Dayna Watson

Dr. Dayna Watson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Education. She also holds appointments as an Associate Scientist in multiple UAB units: the School of Medicine’s Minority Health & Research Center (since 2016), the School of Public Health’s UAB Center for Study of Community Health (since 2016), and the College of Arts and Sciences (since 2022). Her primary role is in the School of Education, where she has served since 2015, advancing from Assistant Professor (2015–2023) to her current rank.

Dr. Watson holds a Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education from the University of Florida (2015) and an M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from Auburn University (2007). Her research focuses on school-based mental health systems, play therapy with young children, and trauma-informed educational practices. Clinically, she specializes in counseling children, adolescents, and young adults using play therapy techniques, creative interventions, and cognitive therapy approaches.

Her interdisciplinary work bridges education, public health, and clinical practice. She contributes to initiatives in the UAB Center for Study of Community Health and collaborates across disciplines to address mental health disparities in underserved populations. Key areas of interest include curriculum development for trauma-informed schools and integrating mental health strategies into education systems.