Dorothy Hanson has been selected as the director of Behavioral Health Services and PTSD Programs for the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs.

Hanson is a U.S. Air Force veteran. A native of Maine, she entered the military in 1976, where she worked in the supply field and then accounting and finance until completing her service after 15 years. While in the Air Force, she obtained her bachelor’s degree and went on to complete her master’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy.

Hanson has been providing direct services to veterans for the past 20 years; initially working as an intern for the Tacoma Vet Center, then as a case manager for homeless veterans at the King County Veterans Program until opening a private practice. In her practice, she provided counseling and outreach for over 16 years to veterans and their family members as a WDVA contract therapist.

As director of the Behavioral Health Services and PTSD programs, Hanson has oversight of 38 PTSD therapists throughout Washington state, providing direct counseling services to eligible veterans including individuals, couples, family and group therapy. In this position, she also oversees the Vet Corps, with over 50 Vet Corps members who are embedded in colleges, universities and technical schools. Her primary focus will be to continue to identify and ensure veterans with invisible wounds — PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury and Military Sexual Trauma — are given the resources and services they have earned by serving their country.

Visit www.dva.wa.gov/ptsd_counseling.html to learn more about Behavioral Health Services and PTSD programs. Hanson can be reached at Dorothyh@dva.wa.gov or by calling
360-726-2220.