Dr. Brandi Diaz, PsyD

Professional Background

Dr. Brandi Diaz is a licensed forensic psychologist with specialized training and experience in forensic mental health assessment, psychological testing, trauma, interpersonal violence, and criminal forensic evaluations. She earned her Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology from APA-accredited Nova Southeastern University, following graduate training in forensic psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Dr. Diaz is licensed to practice psychology in Missouri, Washington, and Minnesota and is authorized to provide telepsychology services through PSYPACT. She is also a credentialed Health Service Psychologist through the National Register of Health Service Psychologists.

Her clinical and forensic experience spans correctional, hospital, community, and private practice settings. Dr. Diaz is the owner of Diaz Forensic Psychological Services, where she conducts forensic evaluations related to competency to proceed, criminal responsibility, battered person syndrome, trauma, and criminalized victims. She provides expert testimony, consultation, psychological assessment, and court-related reporting for criminal and civil legal matters.

Psychological Assessment Expertise

Dr. Diaz has extensive experience administering, interpreting, and integrating psychological testing measures in forensic settings, including assessments related to personality functioning, trauma, malingering, violence risk, criminogenic risk, cognitive functioning, neuropsychological functioning, and psycho-legal capacities. Her training and practice have involved the use of objective and projective personality measures, structured forensic assessment instruments, and trauma-related psychological testing across criminal, civil, and correctional contexts.

Training & Agency Roles

In addition to private practice, Dr. Diaz serves as a forensic examiner for the Washington Department of Social and Health Services and previously completed advanced forensic training with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the Missouri Department of Mental Health, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and multiple correctional and forensic treatment programs. Her work has included competency restoration, violence risk assessment, malingering assessment, juvenile and sex offender evaluations, and treatment services within forensic and correctional environments.

Specialized Training in Interpersonal Violence

Dr. Diaz also trained and collaborated professionally with Lenore Walker, internationally recognized for coining the term "Battered Woman Syndrome." Through this work, Dr. Diaz developed specialized expertise in forensic evaluations involving interpersonal violence, trauma, coercive control, and criminalized survivors of abuse.

Scholarly Contributions

She has contributed extensively to professional training, research, and higher education, presenting nationally on forensic assessment, competency restoration, interpersonal violence, and trauma-informed treatment. Her scholarly work includes peer-reviewed journal articles, encyclopedia chapters, and book chapters focused on forensic psychology, interpersonal violence, trauma, competency evaluations, and psychological assessment. She has collaborated on multiple publications related to battered women syndrome, women who kill in self-defense, forensic evaluation practices, and gender violence within legal systems.

Education

Please contact DFPA to request Dr. Diaz's curriculum vitae.