Holly Hatton-Bowers is an assistant professor in child, youth, and family studies and an early childhood extension specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
She is passionate about supporting relationships and well-being during early childhood. Her current work focuses on increasing our understanding and use of contemplative practices, such as reflection, mindfulness and compassion to promote caregiver well-being and young children’s social-emotional development. Specifically, these practices are examined for how they improve parent and early childhood educators’ capacity for sensitive and responsive caregiving, particularly in the context of stress and with vulnerable populations. As an Extension Early Childhood Specialist, she is active in translating and disseminating current research findings in the areas of caregiving and health in early childhood using an interdisciplinary approach.
Holly received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis in Human Development with a focus on early childhood development and early mental health.
