About Dr. Pierce
Nationally Recognized Forensic Mental Health Consultant and Expert Witness
Aaron Pierce, Ph.D.
Dr. Pierce is a forensic mental health expert providing services to defense and state attorneys throughout Texas and nationwide. He has been providing services for 31 years, primarily in the areas of sex offender and violent offender treatment and evaluation, mitigation, false allegations of sexual abuse, forensic interview of children and adults, and false confessions.
He is intimately familiar with the scientific literature in all of these areas, and he uses that knowledge to assist attorneys in analyzing case information and devising strategies for trial or hearings, such as motions to revoke parole for sex offenses, civil commitment trials and hearings on motions to early terminate the obligation to register in Texas.
He assists in the guilt/innocence phase of trial, as well as the punishment phase.
At trial, his expertise is crucial in assisting with cross-examination of opposing counsel’s witnesses, providing rebuttal testimony, and also testimony specific to his findings in your case. In sentencing or plea negotiations, he can provide testimony about offender static and dynamic risk, evaluation results, and/or prognosis.
Whether the client’s results are positive or negative, reports are provided to attorneys so they can demonstrate their effective assistance to their client.
During his work, he also educates attorneys with regard to the literature and how it can be applied effectively in direct and cross-examination so you can use this information in future cases.
Dr. Pierce practices in the field and taught forensic psychology to doctoral students from 2018 to 2026 — he is current with best field practice and well-qualified to teach in all of his expert areas.
Invaluable Advisor
Governor-appointed Chairman, Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment (CSOT)
Dr. Pierce has served 21 years on this licensing board. First appointed by Governor Perry to a six-year term on the Council in 2005, Governor Abbott appointed him Chair in 2017.
In January 2025, Dr. Pierce was reappointed to serve a third term as Chair.
Trusted Practioner
From 2002–2026, awarded contracts with the Federal Government to provide mental health, sex offender treatment, substance abuse, and forensic services to individuals supervised by officers of the United States Probation Department, Western District of Texas; the United States Pretrial Office, Western District of Texas; and the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons, Western and Northern Districts of Texas.
Esteemed Teacher
From 2018 through 2026, Dr. Pierce served as contributing faculty in the Forensic Psychology program at Walden University in Minnesota. He taught doctoral and master level courses which emphasized literature review, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and evaluating behavior using psychological theory and research from a forensic psychology perspective, such as Criminal Investigative Analysis and Profiling, Forensic Assessments, and Sex Offender Behavior and Treatment.
Credentials and Education
Licenses and Certifications
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
- Licensed Sex Offender Treatment Provider (LSOTP)
- LSOTP Board Approved Supervisor
- Certified Sex Offender Deregistration Evaluation Specialist
- Certified Crisis Intervener, Level 1
- Certified Structured Risk Assessment Consultant
Education
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Doctor of Philosophy, Clinical Psychology, emphasis in Forensic Psychology
Magna Cum Laude, Capella University, Minneapolis, Minnesota -
Master of Arts, Psychology
Summa Cum Laude, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Texas -
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas
Professional Memberships and Associations
- Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment (TCSOT)
- Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors (TSBEPC)
- Texas Counseling Association (TCA)
- American Counseling Association (ACA)
- American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)
- International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology (IACFP)
- Society for Police and Criminal Psychology (SPCP)