Forensic Services

Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Psychology

*Licensed in Missouri and Indiana

Dr. Pietz worked for the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners for almost 25 years. In January 2015 she retired from the United States Medical Center, and now works in private practice. She is board- certified in forensic psychology, and is the President Elect of the American Board of Professional Psychology (scheduled to take over the presidency in January 2020). From 2001 to 2015, she was the Director of Forensic Training at the School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute in Springfield, Mo. For the past 30 years, Dr. Pietz has worked as a forensic psychologist. She has testified and/or consulted in almost all 50 states. Qualified as an expert witness in federal court, state court, military court, and juvenile court, in this capacity she has conducted competency, insanity, death penalty, IME, child custody, fitness for duty, disability, and parenting capacity evaluations. Dr. Pietz also conducts examinations of individuals alleging to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has provided opinions and reports regarding this issue in the civil litigation context and in the criminal context, and she conducts workshops for the American Academy of Forensic Psychology on this topic. Notable cases include those of Jared Loughner (attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords), Auburn Calloway (federal express pilot that assaulted flight crew members in an attempt to hijack the plane), and William Merriweather (charged with three counts of murder while robbing a bank).

Currently, Dr. Pietz receives referrals from courts, defense attorneys and prosecutors to conduct forensic mental health evaluations of juveniles and adults. She is licensed as a psychologist in Missouri and Indiana and has qualified as an expert witness on numerous occasions. Dr. Pietz has extensive experience consulting with colleagues, attorneys and courts on a variety of forensic mental health issues and evaluations.

She conducts forensic evaluations addressing a wide range of psycho-legal issues, including:

• Competency to proceed to sentencing, trial, deposition, revocation
• Miranda waiver
• Waiver to adult court/“reverse-waiver”
• Not-guilty by reason of mental disease or defect (“insanity”)
• Violence risk assessment
• Sentencing/dispositional issues
• Sex offender risk assessment/psychosexual evaluations
• Pre-employment screening
• Fitness for duty
• Parenting evaluations
• Termination of parental rights
• Trauma (PTSD) evaluations
• Immigration

Dr. Pietz earned her Bachelor’s degree from Creighton University, her Master’s degree from Sam Houston State University, and Doctoral degree from Texas A&M University. She completed her internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School. Dr. Pietz obtained specialized postdoctoral education, training and supervision in forensic psychology. In 1999, she was awarded specialty board certification in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology, a credential held by approximately 350 psychologists nationwide. This certificate has been recognized by courts and statutes in some jurisdictions as the standard of professional competence in forensic psychology.

Dr. Pietz is committed to ongoing education and professional development. She has authored several papers and published a book entitled Violent Offenders: Understanding and Assessment. Throughout her career, Dr. Pietz has conducted several workshops on testifying in court, DSM-5, and other forensic topics. She presents to the local law enforcement community and local county jails on topics such as recognizing mental illness, substance abuse issues, and prevention of suicide in law enforcement.

Michael R. Walsh, Psy.D is a forensic neuropsychologist in Springfield, Missouri who was licensed in 2010 by the State Committee of Psychologists to practice psychology in Missouri. He joined the Burrell team in 2018. His office is located at the MAPS at Burrell - National Avenue office at 4350 S National Ave B-116, Springfield, MO s65810.

Dr. Walsh’s practice interests include forensic neuropsychological evaluations, neuropsychological evaluations, psychosexual evaluations, general psychological evaluations, and educational evaluations, with referrals accepted from medical providers, from educational institutions, from social and community service providers, from courts including from judges, prosecuting attorneys, and/or public defenders, from colleagues, churches or dioceses, or from patients and/or family members. Evaluations may be completed in Dr. Walsh’s office or at an offsite location if required because of the patient’s incarceration, hospitalization, or other similar circumstances.

Dr. Walsh has practiced psychology since 1990 when he was initially licensed as a psychological examiner by the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Psychology following completion of an internship at Delta Counseling Associates, Inc., a community mental health center in Southeast Arkansas. Dr. Walsh served in various clinical and administrative capacities for 19 years with that facility, the last three of which were as chief executive officer before resigning to pursue doctoral training. Dr. Walsh also served for 18 years as adjunct instructor in psychology with the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department of the University of Arkansas at Monticello prior to relocating to Missouri. Dr. Walsh continues to hold a valid license as an independent psychological examiner in Arkansas. He has held memberships in a variety of professional organizations including a professional membership in the National Academy of Neuropsychology, an associate membership in the American Psychological Association, a clinical membership in the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, membership in the American Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology, and a charter membership in the North American Association of Master's in Psychology.

A native of Forest, Miss., Dr. Walsh holds a Doctor of Psychology degree with concentrated training in neuropsychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley, Calif. (2016). He studied at the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri prior to its closing at which time his coursework was transferred to the Wright Institute under a teach-out arrangement between the graduate schools. He completed his post-doctoral residency in neuropsychology at Neuropsychological Associations of Southwest Missouri in Springfield, Mo. (2018). Dr. Walsh also holds a Master of Science degree in counseling psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss. (1990), a Master of Divinity degree in pastoral counseling from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Lou. (1985), and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss. (1981).