Cheryl Arutt

Biography

Dr. Cheryl Arutt (born May 13, 1966) is an American clinical and forensic psychologist and media consultant. Until 1991, she was a commercial, print, television, and film actress. She was a co-host and regular member of the Behavior Bureau on HLN's panel show Dr. Drew On Call and appears as a psychological expert on ABC, the Fox News Channel, HLN and In Session. She first appeared on TV in a Sara Lee cake commercial at the age of three. Hundreds of commercials followed, as well as an appearance in A.R. Gurney's teleplay adaptation of John Cheever's short story, O Youth and Beauty. Arutt started her film and video acting career at age four. She appeared in the soap operas: Secret Storm, Guiding Light, All My Children and As the World Turns. Modeling jobs included the cover of Seventeen magazine. As a teen she was dubbed "queen of the After School Specials" by her peers for her numerous roles in TV movies of that genre. She was nominated for a Youth in Film Award for her title role as an Amish girl in Bobby and Sarah in the Best Young Actress in a Family Film Made for TV category. After moving to Los Angeles, she appeared on Murder, She Wrote, Kay O'Brien, and Charles in Charge. She appeared as young Ory Palmer in the NBC/Disney two-hour Movie of the Week pilot Davy Crockett: Rainbow in the Thunder as Davy's love interest. After more than 20 years as an actress in New York and Hollywood, Arutt retired to become a doctor for creative artists. She attended UCLA with scholarships from both Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, where she graduated summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Following a Doctor of Psychology degree from California School of Professional Psychology, where she developed a program called "Healing Together" for couples recovering from posttraumatic stress disorder, she became a clinical and forensic psychologist specializing in working with creative artists, including actors, writers, directors, cinematographers, studio executives and other entertainment professionals. She has appeared as an expert on television in local, national and international programs. Her thoughts about psychological issues have been featured on live television, in documentaries and as an expert commentator on truTV, Fox News, and HLN, and as a consultant on psychological issues to 60 Minutes (Australia). She also works as an expert witness and media consultant.