Director and founder:
​Daye Hagel, M.A., C.C.C.

Read about Daye

Daye Hagel is a wife, mother, veteran wilderness guide, and a Canadian Certified Counsellor (C.C.C.) with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, working currently in private practice.  She has graduate degrees in Counselling Psychology and in Anthropology, and developed and directs the Mental Health Wilderness First Aid program. 

As a certified Level Three Guide with the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of B.C., since 2004 Daye has amassed over 1,500 field days as a wilderness guide, including with Coastal Current Adventures, Outward Bound Canada, Capilano University, SKILS, Strathcona Park Lodge, and dozens of other organizations.  Daye is a former Salt Spring Island Search & Rescue volunteer, served as the Executive Director of the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of B.C. from 2015-2020, and founded Mental Health Wilderness First Aid in 2018.

​For five years Daye worked primarily with First Nations clients, first as an intern clinical counsellor through Aboriginal Child and Youth Mental Health in Victoria, and as a full-time clinical counsellor with the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, travelling and serving remote First Nations communities on Vancouver Island.  She has completed San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training and been humbled to work alongside Elders and traditional knowledge keepers from many First Nations in B.C., Canada, as well as the Canadian Arctic.  Daye has completed specific training in narrative therapy, eco-therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, expressive play therapy, restorative justice, and myriad cultural trainings.  

During her free time Daye enjoys quilting and instructing classes on amateur astronomy.  She and her husband are raising their family on Salt Spring Island, B.C. Canada.

clinical counsellor Course supporter:
Sarah Hagar, R.C.C.

Read about Sarah

Sarah is a mother, certified teacher with the BC Ministry of Education and Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. Originally from Ontario, Sarah came West Coast in the early 2000's as a tree planter and later became a teacher where she was honoured to work and live on the Traditional Territories of the Tsilhqot'in and Ahousaht First Nations. After moving to Ucluelet in 2011 and working as a Youth and Education Worker for the Yuułuʔiłʔath First Nation, Sarah decided to pursue a Master's of Education in School Based Counselling and has been working in the field since. Sarah has worked for the Nuu Chah Nulth Tribal Council as a Child and Youth Mental Health Counsellor, for SD70 as a an Elementary Secondary School Counsellor, and currently works under contract for the Coastal Family Resource Coalition and Vancouver Island Children's Health Foundation coordinating a project aimed at supporting school staff, parents and caregivers to improved mental health outcomes for children through understanding attachment and neuroscience best practices for developing brains.
Sarah believes that nature is the best therapist and has training in eco therapy, Wilderness Rites of Passage, Holistic Expressive Play Therapy, Focusing Oriented Psychotherapy, suicide intervention, working with those who have harmed others and been harmed through sexual abuse and assault, and is currently working towards certification in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics. She is passionate about meeting people where they are at and providing trauma informed care.
When not working, Sarah enjoys gardening, making art, yoga, surfing, swimming, hiking and simply being in nature with her three wonderful children and supportive spouse. 

Counsellor cOURSE SUPPORTER & admin
​Kevin Hawker, M.S.W.

Read about Kevin

Kevin Hawker is a mental health counsellor with the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council out of Tofino, BC.  While originally from Barrie, Ontario, Kevin has called Vancouver Island home for the last 4 years. He holds a degree in criminology and a master's degree in social work.  As a former tree-planter and wildland firefighter, he sees the value to understanding mental health in a wilderness setting. When not working in communities on the west coast, Kevin enjoys surfing, climbing and backcountry snowboarding.  "Everyone has different strategies to their own wellness. I hope to help people find out what that may be!"

CLINICAL COUNSELLOR COURSE SUPPORTER: 
​Kennedy Lewis, C.C.C.

Read about Kennedy

Kennedy Lewis is a trauma therapist with a Master's in Counselling from the University Victoria, currently practicing in Vancouver, BC. Alongside her private practice, Kennedy founded and developed Extraordinary Workers to help support workers on the front lines cope with the trauma exposed environments they are employed in. As a former support worker herself, Kennedy was able to see gaps in relevant and substantial care, leading to her unique programming.  Extraordinary Workers has been in operation for 3 years engaging the support worker community all over BC, offering workshops, groups and trainings in a variety of settings.
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Kennedy approaches the topic of resiliency by addressing how the entire workplace functions to mitigate the effects of trauma exposures on staff. Believing that when workers are properly supported to cope with their job demands, they can stay longer in their roles and build the relationships with clients that are often so necessary to healing and stabilization. Kennedy's message to support workers is simple: I see the valuable work you do; I see that you carry communities on your shoulders; you deserve support, solidarity and access to information that can aid your ability to sustain your work and life.

CLINICAL COUNSELLOR COURSE SUPPORTER: 
​Tara souch, m.c., C.C.C., r.c.c.

Read about Tara

Tara is a skilled counselling therapist and is passionate about connecting people with nature as a venue for healing. Her therapeutic practice weaves together narrative therapy, systems theory, ecopsychology and contemporary rites of passage. Tara has worked in clinical, wilderness and treatment program settings.
Her early career began in management roles, including Camp Director with Scouts Canada. After gaining skills in outreach-work for young adults with Whistler Community Services Society and facilitating employee support services for Whistler Blackcomb; Tara decided to pursue psychotherapy in 2009. Tara holds a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from City University of Seattle. She is a Canadian Certified Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors.
Her Master’s degree is complimented by her Wilderness Leadership certification from Capilano University, providing her with a solid foundation in wilderness-based therapy.  She has trained with the Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy. She has also trained in contemporary Rites of Passage work with The School of Lost Borders, both as a participant and assistant guide.
Tara has worked as the clinical coordinator for a wilderness-based program serving teens and their families as well as a psychotherapist for adolescent males at a therapeutic boarding school. She has also worked as a relief-care foster parent. Currently, she is the sole proprietor of a private counselling practice on Vancouver Island. She regularly works as a contractor with non-profit organizations including community services, Indigenous communities and bereavement support. She also works as an instructor for Outward Bound Canada, specializing in the Women of Courage programs.
Tara believes that outdoor pursuits provide opportunities to build one’s self-efficacy while fostering a sense of community. She believes that spending time in nature provides a mirror for personal healing and that the more time we spend in nature, the more we will strive to protect our natural world.

Administration
​& Course Supporter:
Jes Logher

Read about Jes

Jes has had the pleasure of exploring the lands and oceans around southern British Columbia for the last 17 years in her role as an outdoor education teacher at an independent school in Vancouver, B.C.  Always followed by a pack of teens, she started to wonder more and more about how to support youth mental health, which led her to enrol in a Master's in Counselling program.  As she completes her degree, she is reassured of the power of nature and is keen to continue sharing the natural world with her students and anyone who will go outside with her.

In her spare time, she loves reading books from the library, doing yoga and hiking or skiing to the tops of mountains. 

Wilderness First Aid Consultant
​& COURSE SUPPORTer: 
Michael "Doc" Crawford

Read about Doc

Michael "Doc" Crawford started  in medicine in 1985 as a medic in the US Navy/Marine Corps, serving as a critical care corpsman at Bethesda Naval Hospital. He was next stationed onboard the USS Canopus (AS-34) and worked with both the Medical Department and the US Marine detachment onboard the ship where he earned the nickname “Doc.” After getting out, Doc worked at Tucson Medical Center as a patient care technician in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit.
Doc has extensive wilderness tripping experience both recreationally and as a canoe and hiking guide. Doc is an owner, chief instructor, and the current curriculum director at Slipstream Wilderness First Aid based in Victoria, BC.  Doc has been a Wilderness First Aid Instructor since 2005. He was an Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) Instructor and Instructor Trainer, as well as a member of and trainer for the Mount Washington Ski Patrol Association for 5 years. Doc is also a member of the Wilderness Medical Society and the Canadian Association of Wilderness Medicine.

Critical Incident response Consultant
​& counsellor Course supporter:
Judy North, M.A.

Read about Judy

Judy North has incorporated her MA in Counselling and Psychology with 25 years of crisis intervention worker to provide empathic, wholistic, compassionate, practical, and life-sustaining suicide and crisis intervention and postvention support. She has recently worked as a Livingworks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training facilitator, and as a consultant and crisis response expert, for remote area communities along the west coast of Vancouver Island. Her clinical positions have included assisting children, youth, families, Aboriginal and remote communities in BC, Alberta and Ontario. She offers private consultation and training regarding suicide intervention and postvention, and critical incident stress debriefings.

Disordered Eating Consultant
​& CLINICAL COUNSELLOR COURSE SUPPORTER: 
Jess Cumming, m.A., C.C.C.

Read about Jess

Jess Cumming is a therapist at Thrive Downtown Counselling in Vancouver, B.C.  She graduated with her Master's in Counselling Psychology from the University of Victoria in 2018.  Jess's areas of interest include disordered eating, trauma and incorporating spirituality into therapy. Utilizing models such as Emotion Focused Therapy and Internal Family systems, she aims to provide a safe and supportive environment for clients to explore and deepen their relationship with their authentic selves. 
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Jess was a Guest Speaker on the topic of disordered eating for Mental Health Wilderness First Aid in April 2023.  She provides occasional course support as a special guest on the topic of disordered eating and eating disorders.

Administration & COURSE SUPPORT: 
​Laura Whiddon, M.A. (Candidate)

Read about Laura

Laura is a mental health advocate who has worked to serve her community through political engagement and front-line work in the Downtown Eastside. She holds a diploma of professional counselling and a BA in psychology and neuroscience. Laura has received specialized training in nature-based, feminist, and narrative therapy practices. She is currently a masters of counselling student at City University studying to become a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

Administration: Rachel Stevens, RHN

Read about Rachel

​Rachel is a mother to six young children.  The majority of her time is committed to homeschooling, a great passion of hers.  With a background in nutrition, she enjoys creating healthy meals to feed her growing brood.

​Rachel has completed Livingworks's Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training and is a regular volunteer with her church community.
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Camping, reading, painting and board games keep Rachel occupied in her spare (ha!) time.

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