Holly Nelson-Becker
- Professor, Social Work, Department of Clinical Sciences, Brunel University London, England
Contact Info
Personal Links
- Holly Nelson-Becker at Brunel
- Holly Nelson Becker at ResearchGate
- Holly Nelson-Becker at Google Scholar
- Nelson-Becker, H. (2022, June). Video: Current concerns in contemporary grief and loss. Rush University Hospital-Generations. Chicago, IL.
- Nelson-Becker, H. (2022, May). Video: Spiritual Identity and Mindfulness. Interviewed by Debbie Burgio for Winter Grace, Senior Ministries based in Maryland, US.
- Holly Nelson-Becker's CV
Biography —
Holly Nelson-Becker, PhD, LCSW, ACSW, Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, holds the rank of Professor and Division Lead in the Social Work Division, Department of Clinical Sciences at Brunel University London. She is also a Visiting Scholar with Loyola University Chicago. She earned her PhD at the University of Chicago and the Master’s in Social Work at Arizona State University.
Education —
Research —
Dr. Nelson-Becker is a widely recognized expert in social gerontology and a Hartford Faculty Scholar in Geriatric Social Work who has investigated the pathways to resilience and well-being in older adults. She has explored spirituality, end-of-life, and diverse cultural expressions related to social care. Her research areas focus on virtues, aging, spiritual and religious coping in older adults, and interprofessional practice in palliative care. She also holds expertise in loss/grief and has investigated quality of dying.
Professor Nelson-Becker co-authored US national standards for spiritual care in palliative care and is past Chair of the Interest Group on Religion, Spirituality, and Aging for the Gerontological Society of America. She developed US gerontological social work competencies, served on the National Program Committee for the Hartford Doctoral Fellows Program in Geriatric Social Work, and continues to mentor PhD students in various aspects of gerontology and/or spirituality and clinical practice.
She was awarded a Fellowship in the Gerontological Society of America in 2013. The strengths perspective and positive psychological principles form the foundation for her research and teaching. She is author of the book, Spirituality, religion, and aging: Illuminations for therapeutic practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, published 2017. 488 pages. ISBN: 9781412981361.