Holly B. Nelson-Becker

Holly Nelson-Becker, PhD., LCSW, is a Professor and a Hartford Faculty Scholar in Geriatric Social Work. Her PhD is from the University of Chicago and she obtained a MSW from Arizona State University. She is a recognized expert in social gerontology who has investigated the pathways to resilience and well-being in older adults. Her research areas focus on spirituality and aging with an emphasis on end-of-life concerns and diverse cultural expressions. She helped create national standards for spiritual care in palliative care as one of six writers representing multiple health-related professions (Improving Spiritual Care in Palliative Care project with Dr. Puchalski) and is past Chair of the Interest Group on Religion, Spirituality, and Aging for the Gerontological Society of America. She served on the National Program Committee for the Hartford Doctoral Fellows Program in Geriatric Social Work. She was awarded Fellowship in the Gerontological Society of America in 2013. The strengths perspective and positive psychological principles form the foundation for her research and teaching. Her book Religion, Spirituality, and Aging: Illuminations for Mental Health Practice was published by SAGE in 2017.