He received his M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Vanderbilt University in 1970 and his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1975. His graduate research topics included alcoholism and group therapy, and he specialized in family therapy, interpersonal influence, and hypnosis.
 

Dr. Claiborn has worked with couples, families, and individuals for over 45 years–in hospitals, in universities, and in private practice.
 

He has taught graduate courses in psychotherapy, family therapy, psychological assessment, and hypnosis at Iowa State University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He has taught advanced psychiatric residents at the University of Kansas Medical Center, served as Director of Training in a university internship program and Director of Psychology at Charter Hospital, and published on the psychological assessment of couples and families. He has presented locally and nationally on such topics as personality disorders, transgender issues, innovative psychotherapy, psychopaths and serial murderers, workplace issues, and forensic assessment.