Fawn Meisner-Zwickel, MA
Biography: Fawn brings clinical experience through her many years with the Veterans Administration, as well as being from a military family, and understands the importance of integrated care. Previously, she served as a predoctoral extern at the VISN 2 MIRECC Transitioning Servicemember and Veteran Suicide Prevention Center at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, conducting suicide risk assessments, safety planning, individual psychotherapy, and co-leading DBT groups. In addition to her clinical roles, Fawn continues to be an active community advocate for veterans and persons with disabilities and volunteers with the Veterans Affairs No Veteran Dies Alone Program. Her advocacy efforts contributed to the passage of U.S. Senate legislation improving protocols for veterans with PTSD and TBI injuries.
Why did you choose Conemaugh? to broaden her clinical experience serving patients from a rural population. She recognized that gaining competency in addressing the unique psychological and social challenges faced by individuals in geographically isolated and underserved areas would strengthen her ability to support veterans who similarly experience isolation and barriers to accessing critical healthcare and mental health resources. The integrated psychology internship at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center offers a comprehensive training experience, allowing Fawn to provide psychotherapy services embedded within family medicine and to deliver timely crisis prevention. The integrated model of care fosters a holistic approach to patient well-being, emphasizing collaboration across disciplines to optimize outcomes for patients.
Education: A doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at Saint Elizabeth University, College of Professional Studies in Morristown, NJ, and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the College of Saint Elizabeth (2021)
Professional Interests: Publishing works that enhance civilian understanding of military life and its complexities. Her dissertation, titled The Human Response: A Phenomenological Understanding of Moral Injury in Veteran Suicide, contributes to this goal by exploring the psychological impact of combat military service on veterans as they attempt to reintegrate into society. Additionally, she has co-authored historical accounts of World War II veterans in the book From Omaha Beach to Nuremberg: A Memoir of WWII Combat and the International Military Tribunal. Beyond this, Fawn collaborated with her two children (who are now about to graduate from college) to create A Bunny’s Tale, a children’s book centered on themes of trust and friendship.
Hobbies: Creative writing, drawing, painting, solving puzzles, and horseback riding.