Alison Lighthall, RN, BSN, MSN Military Behavioral Health Co

Alison joined the US Army Nurse Corps as a psychiatric nurse in 2004 at the age of 46, in response to the rapidly climbing rates of combat trauma and suicide.

 

She made it her mission to expand an understanding of our active duty, reserve,and veteran military citizens to as many people as possible, in order to "build a bridge" that would help veterans reconnect psychologically and emotionally with their families, friends, community and country. For her work, she was awarded the Army's Commendation Medal.

 

She has consulted with major metropolitan police departments, universities, correctional institutions, and hospitals across the country. An author of several articles and a frequent conference speaker and workshop leader, Alison uses her extensive clinical background and personal experiences to serve as a kind of translator of the military experience to those in the civilian sector. Her areas of

expertise include combat trauma, military suicide, veteran-involved hostage negotiations, and mental resiliency. She received her bachelors degree in nursing from Eastern Michigan University in 1983 and her masters degree summa cum laude in psychiatric nursing from the University of Illinois-Chicago in 1993. She was inducted into the American Institute of Stress as a Fellow in 2011. She is currently President of HAND2HAND CONTACT, an all-veteran training and consulting firm, headquartered in Lee, MA.