He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee and his PhD from Texas Christian University. He teaches applied statistics, physiological psychology, behavior therapy, and neuropsychopharmacology. Prior to his tenure at TWU, he worked as a family therapist and a research analyst for a public school district. His research interests center around family systems, stress and coping. He is a member of the Association of Psychological Science and a reviewer for the Journal of Traumatic Stress.