Dr. Wood grew up in rural southern Idaho the youngest son of an entrepreneur and a renaissance woman. It was in this environment that his curiosity grew and he developed a love of learning, responsibility, integrity and a deep respect for others regardless of background or station. These values and attributes have been a rudder and foundation in his life.

Dr. Wood's curiosity led him to study engineering and then ultimately psychology and sociology at Utah State University. It was during these years that he started to be involved in basic behavioral research, intensive literature reviews and research on marital interactions, leading him to choose a path in marriage and family therapy. Dr. Wood continued his study of marriages through master's and doctoral degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy at Brigham Young University, to which he returned as an adjunct faculty member.

Dr. Wood has a love for variety in his personal and professional life. He thrives when he is able to practice therapy, supervise and teach students, and engage in scholarly research. His therapy work includes extensive experience with marriages, adult survivors of childhood abuse, domestic violence, divorce adjustment and residential treatment of severe eating disorders. He has also been active in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy being a legislative chair, president-elect and president of the Utah Division for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Dr. Wood's greatest achievement is marrying his high-school sweetheart and spending time with their three kids playing in the woods, water or wherever the adventure takes them. You may also find him hanging out at the golf course or fly-fishing (even in Kentucky). He is thrilled to be here at the University of Kentucky!

Research

  • Exploring the effects of attachment on perception of couples.
  • Exploring relationships between relational health and health behaviors.
  • Studying the influence of therapeutic and educational interventions on health care utilization.
  • Analyzing ways to apply spatial statistics to family data.

Scholars@UK

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Anxiety and Relational Connectivity in Couples

J. Parnell, K., D. Wood, N., A. van Gorkom, E. & J. Carlson, D., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Contemporary Family Therapy.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Network in Family Systems Theory

Wood, N. D. & Reed, J. L., Jan 1 2019, Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. p. 2025-2027 3 p.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Meta-analysis in Couple and Family Therapy

Wood, N. D., Christenson, J. D., Law, D. D. & Crane, D. R., Jan 1 2019, Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. p. 1874-1880 7 p.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Reductionism in Family Systems Theory

Wood, N. D. & Reed, J. L., Jan 1 2019, Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. p. 2443-2445 3 p.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

The Influence of Ethical Responsiveness on Relationships Through Distress

Hung, Y. H., Theobald, A., Lau, H. I., Soloski, K., Fife, S. & Wood, N. D., Jan 2024, In: Family Journal. 32, 1, p. 63-70 8 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Exploring the Unique Associations of Parent–Adult Child Relationships and Ongoing Parental Romantic Relationships with Adult Children’s Romantic Relationships

Fey, M. D., Wood, N. D. & Ross, D. B., 2023, In: American Journal of Family Therapy. 51, 1, p. 76-93 18 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Answering the ethical call of the other: A test of the Strong Relationality Model of Relationship Flourishing

Wood, N. D., Fife, S. T., Parnell, K. J. & Ross, D. B., Jan 2023, In: Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 49, 1, p. 186-204 19 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Spectral and Cross-Spectral Analysis—A Tutorial for Psychologists and Social Scientists

Vowels, M. J., Vowels, L. M. & Wood, N. D., Jul 22 2021, In: Psychological Methods. 28, 3, p. 631-650 20 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Developmental Trajectories of Women's Identity Development

Butterbaugh, S. M. & Wood, N. D., Sep 1 2020, In: Journal of Family Theory and Review. 12, 3, p. 398-410 13 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

The relationship between therapist characteristics and decreased medical utilization: An exploratory study

Crane, D. R., Wood, N. D., Law, D. D. & Schaalje, B., Mar 2004, In: Contemporary Family Therapy. 26, 1, p. 61-69 9 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Our Problems Are Your Sibling's Fault: Exploring the Connections Between Conflict Styles of Siblings During Adolescence and Later Adult Committed Relationships

Shalash, F. M., Wood, N. D. & Parker, T. S., 2013, In: American Journal of Family Therapy. 41, 4, p. 288-298 11 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Posttraumatic stress disorder, attachment, and intimate partner violence in a military sample: A preliminary analysis

Frey, L. M., Blackburn, K. M., Werner-Wilson, R. J., Parker, T. & Wood, N. D., Jul 2011, In: Journal of Feminist Family Therapy. 23, 3-4, p. 218-230 13 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Location, Location, Location: Applying Spatial Statistics to the Relationship Landscape

Wood, N. D., Dec 1 2014, In: Family Process. 53, 4, p. 596-607 12 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Spatial Statistics for Dyadic Data: Analyzing the Relationship Landscape

Wood, N. D. & Okhotnikov, I. A., Jan 1 2017, In: Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 43, 1, p. 51-64 14 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

A Gratitude Exercise for Couples

Parnell, K. J., Wood, N. D. & Scheel, M. J., Jul 2 2020, In: Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy. 19, 3, p. 212-229 18 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Dispositional Optimism and Marital Adjustment

Terveer, A. M. & Wood, N. D., Sep 2014, In: Contemporary Family Therapy. 36, 3, p. 351-362 12 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Adaptation of the Couples Satisfaction Index into Russian

Okhotnikov, I. A. & Wood, N. D., Jun 1 2020, In: Contemporary Family Therapy. 42, 2, p. 140-151 12 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Exploring the Impact of Attachment Anxiety and Avoidance on the Perception of Couple Conflict

Wood, N. D., Werner-Wilson, R. J., Parker, T. S. & Perry, M. S., Sep 2012, In: Contemporary Family Therapy. 34, 3, p. 416-428 13 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Alpha asymmetry in female military spouses following deployment

Werner-Wilson, R. J., Lianekhammy, J., Frey, L. M., Parker, T., Wood, N. D., Kimberly, C., Perry, M., Blackburn, K., Smith, L., Terrana, K., Pucket, J. & Dalton, M., Jul 2011, In: Journal of Feminist Family Therapy. 23, 3-4, p. 202-217 16 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Combining Parallel and Exploratory Factor Analysis in Identifying Relationship Scales in Secondary Data

Wood, N. D., Akloubou Gnonhosou, D. C. & Bowling, J. W., Jul 4 2015, In: Marriage and Family Review. 51, 5, p. 385-395 11 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Healthy Marriage Child Support Community Demonstration Project

Werner-Wilson, R. (PI), Parker, T. (CoI) & Wood, N. (CoI)

KY Cabinet for Health and Family Services

7/1/096/30/10

Project: Research project

Healthy Marriage Child Support Community Demonstration Program

Werner-Wilson, R. (PI), Vail, A. (CoI), Wood, N. (CoI) & Carlton, E. (Former CoI)

KY Health Services Cabinet

7/1/086/30/09

Project: Research project

Education

  • Ph.D., Marriage and Family Therapy, Brigham Young University, 2004
  • M.S., Marriage and Family Therapy, Brigham Young University, 2000
  • B.S., Psychology, Utah State University, 1998

Associated Departments

Family Sciences