Biola Psychology Professor Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
J. William Worden was awarded for excellence in the field of thanatology
Biola University Professor of Psychology, J. William Worden, received the Association for Death Education and Counseling 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in the Field of Thanatology on October 18, 2008.
The award is in recognition of his groundbreaking contribution to the field of thanatology, the study of death, and is given by Edwin S. Shneidman, the 2007 recipient of the ADEC Lifetime Achievement Award and a pioneer thanatologist who is well known for his work in the area of suicide prevention.
“Among the best years of my life were the couple of years that I spent at Harvard and the Massachusetts General Hospital in the 1960’s. My mentors were the incomparable physicians Dr. Avery Weisman and Dr. Henry Murray. Bill Worden was a member of that group – energetic, productive, hard working, and patient oriented,” said Shneidman. “In the last 40 years he has continued his first rate work. I am happy again to be associated with him and to have the pleasant memories that he brings to mind.”
He is a leading expert in the field of children and bereavement, is the co-director of the Harvard Childhood Bereavement Study, and has written multiple books including Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A handbook for the mental health practitioner.
Paul Poelstra, Dean of Rosemead School of Psychology, said Worden’s work is nationally recognized.
“We are very fortunate and privileged to have him on our faculty,” Poelstra said. “He has published many books in the field and is well known. Some people consider his book on grief counseling and therapy as kind of the bible in the field.”
The Southern California Chapter of the ADEC presented the award to Worden at a cocktail reception and dinner at the Salt Creek Grille in Dana Point, Calif.
Worden’s clinical and research interests are in the area of health psychology, focused on life-threatening illness and life-threatening behavior. He directed four major N.I.H. funded research projects on the subjects of suicide, terminal illness care, the psychology of cancer, and bereavement at the Massachusetts General Hospital. His primary therapy interest is the application of gestalt psychotherapy to individuals, couples and groups.
Written by Jenna Bartlo, Media Relations Coordinator. Jenna can be reached at (562) 777-4061 or through email at jenna.l.bartlo@biola.edu.