Brattleboro Retreat Earns 12 Lamplighter Awards for Excellence in Healthcare Communications
by Mary Wilson // July 27, 2026
The Brattleboro Retreat was honored with 12 Lamplighter Awards at the 2026 New England Society for Healthcare Communications (NESHCo) Conference in Burlington, Vermont, recognizing outstanding achievement in healthcare communications across New England.
Presented annually by NESHCo, the Lamplighter Awards recognize excellence in healthcare communications and represent the highest standards of creativity, strategy, and impact across New England. The Brattleboro Retreat’s award-winning portfolio showcased how storytelling, education, and community engagement can strengthen relationships, elevate diverse perspectives, and expand understanding of mental health. Among the recognized projects were the Retreat’s revived Gala, Insights and Articles blog, the Unravelling podcast, an informational video, the organization’s website redesign, Pride Month campaign, annual report, donor communications, and community engagement events.
“At the heart of every one of these projects is a commitment to connecting with people in meaningful ways,” said Kurt White, Vice President of Community Partnerships, Communications, and Development. “Whether we’re amplifying voices that aren’t always heard, translating complex mental health topics into accessible conversations, or bringing people together through community events, our work is focused on helping people feel seen, informed, and connected.”
Among the Retreat’s Award-winning projects were:
- The 2025 Brattleboro Retreat Gala, which returned after a ten-year hiatus and successfully reconnected donors, community partners, and supporters while raising more than $121,000 for the organization’s endowment.
- An Evening with Gary Gulman, a screening of comedian Gary Gulman’s HBO special, “The Great Depresh,” followed by a Q&A with Gary to benefit the Brattleboro Literary Festival.
- Brattleboro Retreat Insights and Articles, a blog featuring staff expertise and perspectives on mental health and treatment innovations.
- Psychiatric Hospitals Are Not Haunted (Sorry), an op-ed challenging harmful stereotypes about psychiatric hospitals and advocating for dignity-centered mental healthcare.
- Excellence in Care, Innovation in Healing, a video introducing audiences to the Retreat’s mission through authentic staff voices and stories.
- Brattleboro Retreat Website Redesign, which dramatically improved accessibility, navigation, and patient pathways while reducing annual maintenance costs.
- Pride Month 2025, a multi-platform campaign combining articles, podcast episodes, social media storytelling, and community events to elevate LGBTQIA+ mental health awareness and affirming care.
- 2025 Report to Stakeholders and Friends: We are the Brattleboro Retreat, an annual report highlighting our valued employees.
- 2025 Winter Appeal Letter, by board chair Justin Johnson, encouraging supporters to honor a loved one with a gift to the Brattleboro Retreat in their name.
The Retreat also received recognition for Architecture of the Self, a special five-part series within the Unravelling podcast that explored how genetics, trauma, memory, neuroplasticity, and social context shape human development and mental health. Designed for both professionals and the public, the series translated emerging mental health research into accessible conversations about healing, resilience, and identity.
Together, the award-winning initiatives reflect the Brattleboro Retreat’s commitment to expanding understanding of mental health, elevating diverse voices and lived experiences, strengthening community connections, and reducing stigma through education, storytelling, and meaningful engagement.
