Cheryl Arutt

Cheryl Arutt (born May 13, 1966) is an American actress, clinical and forensic psychologist and media consultant best known as a child and teen for her work as an actress in commercials, print, television  and feature films, and as a psychological expert on television programs such as Prime News, Nancy Grace and Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell on HLN and In Session on CNN's sister network truTV (formerly Court TV).

Early life and acting career
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 discovered at age two when the casting director at Ted Bates Advertising Agency in New York City noticed her, and convinced her mother to send her photo to an agent. She was signed on the spot by Rosemary Brian at the Mary Ellen White Agency, and first appeared on TV in a Sarah Lee cake commercial at the age of three. Hundreds of commercials followed, as well as, appearances in A. R. Gurney's teleplay adaptation of John Cheever's short story, O Youth and Beauty, and the soap operas: Secret Storm, Guiding Light, All My Children and As the World Turns. Modeling jobs included the cover of Seventeen Magazine.

Cheryl Arutt 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 as a guest star on shows like Murder She Wrote, Kay O'Brien, and Charles In Charge. Her turn in the NBC/Disney two-hour Movie of the Week pilot Davy Crockett: Rainbow in the Thunder as young Ory Palmer garnered critical acclaim as Davy's love interest.

Education and career as psychologist
After more than 20 years as a successful working actress in New York and Hollywood, she retired to become a doctor for creative artists. Dr. Arutt attended University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with scholarships from both Screen Actor's Guild (SAG's John Dales Transitional Scholarship) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA's Clara Heller scholarship) where she graduated summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Following a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree from California School of Professional Psychology where she developed a program called "Healing Together" for couples recovering from PTSD, she became a clinical and forensic psychologist specializing in working with creative artists, including actors, writers, directors, cinematographers, studio executives and other entertainment professionals.

Dr. Arutt 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. As a psychotherapist, Dr. Cheryl Arutt has helped many creative artists learn to thrive and clear obstacles to their professional and personal success. She is currently in private practice in Beverly Hills, and also works as an expert witness and media consultant.