Dr. Pina earned his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from American University in Washington, D.C., followed by an APA-accredited residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. His residency encompassed comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services for children and adults, with a strong emphasis on psychological assessment and testing.
His early clinical training included work at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, then the national mental health hospital for the United States and its territories. He further honed his expertise at renowned institutions such as Chestnut Lodge—known for its groundbreaking psychiatric research—and the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, where he contributed to sleep studies focused on bipolar disorder.
Dr. Pina was later invited to join a 600-bed state psychiatric hospital in the Los Angeles area, where he served as team leader for a struggling 48-bed inpatient unit. His leadership team included five psychiatrists, psychiatric social workers, and technicians. During this time, he completed a specialized neuropsychological internship through the University of California, Irvine, and provided differential diagnostic evaluations for complex and rare psychological cases.
Returning to Texas, Dr. Pina was instrumental in establishing a Vietnam Veteran Outreach Center (Vet Center) in Laredo, which expanded into the Rio Grande Valley Vet Centers. He trained counselors at both local and national levels and authored a chapter on war trauma in Hispanic veterans, published by the American Psychiatric Association.
Recognizing the intersection of psychology and law enforcement through his courtroom work with Child Protective Services, Dr. Pina pursued specialized training by completing a police academy. He served as an active-duty deputy for nearly eleven years, performing duties in jail operations, court security, patrol, and criminal investigations. He maintains his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) license and currently serves as a Master Peace Officer and reserve deputy with the Webb County Sheriff’s Office.
Dr. Pina has provided psychological services to more than fifty municipal, county, state, and federal agencies. His commitment to public service includes ongoing, no-cost psychological debriefings for first responders—including firefighters, EMTs, rescue teams, and hazardous materials personnel—following critical incidents.
My clinical, forensic and involvement with law enforcement psychology private practice has included:
- Over 8, 600 evaluations of alleged victims of child sexual abuse that included adults.
- Individual, family, couples, and group therapy with “normal” and severely mentally ill patients.
- Formally he was a Sex Offender Treatment Provider (LSOTP) providing Violent Risk Assessments including other weekly evaluation and psychological treatment for violent and sex offenders for the Hidalgo County Community Supervisions and Corrections Department [CS&CD) (adult probation) Webb County CS&CD. and the Texas Board and Pardons and Parole Division for over twenty plus years. Over extension resulted in releasing this license and responsibility.
- He has provided Violent Risk Assessments for Criminal Courts and dangers to the judiciary or citizens.
- Over twenty-five years of court ordered evaluations for federal and (mostly) state criminal courts on Competency To Stand Trial, Insanity at the Time of the Offense Evaluations, and Risk Assessments for criminal court purposes. This responsibility includes relating procedures, reports, and testimony thoughtfully to juries in the above jurisdictions and military criminal court. This can be challenging when forceful cross examination including his prior testimonies that could create doubt in a jury or contradict his courtroom statements is related in simple logical terms laymen/women can appreciate, understand and formulate to make prudent decisions. This forensic service has been to the following Texas criminal courts in the counties of: Bexar, Webb. Zapata, Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, Harris, and Jeff Davis.
- In the distant past, he conducted civil evaluations (child custody, removal or parental rights, single personal injury and multiple serious brain damage personal injuries) with courtroom testimony.
- He has provided criminal evaluations with court testimony on over thirty life sentences life sentences because he stopped counting. He adds more satisfying was clearing the innocent in very serious criminal accusations.
- He has provided death row evaluations. He provided psychological death autopsies on victims of murder. He has conducted evaluations with and without hypnosis on gunshot to the head of victims resulting in prosecution; evaluations with complex trauma; evaluations on active shooters and multiple assassinations); worked on unresolved cold cases.
- Dr. Pina provided a year postdoctoral training to a University of Texas Health Science Center clinical psychology Resident on Child Sexual Abuse. He provided psychological training to nurse and physician interns and residents during his residency. He has provided local, state and national training on criminal evaluation procedures of victims and the accused.
In addition to individual therapy, I offer consultations for legal professionals and organizations, bridging the gap between psychology and the legal system.My extensive experience in forensic psychology equips me to provide valuable insights that can aid in legal proceedings and decision-making.