William Torrey MD

LEBANON – Dr. Will Torrey Dartmouth-Hitchcock (D-H) Department of Psychiatry’s vice chair for clinical services, was presented with the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Torrey, who is also a professor of Psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine, was given the national award at NAMI New Hampshire’s Party with a Purpose in New Castle.

“I could not be more honored to be recognized by this wonderful organization that has had a profound impact on millions of Americans, including me,” Torrey said. “Many of us at Dartmouth-Hitchcock are proud to be part of an effort to move toward a society and health care system where mental health and substance use disorders are treated with the same urgency, respect, and seriousness of purpose as any other important painful health concern.”

Torrey was nominated for the award by NAMI New Hampshire Executive Director Ken Norton.

“Will has a national reputation for his innovative and person-centered approaches to psychiatry,” Norton said. “He is very careful to be inclusive about the voice of people with lived experience in the work he does, and strongly believes in the importance of educating and empowering family members and people with mental illness. He has made a lasting impact on the individuals and families he has worked with, on the medical students he has taught and supervised and on his colleagues.”

Torrey has been involved with NAMI since arriving at Dartmouth as a resident in 1985.

“NAMI does amazing work supporting families and individuals with psychiatric illnesses, and they’ve done more than any other organization to combat stigma. And NAMI has also been very helpful to me in teaching residents and Geisel medical students about psychiatric illness,” Torrey added.

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