MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Gina Brelsford, professor of psychology in the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education at Penn State Harrisburg, has been elected a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 36 Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, effective in January.
APA fellow status is awarded based on evidence of outstanding contribution in the field of psychology and is bestowed on APA members whose work has had a national impact on the field of psychology.
"I am deeply honored to have received fellow status from Division 36 of the American Psychology Association,” Brelsford said. “My work in the field of psychology of religion and spirituality has been professionally and personally enriching. It has led me to work with brilliant mentors and engage with a host of collaborators from around the country on truly important work. I hope my continued work in this field will result in societal impacts that go beyond academic outlets. I also look forward to the good work that future psychologists will do in this field to further explore how spiritual and religious worldviews, behaviors and attitudes impact people's lives."
Brelsford has dedicated her career to advancing the psychology of religion and spirituality through research, teaching, leadership and service. Her work has focused on understanding how spiritual processes, particularly related to relational spirituality, shape mental health and relational functioning within families.
More recently, she has extended her work to parents navigating intensive care medical contexts, such as families in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and complex fetal care centers, studying how spiritual coping and disclosure support mental health under conditions of profound stress.
Brelsford has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and made more than 100 presentations at national and international conferences. She is co-author of “Psychology of Religion and Spirituality in the Thriving Family,” a 2026 Cambridge Element.
She is the recipient of Penn State Harrisburg’s 2024 Outstanding Performance Award and has received APA awards including the Virginia Sexton Mentoring Award in 2020 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2014, both from Division 36.
Brelsford is associate editor of "Psychology of Religion and Spirituality" and consulting editor for Spirituality in Clinical Practice, and she has held numerous elected and appointed roles within the APA Division 36.