B.J. Cling is an Associate Adjunct Professor of Psychology and
the Coordinator of the PostGraduate Program in Forensic Psychology
and Science at St. John’s University. She is also on the
faculty at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the M.A. program
in Forensic Psychology. She is a lawyer as well as a clinical
psychologist and trained psychoanalyst.
Dr. Cling speaks and publishes in the areas of child custody,
domestic violence and related issues affecting women and
children. She is the author of several chapters in, and the
editor of Sexualized Violence Against Women and Children: A
Psychology and Law Perspective published in 2004 by Guilford
Publications, a book that focuses on psychological, legal and
feminist issues. She is the author of “Allegations of Child
Sexual Abuse in Child Custody Disputes” in A Handbook of
Divorce and Custody: Forensic, Developmental and Clinical
Perspectives published in 2005 by The Analytic Press,
Inc. In addition, she is the co-author of the Supplement to
Law & Mental Health Professionals: New York with James
Wulach published in 1999 by the American Psychological
Association. Dr. Cling has presented and coordinated
presentations in the area of forensic psychology for lawyers as
well as psychologists. For example, she organized the St.
John’s premiere talk by Dr. Lenore Walker in the Fall of 2007 on
Battered Woman’s Syndrome for the PostGraduate Program in Forensic
Psychology and Science. She chaired and presented to the NY
County Lawyers’ Association in the Winter of 2007 on Child Custody
& Family Violence. She chaired a discussion section on
Structures and Patriarchal Systems at the Conference on Violence
against Women sponsored by the U.N. Committee on the Status of
Women in 2006. She chaired and presented on Sexualized
Violence – Rape & Battering at the 11th Annual Convention of
the American Psychological Association in 2005, as well as numerous
other presentations in the area of forensic psychology and
science.
In addition to her other professional responsibilities, Dr.
Cling has been a member of the Ethics Committee of the New York
State Psychological Association since 2003, advising psychologists
on forensic issues of ethical concern. She is also a member
of the Interdisciplinary Forum, an association of psychologists,
lawyers and judges who have joined together in the New York area to
explore forensic issues in divorce and custody cases. In
addition, she is on the Board of the Postdoctoral Referral Service
(affiliated with the graduate society of the NYU Postdoctoral
Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis) since 1998, helping
members of the community find appropriate psychological and
forensic services.
Education
- 1994 received Postgraduate Certificate in Psychotherapy &
Psychoanalysis from N.Y.U.
- 1985 received J. D. from UCLA School of Law
- 1982 received Postgraduate Certificate in Forensic
Psychiatry & Psychology from U.S.C. Institute of Psychiatry
& Law
- 1980 received Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from
N.Y.U.
Clinical Psychology
Experience
Clinical Psychologist/Psychoanalyst (New York:
1990-present; Los Angeles: 1982- 1986):
Supervisor: Columbia Presbyterian Psychology Internship
Program (2003-present) CUNY Graduate Department of Psychology,
Clinical Program (1997-present)
Forensic Psychologist: Forensic Consulting
Psychologist, Westchester Jewish Community Services
(2002-present) Mental Health Evaluations for the court
involving complex custody disputes.
Forensic Evaluations, private practice: (New York:
1990-present; Los Angeles: 1981-1986) Evaluations for
criminal defenses (insanity, competency to stand
trial, sentencing), civil competency (guardianship) and family
issues (child custody, abuse).
Supervisor, USC Institute of Psychiatry & Law
(1982-1984): supervision of Postdoctoral Fellows (psychodiagnostics
and court evaluations re insanity, diminished capacity, competency
to stand trial and criminal sentencing).
Legal Experience
Sole Practitioner, NY (1994-present): consultations on
issues concerning mental health practitioners, elder care and
special education.
General Counsel, Senior Life Management, Inc.
(1994-1997): oversight and regulation of all legal matters
pertaining to psychological care of the infirm elderly (e.g.,
Medicare, Medicaid) as well as all in-house corporate and labor law
matters.
Associate, Bankruptcy Department, Fried, Frank, Harris
Shriver & Jacobson (1992-1994): primary responsibility for
major steel industry chapter 11 bankruptcy (first-day orders to
plan of reorganization); drafting of plan of reorganization and
related disclosure statement for pre-packaged chapter 11 real
estate case.
Associate, Corporate Department, Debevoise &
Plimpton, (1989-1991): broad corporate experience including public
stock offerings and private financings; leveraged airplane leases
with international investors; Eastern European and South African
joint ventures.
Associate, Corporate Department, Davis Polk &
Wardwell, (1986-1989): experience in mergers and acquisitions;
credit agreements; real estate financings; secured interests;
partnership agreements; and interest rate swaps.
Clerkships: Clerk to Judge Burton Lifland, Chief
Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York,
(1991-1992): broad exposure to all aspects of large and small
chapter 11 bankruptcies (Macy's, Orion, Kalikow, LTV, Eastern
Airlines, Manville).
Clerk to Judge Arthur Alarcon, U.S. Court of Appeals,
Ninth Circuit, (1985-1986): broad exposure to all aspects of
criminal and civil appeals litigation.
Professional Affiliations –
Psychology
Member, Ethics Committee, New York State Psychological Association
(2003 – present)
Member, Interdisciplinary Forum (NYC) of affiliated
psychologists, lawyers and judges (2007 – present)
Board Member, Postdoctoral Referral Service, Psychoanalytic
Society of the NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy &
Psychoanalysis (1998- present)
Proposal Review Committee, Evolving Domains: Psychoanalysis
in Dialogue with Science, Culture and Technology, 22nd Annual
Spring Meeting, April, 2002, Division 39, American Psychological
Assn.
Steering Committee, Therapeutic Action: The Passion and
Challenge of Psychoanalysis, 19th Annual Spring Meeting,
April, 1999, Division 39, American Psychological Assn.
Conference Chair, Sexuality: What Are The Boundaries,
Ninth Biennial Conference, Spring, 1998, Psychoanalytic Society of
NYU (1997-1998)
Conference Chair, Self-Expression: Analysand and
Analyst, Eighth Biennial Conference, Winter, 1996,
Psychoanalytic Society of NYU (1995-1996)
Secretary, Psychoanalytic Society of the NYU Postdoctoral
Program in Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis (1996-2003)
Memberships: American Psychological Association (Division
39 (Psychoanalysis), Division 35 (Psychology of Women), Division 41
(Psychology-Law Society) New York State Psychological
Association
Licenses: Clinical Psychology, New York (since 1990) Clinical
Psychology, California (since 1982)
Professional Affiliations –
Law
Member, Matrimonial Law Section – New York County Lawyers’
Association (2006 – present)
Member, Women’s Committee – New York County Lawyers’ Association
(2006 – present)
Member, Organizing Committee -- Conference on Violence against
Women: A New Paradigm. New York County Lawyers’ Association &
others, November 18, 2006.
New York County Lawyers’ Association (2006 – present)
Bar Admissions: New York State Bar (1988); California State
Bar (1985)
Publications
Cling, B.J. (2005). Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse in
Child Custody Disputes. In L. Gunsberg & P. Hymowitz (Eds.)
A Handbook of Divorce and Custody: Forensic, Developmental and
Clinical Perspectives. The Analytic Press, Inc.
Cling, B.J. (Ed). (2004). Sexualized Violence against
women & children: A Psychology and Law Perspective.
Guilford Publications, Inc.
Cling, B.J. (1988). Rape Trauma Syndrome: Medical Evidence of
Non-Consent... Women’s' Rights Law Reporter, 10 (4),
243-259.
Cling, B.J. (1986). On-Camera Sex Discrimination. Law &
Inequality Journal, 4, 509-543.
Sidanius J., Cling, B.J. & Pratto, F. (1991). Ranking and
Linking as a Function of Sex and Gender Role Attitudes. Journal
of Social Issues, 47 (3), 131-149.
Wulach, J. &. Cling, B.J. (1999). Law & Mental Health
Professionals: New York (Supplement). American Psychological
Association.
Presentations
Lenore Walker on Battered Woman’s Syndrome: 30 Years of
Psychological Research and Intervention (Program Chair). St.
John’s University, Manhattan Campus, October 13, 2007.
Child Custody and Family Violence (Program Chair &
Presenter). Continuing Legal Education Course, New
York County Lawyers’ Association, February 8, 2007.
Structures and Patriarchal Systems (Discussion
Facilitator). Conference on Violence against Women: From
Critical Concerns to Collective Action, NGO Committee on the
Status of Women, NY, New York County Lawyers’ Association & the
Wellesley Centers for Women, March 4, 2006.
Sexualized Violence – Rape and Battering (Chair &
Presenter). 113th Annual Convention, American
Psychological Assn., August 18, 2005.
Becoming an Expert Witness. St. John’s University,
Manhattan Campus, Workshop Series on Becoming a Forensic
Psychologist, March 13, 2004.
Child Custody Evaluations. St. John’s University,
Manhattan Campus, Workshop Series on Becoming a Forensic
Psychologist, February 28, 2004.
Changing Your Mind: Relational Perspectives on Thinking.
(Chair), 22nd Annual Spring Meeting, Division 39, American
Psychological Assn, April 17, 1999.
Psychotherapeutic Interventions for the Elderly. St.
Vincent’s Center for Behavioral Health, Conference on
Behavioral Health Care of the Elderly in the Year 2000 and Beyond,
October 28, 1999.
Sex & Violence: Recent Psychological/Legal Theories. (Chair
and presenter), Psychoanalytic Society of NYU, Conference
on Sexuality: What Are the Boundaries, May 9, 1998.
Problems with Shame and Affect-Regulation in the Analyses of
Patients with Sexual Perversions. (Chair and presenter) NYU
Postdoctoral Retreat, September 20, 1997.
Keynote Panel, Self-Expression: Analysand & Analyst. (Panel
Chair), Psychoanalytic Society of NYU, Conference on
Self-Expression: Analysand & Analyst, February 3, 1996.
Panel: Winnicott and Self-Expression (Panel Chair),
Psychoanalytic Society of NYU, Conference on
Self-Expression: Analysand & Analyst, February 3, 1996.
Trauma Syndromes and Criminal Justice Training. (Panel member)
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Conference on
Criminal Justice Education, October 20, 1995.
Traumatic Clinical Syndromes and Their Legal Implications.
(Chair and presenter) NYU Postdoctoral Retreat, September
24, 1994.
Masochism/Sadism Viewed as a Continuum of Social Dominance.
Psychoanalytic Society of NYU, Conference on Sexuality
1990: Psychoanalytic Perspectives, February 24, 1990.
Analysts' Non-Analytical Mode of Thinking. NYU Postdoctoral
Retreat, October 20, 1990.