I am a Professor of Psychology (Clinical Psychology) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Previously, I served on the Georgia State University faculty between 2007 and 2016. I was born and raised in Nagano, Japan, and moved to the United States when I was 18.
I earned my B.A. in Psychology at West Virginia University in 1997, M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis at University of the Pacific in 1999, and Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical Psychology) at University of Nevada, Reno in 2006.
My primary areas of interest are broad, including (a) philosophy of science with a focus on contextual behavioral science (CBS), (b) clinical behavior analysis, (c) acceptance- and mindfulness-based behavioral therapies, (d) diversity and cultural considerations in behavioral health, (e) Zen Buddhism, and (f) human struggles and happiness. I am the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and over 40 book chapters. My edited/co-edited books include Mindfulness and Acceptance in Multicultural Competency (New Harbinger, 2014), Handbook of Zen, Mindfulness and Behavioral Health (Springer, 2017), Prejudice, Stigma, Privilege, and Oppression: A Behavioral Health Handbook (Springer, 2020), Avoiding Questionable Research Practices in Applied Psychology (Springer, 2022), and Behavior Therapy: First, Second, and Third Waves (Springer, 2022).