Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Faculty of Education

Dayna McCracken, Faculty of Education Embedded Counsellor

Balancing Student Life & Wellbeing

Life as a UBC student can be exciting, challenging, and sometimes overwhelming. Between classes, assignments, work, relationships and personal responsibilities, it’s normal to feel stressed or unsure about your next steps. UBC offers mental health support to help you navigate challenges, strengthen coping skills, and care for your wellbeing so you can thrive in both your studies and your life.

Dayna McCracken, M.A., is a Registered Clinical Counsellor “embedded” in the Faculty of Education, offering support to Faculty of Education students (including School of Kinesiology students) by appointment.

Booking an Appointment

Faculty of Education Students in BC – Vancouver Campus (including School of Kinesiology students):
Faculty of Education Students in BC – Okanagan Campus (including School of Kinesiology students):
Faculty and Staff
  • Faculty or staff on the Vancouver campus wishing to connect with Dayna regarding student matters can email Dayna directly.

About Dayna

Dayna McCracken, M.A., is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with experience in universities, non-profits, provincial treatment centres, public clinics and private practice. She strives to create a warm, safe, caring and collaborative space where you can express yourself, set meaningful goals and develop strategies for navigating life’s difficulties. Dayna values every person’s right to self-determination while recognizing how colonial systems can profoundly impact health and wellness. Her work centres on helping you feel heard, cared for, empowered, and more at peace.

Areas of Focus

  • Anxiety, stress, and depression
  • Relationship and attachment issues
  • Trauma
  • Identity
  • Work/school/life balance

Services Offered

  • Short-term individual counselling
  • Workshops
  • Wellbeing events tailored to the needs of Education students

Therapeutic Approaches

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Counselling Services at UBC

UBC’s mental health professionals provide confidential, culturally responsive, and non-judgmental care. They respect each individual’s unique personality, culture, and experiences, using a multicultural, anti-oppressive, social-justice lens to guide their work.

Contact the UBC Counselling Service Centre to find the service that best suits your needs.

You can reach out for help with:

  • Academic pressure and performance concerns
  • Relationships and family dynamics
  • Life transitions and identity development
  • Mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, or trauma
  • Academic difficulties like procrastination, exam anxiety, perfectionism, or trouble focusing

Available supports include:

  • Wellness advising
  • Same-day single-session appointments
  • Brief counselling
  • Group therapy programs

Whatever you’re experiencing, the UBC team will work with you to find the type of help that fits your needs — whether that’s a single meeting, a group program, or short-term therapy — so you leave feeling heard, understood, and ready to move forward.

Additional Resources

  • Visit Student Health Services to see a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional on campus
  • Here2Talk — Call, chat online, or use the mobile app to get free, immediate, 24/7 mental health counselling, available in various languages for post-secondary students in British Columbia. UBC students can reach out as often as needed, at any time, from anywhere in the world
  • Check out Health and Wellbeing at UBC to explore a range of resources
  • At the UBC Wellness Centre, you can get tips and resources on stress, studying and navigating university life

24/7 Crisis Support

If you need crisis support or you’re currently in distress, the following resources are available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week:

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