Meet Jose Pinal
I’m a Latinx, cisgendered, bisexual male who is first-generation born in the United States. Both my parents are from Mexico. When I was in school, I always faced pressure to perform academically as my older siblings experienced their own struggles navigating their lives.
My oldest was involved in street activities and my second oldest brother struggled with an addiction to meth. With the external pressure placed on me and my internal frustration due to family dynamics, I released my anger onto my youngest sister. This rotted away my relationship with her. While I owned everything I did to hurt my relationship with my sister, it still took many years of effort to repair our relationship.
The moment I realized I needed to mend things with my sister was also the moment I realized how dysfunctional my family was. I knew then that I didn't want to take part in continuing such a trend in my own family.
As a father to two young children, my spouse and I think a lot about how we want to socialize our children. On my part, it took many years of unlearning unhealthy thoughts and beliefs about what it means to be a father, a Latino male, and how Latino males behave toward, or in the presence of, women.
Unlearning such unhealthy patterns of navigating my world is an ongoing process, but I believe I have done a lot of it thus far. With such changes and plenty of other parenting shifts, my children can safely talk about their emotions, desires, and even sexuality. My work as a therapist has also fundamentally shifted how I view and navigate parenting
Switching majors from Computer Engineering to Psychology was one of the best decisions I made in my academic career. I never realized it at the time, but I switched majors in order to become the person I needed the most in my childhood and adolescence: a therapist.
The first time I received therapy was during graduate school, as I was studying to become a
Marriage and Family Therapist. Even then, it seemed weird to be a client in therapy, but it was a necessary step I had to take in order to "find myself." My healing journey continues as I seek therapy to this day. I believe I will always seek support of some kind so my life and my personal growth aren’t stagnant.
Training and Education
My formal education includes earning a B.A. in Clinical Psychology from San Jose State University in 2012, an M.A. in Couples and Family Therapy in 2015 from Alliant International University, and a certification of completion for Sex Therapy in 2022 from The California Institute of Integral Studies. I’m now a Certified Sex Therapist accredited by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapist.
As a therapist in private practice, I focus on addressing concerns related to sex, sexuality, and sexual dysfunctions with adults and couples.
Emotionally Focused Therapy -Externship & Core Skills
Sex Therapy Certificate- California School of Integral Studies
Couple’s and Family Therapy MA- Alliant International University
Clinical Psychology BA - San Jose State
Apart from therapy, I enjoy the sport of wrestling. My spouse and I both wrestled in high school and for a club team in college.
My spouse even ended up being recruited to a formal college wrestling team. We hope to have a family of wrestlers, but it's not necessary for the happiness of our family.
Other interests include non-ordinary states of consciousness, indigenous musical instruments, and calligraphy.
Mission Statement
At Liberate Via Therapy, we are committed to providing therapeutic services that enable individuals to achieve sexual freedom, personal development, and healthy relationships. We believe in addressing our clients' mental health needs while also acknowledging the influence of sociopolitical forces in their lives. Our therapists push the boundaries of therapy, incorporating lessons learned from altered states of consciousness into wisdom that can be applied in everyday life. We prioritize intersectionality, valuing each individual's distinct identity and comprehending the systems that create discrimination and disadvantage. We strive to provide a safe and authentic space for our clients to be themselves. We believe our therapeutic values allow our client’s to overcome barriers towards liberation.