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.