Hollie Walker joined King’s College London in 2022 to undertake an MSc in Addiction Science. She previously completed a BA (Hons) in Philosophy at University of Sussex. Following her MSc, Hollie continued her work with the Heroin-Technology research group, developing her thesis into two separate publications. She is currently undertaking a PhD in Addictions Research, funded by the Society for the Study of Addiction.

Her research focuses on transitions from structured treatment into early recovery, with particular emphasis on aftercare (continuation of care), recovery capital, and lived experience. She adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining longitudinal quantitative research with repeat qualitative methodologies to explore how individuals make sense of addiction recovery and relapse following treatment.

Hollie’s areas of expertise include co-produced and lived experience-led research, mixed methods research, addiction recovery and relapse, substance dependence, continuation of care, and the development and evaluation of digital and technology-enabled interventions in addiction.

Alongside her research, Hollie teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at King’s College London, contributing to the BSc Psychology and BSc Psychology and Criminology degrees, as well as the MSc Addictions. She also supervises postgraduate students on the MSc Mental Health Studies programme.

Research Interests

• Addiction recovery and early recovery trajectories
• Transitions out of treatment and continuation of care (aftercare)
• Recovery capital and strengths-based approaches to recovery
• Relapse and maintenance of recovery
• Substance dependence and treatment experiences
• Co-produced and lived experience-led research approaches
• Mixed methods research Experiential qualitative methods
• Digital and technology-enabled interventions in addiction (e.g. digital health, innovative recovery support tools)
• Evaluation of interventions and service provision in addiction treatment and recovery

Teaching 

Introduction to Addiction Theory, Psychology and Society, Philosophy of Psychology, Addiction (BSc), Addressing Problems. 

Expertise and Public Engagement 

Hollie is committed to ensuring addictions research reaches those it impacts most. She works as an advisor and research consultant to addiction charities, supporting service design, evaluation, and evidence-informed practice. She collaborates with local authorities to undertake substance use needs assessments, contributing to commissioning decisions and service development. She delivers research methods workshops to support meaningful lived experience involvement in research, and contributes to podcasts and public-facing outputs on addiction recovery and relapse.