Diego Hernandez, Psy.D.
Doc Diego (Diego Hernandez, Psy.D.) is the son of a Vietnam veteran and hails from a family with several generations of military service. He holds multiple degrees and has trained in various therapeutic modalities, striving to identify the common elements across therapies. His goal is to find the most efficient and direct pathway through trauma and challenging experiences, while working in ways that honor our shared humanity.
Doc Diego's latest endeavor is co-founding Critical Memory Integration (CMI) at the nonprofit Arise Alliance. CMI is an experiential embodied therapy that helps individuals address trauma without needing to re-experience painful memories. Instead, it focuses on the underlying critical experiences that network these memories together stalling the development of capacities to manage similarly stressful events. CMI is about discovering personal agency and expanding our capacity to face life's challenges, promoting post traumatic growth and integrating moral injuries. AriseAlliance.org
Doc Diego also serves as a clinical research consultant at the University of South Florida, where he previously researched trauma therapies as the Clinical Director of Military and ART Research. In this role, he collaborated with Army Behavioral Health, including training staff at the regiment level. At USF, he was part of a team that adapted these therapies for grief and loss in hospice care and for cancer treatments at Mayo Clinic, among others. He has authored or co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications on trauma and has spoken and published internationally. This work particularly with the military contributed to the theoretical foundations of CMI.
With 16 years of university-level teaching experience, Doc Diego has designed online curricula and has trained and supervised master's and doctoral-level therapists. With more than 20 years of mental health experience and expertise in combat trauma, he works with veterans and active-duty service members, particularly Special Operations providing support through retreats and private sessions.
Doc Diego collaborates with The Hero’s Journey and Rooftop Leadership with Lt. Col. Scott Mann (Ret.). He has also consulted for organizations such as the Green Beret Foundation, Brian Bill Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, Southeastern Guide Dogs, Operation Red Wings, the British Army, and the British Ministry of Health. Additionally, he is a Behavioral Consultant for Warrior Mission at Ease, a performance consultant for the Special Operations Warrior Golf Foundation, and has been featured on Fox, CBS, and The Golf Channel for his work on trauma and veterans. He also serves on the medical advisory boards of the Camaraderie Foundation and H.O.O.A.H..
In his private practice, Balanced Living Psychology, based in Tampa, Florida, Doc Diego works with veterans, active-duty service members, athletes, therapists, and business professionals, focusing on wellness and performance. He co-leads international wellness retreats in Europe, united states, and Central America. He has taught for 10 years on The Yoga Cruise. His teaching includes mindfulness, relaxation, and meditation techniques aimed at enhancing human performance including managing specific stressors or medical conditions.
You can learn more at:
docdiego@earthlink.net
You can contact Diego at: