a nursing home, as a social worker and in-house trainer in a special welfare institution, and as a social worker in a rehabilitation center for drug addicts.

My work is my hobby – I adore what I do! I’m a goal-believing person. It means that everything in life can be achieved, if you are “selfish” in this desire and believe in it.

Completed fields of study

2012–2014 University of Tartu, Pärnu College – Master’s Degree in Business Administration (cum laude), specialization in Service Design and Management.
2005–2009 University of Tartu, Pärnu College – Applied Higher Education in Social Work Administration and Management.
2003–2005 Tartu Medical School (now Tartu Health Care College) – Specialization in Social Care.

Trainings

2025 – “Contemplation Cards in the Work of a Social Pedagogue,” one-day training in Viljandi.
2025 – “Contemplation Cards in the Work of a Counselor,” training in Singapore.
2025 – Two-day training “Contemplation Cards in the Work of a Counselor,” Viljandi.
2024 – Brief introduction to Contemplation Cards at the Summer School for Student and Teacher Counselors in Haapsalu (3 hours).
2024–… – Partner at Johannes Mihkelson Centre in the project “Working and Living Happily.” Leading six-day training modules on “Psychological Preparation” and providing individual coaching sessions.
2024 – Latvia, two-day training “Contemplation Cards in the Work of a Supervisor and Coach.”
2023 – Two-day trainings “Contemplation Cards in the Work of a School Psychologist” and “Contemplation Cards in the Work of a Counselor” (six groups in total).
2023 – One-day trainings “Contemplation Cards in the Work of Social Workers in the Estonian Defence Forces” and “Contemplation Cards in the Work of School Psychologists,” Viljandi.
2023 – Conducting strategic seminars for the Integration Foundation in Narva (2 days).
2019–2022 – Partner at Johannes Mihkelson Centre. Designed and delivered a 5–6-day training program “Psychological Preparation for Job Search” for job seekers (12 groups in total, including NEET youth).
2019 – Valga Vocational Training Centre. Conducted training “Crisis Psychology” (48 academic hours) and designed the program.

Conferences

2025 (18–22 August) ANSE Summer University, Munich. Conducted a two-day workshop using Contemplation Cards on the topic “Beliefs that Hold Us in Place and Beliefs that Allow Us to Sail.”
2023 (14–18 August) ANSE Summer University, Budapest. Conducted a two-day workshop using Contemplation Cards on the topic “Values that Sustain and Support.”
2023 “Supervision 2023: Hitting the Wall?”
2021 “Coaching 2021: Turning Point.”
2019 (26–30 August) ANSE Summer University, Bolzano, Italy (23h).
2019 Leadership Conference “Coaching.”
2018 Baltic Summer Supervision Quality Day, Riga.
2018 (October) “Wisdom Comes Gradually V. The Aware Teacher.” Estonian Kindergarten Teachers’ Association. Presentation: “Supervision in the Work of a Kindergarten Teacher.”
2018 (May) “Wisdom Comes Gradually V. The Aware Teacher.” Estonian Kindergarten Teachers’ Association. Presentation: “Supervision in the Work of a Kindergarten Teacher.”
2017 (21–25 August) ANSE Summer University, Rotterdam. Conducted a workshop using Contemplation Cards on the topic “I and We in the Changing World.”