Dagney originates from South Carolina.  She attended college in the mountains of NC at Appalachian State University.  There, she completed a degree in Recreation Management with a concentration in Outdoor Experiential Education, along with a minor in Sociology.  Dagney traveled to Utah in 2005 to explore the potential mental health benefits that wilderness offers.  After her first couple of months, she fell in love with the work, realizing this was what she was meant to do. She continued to pursue education and ways to stay in the mental health field. 

Dagney has been fortunate enough to work in the many realms of the mental health field including her start as a wilderness therapy field staff and mentor, then worked as a house parent at a therapeutic boarding school, and then went back to wilderness and started her work with family services.  During her wilderness family services work, she became a certified Parent Coach. 

As Dagney continued to see and experience the benefits of working with families and adolescents, she followed her passion and earned her Master’s degree as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor at the University of Phoenix.  She completed her internships at a community clinic associated with the university, working with a variety of individuals and families from ages 6 to 70 years old. Dagney also completed her internship working as an assistant wilderness therapist  

Dagney later worked as a therapist at a residential treatment program for young adults and once again, found herself drawn back to wilderness helping families. Dagney has a strong background in evidence-based practices, like CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and Family Systems. She is also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence based psychotherapy technique designed to treat individuals with PTSD or individuals who have experienced trauma.  She believes in the power of connection and relationship to self and others as a venue for healing and forward movement. Dagney finds that being active keeps her centered and encourages her clients to do the same.  

In her free time, she and her dog, Althea, enjoy exploring the mountains, desert, lakes, and oceans (when she gets out of the landlocked state) through mountain biking, trail running, snowboarding, paddle boarding, and surfing. Dagney likes seeing live music, being social with friends, yet can also be found reading a book and drinking coffee. She has lately been attempting to learn a musical instrument. Dagney will often carve time out to head back to South Carolina and spend time with her family, niece and nephew, and friends of the Carolinas.