Primary Faculty
James. C. Hamilton, Ph.D. received his doctoral training in behavior therapy and behavioral medicine at Case Western Reserve University (Ph.D. 1986). His current research interests center on the motivational factors that contribute to unexplained medical symptoms, as observed in functional somatic syndromes, somatoform disorders, and especially factitious disorder. His graduate teaching responsibilities include supervision of the basic psychotherapy practicum, graduate courses in behavior therapy and behavioral medicine, and coordination of the internal medicine practicum experience. Dr. Hamilton co-directs the clinical health psychology training concentration with Dr. Beverly Thorn.
Kenneth Lichstein, Ph.D. received his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in 1976 with a major in child clinical, but shortly thereafter his interests shifted to behavioral medicine. For the past 20 years, his research has focused on sleep disorders with an emphasis on insomnia in older adults. Dr. Lichstein's research has been supported continuously since 1988 by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, private foundations, and industry. He is the founding editor of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.
Beverly Thorn, Ph.D. received her Ph.D. in bioclinical psychology from Southern Illinois University in 1980. Her research involves the psychosocial assessment and cognitiive-behavioral treatment for persistent pain. She has held research grants from The National Institute on Drug Abuse, The National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and Roche laboratories. She is a fellow in the Society of Behavioral Medicine and the Division of Health Psychology in the American Psychological Association, and she is board certified in clinical health psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Thorn co-directs the clinical health psychology training concentration with Dr. Jim Hamilton.
Secondary Faculty
Rebecca S. Allen, Ph.D. received her Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 1994. She is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and coordinator of the geropsychology concentration. Dr. Allen’s primary research and clinical interests are interventions to reduce the stress of family and professional caregivers for older adults with terminal and chronic illness. She has published journal articles and book chapters on advance care planning, end-of-life issues, effective behavioral interventions in long-term care, depression, and everyday problem solving. Dr. Allen is a Fellow and an At-Large member of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Executive Committee of the Gerontological Society of America. She teaches Clinical Psychology of Aging, Lifespan Development, Beginning and Geropsychology Practicum, and undergraduate statistics.
Martha Crowther, Ph.D., M.P.H. received her Ph.D. from Duke University in 1998 and her M.P.H. from Yale University in 1992. Dr. Crowther's research and clinical interests are in geropsychology. Her primary research examines the nature, impact, and consequences of custodual grandparenting as well as designing effective interventions to reduce stress in this population. Additionally, she has explored the relationship between spirituality, mental health, and well-being across the life span. She has published journal articles and book chapters on psychology and aging, cultural competency in research and clinical practice as well as caregiving. Dr. Crowther is the incoming Director of Clinical Training and coordinator of the Ph.D./M.P.H. program.
Steven Prentice-Dunn, Ph.D. received his Ph.D. in experimental-social psychology at the University of Alabama in 1981. He is Professor of Psychology in the Social Psychology Concentration. He currently investigates brief psychosocial interventions to promote preventive health behaviors. Recent topics include skin cancer risk, breast self-examinations, advance health care directives, and dietary compliance in gastric bypass patients. Dr. Prentice-Dunn is also a core faculty member in the department's social psychology concentration. He has been named to a list of researchers most frequently cited in social psychology textbooks and is a Fellow of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.
A. Lynn Snow, Ph.D. received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Texax A&M University in 1998. Texas A&M University). She is Associate Professor of Psychology in the Clinical Geropsychology Concentration. Dr. Snow’s main research interests are in the area of improving quality of care in nursing home residents, particularly topics of the evaluation and management of pain in residents with dementia, and the process of nursing home organizational change. She is also interested in developing and evaluating assessments and treatments of other psychological disorders in persons with dementia (especially depression, agitation/aggression, and quality of life).
Affiliated Faculty
Melissa Kuhajda, Ph.D. received her Ph.D. from The University of Alabama in 1999. Dr.Kuhajda is an Assistant Professor in Community & Rural Medicine and Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine at University Medical Center and Assistant Director for Research, Institute for Rural Health Research. Her areas of interest include health behavior, health literacy, and chronic illness/pain.
Nancy Rubin, Psy.D. received her Psy.D. from the University of Denver in 1990. Dr. Rubin is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at University Medical Center. Her area of interest is physician-patient relationships.
James D. Geyer, M.D. is board certified in neurology and sleep medicine. He is an active clinical/research collaborator with the Sleep Research Project (Professor Lichstein).
