Kristen Dillon PsyD, ABPP

She completed her postdoctoral fellowship in Geropsychology at the VA Bedford Healthcare System. Dr. Dillon currently serves as a Staff Psychologist in Hospice & Palliative Care at VA Bedford. In this role, she provides individual and group psychotherapy, implements evidence-based interventions, facilitates meaning centered therapy, and offers grief support, for veterans at end of life and their families. Dr. Dillon is an integral part of the Palliative Care Consult Team, conducting comprehensive psychosocial and diagnostic assessments as well as education and consultation to interdisciplinary teams. She also leads bereavement support groups and provides education on grief and loss. She has been asked to speak at several conferences on grief and loss and most notably was invited to be on Dr. Kessler’s COVID in 20 twice. 

With a passion for aging, PTSD, existential concerns, and caregiving, Dr. Dillon aims to improve quality of life for older adults facing serious illness. Her clinical expertise also encompasses PTSD in older adulthood, existential concerns, and family dynamics at end of life. She has pursued specialized training in Meaning Centered Psychotherapy for patients with advanced illness and complicated grief therapy, in addition to ACT and Prolonged Exposure. With a passion for aging, PTSD, existential concerns, and caregiving, Dr. Dillon aims to improve quality of life for older adults facing serious illness. Her research interests include anticipatory grief, PTSD/moral injury at end of life, family caregiving, and virtual reality applications to enhance patient care. She has been involved in several research and quality improvement projects at the VA, focusing on culture change, virtual reality, bereavement support and more.

Dr. Dillon is committed to training the next generation of psychologists, serving as a supervisor for practicum students, interns, and postdoctoral residents in and outside of Geropsychology. Dr. Dillon serves on several national VA committees dedicated to improving older adult veteran mental healthcare and holds a leadership role as the VISN 1 Geriatric Mental Health Champion. She has co-authored several publications in peer-reviewed journals and regularly presents at local and national professional conferences. She has been awarded several grants related to education on hospice and palliative care and use of virtual reality to enhance meaning and quality of life in older adults. 

When she’s not working, Dr. Dillon enjoys cooking, hiking, and spending quality time with family.  She loves taking her daughter, Annaleigh, on various adventures and participates in acts of kindness and supports bereaved parents in their grief journeys in honor of her late daughter, Junie. Driven by compassion, Dr. Dillon finds fulfillment using psychology to improve the lives of veterans with life limited illness and their loved ones.
 

Publications

Pimentel CB, Mills WL, Snow AL, Palmer JA, Wewiorski NJ , Allen RS, Sullivan JL, Dillon K, Hartmann CW. (2019). Adapting Strategies for Optimal Intervention Implementation in Nursing Homes: A Formative Evaluation - PubMed (nih.gov)

Dillon, K. (2019). A review of “Charlie Company’s Journey Home: The Boys of ’67 and the War they Left Behind. Journal of Women and Aging, DOI: 10.1080/08952841.2019.1624122.

Pimentel CB, Mills WL, Palmer JA, Dillon K, Sullivan JL, Wewiorski NJ, Snow AL, Allen RS, Hopkins SD, Hartmann CW. (2019). Blended facilitation as an effective implementation strategy for quality improvement and research in nursing homes. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 34(3):210-216.

Hartmann C., Mills W., Pimentel C., Palmer J., Allen R., Zhao S., Wewiorski N., Sullivan J., Dillon K., Clark V., Berlowitz D., Snow L. (2018). Impact of intervention to improve nursing home resident-staff interactions and engagement. The Gerontologist, 58(4): e291-e301.

Hartmann, C., Palmer, J., Mills, W., Pimentel, C., Allen, R., Wewiorski, N., Dillon, K. & Snow, L. (2017). Adaptation of a nursing home culture change research instrument for frontline staff quality improvement use. Psychological Services, 14(3): 337-346.

Presentations & Workshops

Laffer, A., Corle, M., Canell, A., Moo, L., Gately, M., & Dillon, K. (November 2023). Implementation of Virtual Reality to Improve Quality of Life for Veterans in Hospice and Palliative Care, GSA 2013 Annual Scientific Meeting, The Gerontological Society of America, Tampa, FL.

Dillon, K. & Telles, J. (October 2023). Managing Suffering in Veterans at End of Life, 2023 HPCFM Education Conference, Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of MA, Virtual Conference.

Dillon, K. & Telles, J. (October 2022). A Biopsychosocial Approach to Suffering in Veterans at End of Life, 2022 HPCFM Education Conference, Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of MA, Virtual Conference.

Dillon, K & Steadman, P. (June 2022). Suicidality at End of Life, Suicide Lecture Series, MIRECC, Veterans Affairs, Virtual Lecture Series.

Dillon, K. (June 2022). Creating and Fostering A Community of Practice within Geriatric Mental Health [Poster presentation accepted]. 2022 VA Psychology Leadership Conference, Association of VA Psychologist Leaders,  San Antonio, TX.

Dillon, K. (April 2022). Self-Care Strategies for Volunteers, Volunteer Symposium, Pennsylvania Department of Aging, Virtual Conference.

Dillon, K., Lim, L. & Dawson, K. (March 2022). Applying the Age-Friendly Framework to Interprofessional Care, New England GRECC Age-Friendly Interprofessional Workshop, Veterans Affairs, Virtual Conference.

Dillon, K. & Duarte de Escalante (March 2022). Untangling the Web of Grief and Loss: A Personal Story, COVID in 20 with Dr. Chad Kessler, Veterans Affairs, Virtual Series.

Dillon, K. (January 2022). Grief & Grieving: How our loss from the past becomes our gain in the future, COVID in 20 with Dr. Chad Kessler, Veterans Affairs, Virtual Series.

Dillon, K. (December 2021). Navigating the Path of Grief, VA Boston Social Work Seminar Series, VA Boston, Virtual Conference.

Dillon, K. (November 2021). One Year Later: The Continued Impact of COVID-19 on Grief, The Massachusetts Psychological Association’s 2021 Annual Conference, Massachusetts Psychological Association, Virtual Conference.

Dillon, K. & Hinrichs K. (October 2021). Working with Veterans at End of Life. 2021 HPCFM Education Conference, Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of MA, Virtual Conference.

Dillon, K. (October 2021). Palliative Care Education Rounds, Annual VISN 1 Palliative Care Conference, VISN 1, Virtual Conference.

Dillon, K. (August 2021). PTSD at End of Life. HPCFM Community Partner, Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of MA, Virtual Training.

Dillon, K. (October 2020). Dignity of Risk. 2020 HPCFM Education Conference, Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of MA, Norwood, MA.

Dillon, K., & Gallant, M. (November  2019). Working with Veterans at End if Life. 2019 HPCFM Education Conference, Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of MA, Norwood, MA.

Dillon, K. & Athappilly, G. (October 2019) Geriatric Mental Health  VISN 1 Mental Health Summit, Veterans Affairs VISN 1, Bedford, MA.

Dillon, K, Taylor, L., Powell, N., Bruno, M. (June - September 2019), Suicide Prevention, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Moral Injury, Empowering Hospice Community Providers in Working with Vietnam Veterans at End of Life, Various locations across MA.

Dillon, K. (April 2019). Dignity of Risk, Geriatric Grand Rounds, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA.

Dillon, K. & Athappilly, G. (July 2019) Geriatric Flying Squad Lightening Presentation. Cultivating Promising Geriatric Mental Health Practices Conference, Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO), Washington DC.

Dillon, K., Budnick, K., Gallant, M., & McMenamin, F. (November 2018). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at End of Life: Special Emphasis on Working with a Veteran Population. 2018 HPCFM Education Conference, Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of MA, Norwood, MA.

Hartmann, C., Mills, W., Pimentel, C., Palmer, J., Allen, R., Zhao, S., Wewiorski, N., Sullivan, J., Dillon, K., Clark, V., Berlowitz, D., & Snow, L. (November 2018). Enhancing Staff-Resident Interactions Through a Frontline Staff Quality Improvement Intervention. GSA 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting, The Gerontological Society of America, Boston, MA.

Dillon, K., Gallant, M., McMenamin, F. (May 2018). Understanding Veteran vs. Civilian PSTD at End of Life. Hospice & Palliative Care Federation of MA, The Residence at Valley Farm, Ashland, MA.

Dillon, K. (May 2018). The Final Farewell: Helping Families Cope with End of Life. End of Life: Clinical Care, Spiritual and Ethical Challenges Conference, William James College, Newton, MA.

Dillon, K., & Budnick, K. (November  2017). Treating Complex Family Dynamics at End of Life from Theory to Practice. 2017 HPCFM Education Conference, Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of MA, Norwood, MA.

Dillon, K., Blount, D., Budnick, K., Lattimore, G., & Ugochukwu, S., (May 2017). PTSD at End of Life. Geriatric Grand Rounds, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA.

Dillon, K., Budnick, K., Khodeir, M., & Desarmes, T. (April 2017). The Effect of a Bereavement Systems Redesign on the Bereaved Family Survey. Geriatrics & Extended Care Leads Conference, Orlando VA Medical Center, Orlando, Florida. Abstract submitted and accepted as an E-Poster.

Dillon, K. (March 2017). Palliative Care: Focusing on the Care not the Cure. Breast Friends Cancer Support Radio Network, Voice America. Palliative Care: Focusing on the Care, not the Cure. Friday, March 17, 2017 (voiceamerica.com)

Dillon, K. & Budnick, K., (December 2016). Weaving a Tapestry After the Loss of a Loved One. Geriatric Grand Rounds, Bedford, MA.

Dillon, K. & Budnick, K., (October 2016). Weaving a Tapestry After the Loss of a Loved One. VISN 1 Palliative Care Conference, Bedford, MA.

Dillon, K., Blount, D., Budnick, K., Delgado, J., (November 2015). PTSD at End of Life. All Care Hospice, Lynn, MA.

Hartmann, C., Palmer, J., Allen, R., Wewiorski, N., Dillon, K., Hopkins, S., Parmalee, P., & Snow, L. (March 2015). Developing a Research Tool and Adapting It for Clinical and Performance Measurement Needs. Paper accepted for presentation at the annual Gerontological Society of America¸ Orlando, FL.  

Dillon, K., & Rosowsky, E. (March 2014). The Relationship between Anticipatory Grief, Depression, Burden and Pre-dementia Closeness in Caregivers of a Parent with Dementia. Aging in America Conference, American Society on Aging, San Diego, CA.