R. Christopher Barden, Ph.D., J.D.
Psychologist
License: 1482
Expert Witness, Forensic Psychologist, Social Scientist, Public Policy
National Practice
R. Christopher Barden, Ph.D., J.D.
5193 Black Oaks Court North
Plymouth, AK 55446
5193 Black Oaks Court North
Plymouth, AK 55446
801-230-8328
rchrisbarden@gmail.com
R. Christopher Barden, J.D., Ph.D., LP is a national expert in psychology and law. Dr. Barden is a licensed psychologist (clinical and forensic), licensed attorney, research scientist, speaker, writer and national science-litigation-legislation consultant. He has published in the leading journals in child psychology, social psychology, clinical psychology, psychiatry, and law. Dr. Barden helped draft and enact successful national health care legislation. Dr. Barden has been interviewed regarding complex science and legal issues by U.S. Congressional Quarterly, CBS 60 Minutes, ABC NIGHTLINE, the CBS Evening News, TIME Magazine, Newsweek Magazine, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT Magazine, INSIGHT Magazine, THE NEW YORKER, the L.A. Times, the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the London BBC, U.S. National Public Radio, ABC NEWS 20/20, National German Television, National Finnish Television, 60 Minutes Australia, Canadian Public Radio, PBS FRONTLINE, NBC DATELINE and many other media sources.
Dr. Barden has held university faculty positions in a highly ranked graduate science department, a highly ranked medical school and a highly ranked law school. He has given invited national training addresses to the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Bar Association, the U.S. Surgeon General's Conference, the International Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and many other groups. Dr. Barden has also testified in courtrooms as an expert witness on psychological, scientific and/or legal issues in many states. Dr. Barden has also provided training and consultation to state and federal investigators including F.B.I., Sheriffs Office staff and Police Investigators. He has also served as a member of a State Higher Education Coordinating Board (MN), a member of a State Licensing Board of Psychology (MN), and a State Special Assistant Attorney General (UT).
Dr. Barden received his training in psychology from the University of Minnesota, the University of California at Berkeley, and the U.S. Veterans Administration/Stanford University Medical Center. As a result of his research and publishing efforts in the field of psychology, Dr. Barden received two national science awards including a national Young Scholar Award from the Foundation for Child Development and a national Faculty Scholar Award from the W. T. Grant Foundation. Dr. Barden also attended Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude). With colleagues in law, medicine and public policy, Dr. Barden drafted the Emergency Medical System for Children Act -- model legislation mandating improvements in the emergency medical system for children. This work was published in the Harvard Journal on Legislation. Some version of this legislation has been adopted in more than 20 states.
Following successful efforts to reform the Emergency Medical System for Children, Dr. Barden began systematic efforts to reform the mental health system. Using a five prong approach of education, regulation, litigation, legislation and prosecution Dr. Barden focused on eliminating dangerous, pseudoscientific notions such as "recovered memory therapy", "multiple personality disorder" and coercive "holding therapies". Thanks to the collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts of scientists, concerned families, mental health practitioners and attorneys, after ten years of successful civil litigation, legislative hearings, prosecutions and licensing actions these dangerous, junkscience methods and procedures have been greatly reduced or eradicated across the United States. Dr. Barden�s current projects include reform efforts in the family law, mental health licensing, public education and criminal justice systems.
Dr. Barden has published in, and/or served as an editor or reviewer for, several of the most highly regarded journals and texts in a number of professional fields including Developmental Psychology, Child Development, Psychological Bulletin, Ambulatory Pediatrics, Advances in Child Clinical Psychology, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, and the Harvard Journal on Legislation.
Services
- Expert Witness and consulting in family, criminal, and civil law cases.
- Cross examinations and/or consultation for the examination of experts in any mental health field.
- Conducting or consulting on Frye/Daubert "junk science" hearings to exclude unreliable testimony and methods.
- Challenging unreliable forensic psychology testimony and methods
- Teaching and training mental health professionals in continuing professional education seminars, medical schools, and graduate programs
Areas of Expertise
All ages of patients
All diagnoses
All jurisdictions and states
Excluding junk science testimony in child custody cases
Excluding junk science testimony in criminal law cases
Preventing or stopping parental alienation processes
Dr. Barden has held university faculty positions in a highly ranked graduate science department, a highly ranked medical school and a highly ranked law school. He has given invited national training addresses to the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Bar Association, the U.S. Surgeon General's Conference, the International Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and many other groups. Dr. Barden has also testified in courtrooms as an expert witness on psychological, scientific and/or legal issues in many states. Dr. Barden has also provided training and consultation to state and federal investigators including F.B.I., Sheriffs Office staff and Police Investigators. He has also served as a member of a State Higher Education Coordinating Board (MN), a member of a State Licensing Board of Psychology (MN), and a State Special Assistant Attorney General (UT).
Dr. Barden received his training in psychology from the University of Minnesota, the University of California at Berkeley, and the U.S. Veterans Administration/Stanford University Medical Center. As a result of his research and publishing efforts in the field of psychology, Dr. Barden received two national science awards including a national Young Scholar Award from the Foundation for Child Development and a national Faculty Scholar Award from the W. T. Grant Foundation. Dr. Barden also attended Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude). With colleagues in law, medicine and public policy, Dr. Barden drafted the Emergency Medical System for Children Act -- model legislation mandating improvements in the emergency medical system for children. This work was published in the Harvard Journal on Legislation. Some version of this legislation has been adopted in more than 20 states.
Following successful efforts to reform the Emergency Medical System for Children, Dr. Barden began systematic efforts to reform the mental health system. Using a five prong approach of education, regulation, litigation, legislation and prosecution Dr. Barden focused on eliminating dangerous, pseudoscientific notions such as "recovered memory therapy", "multiple personality disorder" and coercive "holding therapies". Thanks to the collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts of scientists, concerned families, mental health practitioners and attorneys, after ten years of successful civil litigation, legislative hearings, prosecutions and licensing actions these dangerous, junkscience methods and procedures have been greatly reduced or eradicated across the United States. Dr. Barden�s current projects include reform efforts in the family law, mental health licensing, public education and criminal justice systems.
Dr. Barden has published in, and/or served as an editor or reviewer for, several of the most highly regarded journals and texts in a number of professional fields including Developmental Psychology, Child Development, Psychological Bulletin, Ambulatory Pediatrics, Advances in Child Clinical Psychology, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, and the Harvard Journal on Legislation.
Services
- Expert Witness and consulting in family, criminal, and civil law cases.
- Cross examinations and/or consultation for the examination of experts in any mental health field.
- Conducting or consulting on Frye/Daubert "junk science" hearings to exclude unreliable testimony and methods.
- Challenging unreliable forensic psychology testimony and methods
- Teaching and training mental health professionals in continuing professional education seminars, medical schools, and graduate programs
Areas of Expertise
All ages of patients
All diagnoses
All jurisdictions and states
Excluding junk science testimony in child custody cases
Excluding junk science testimony in criminal law cases
Preventing or stopping parental alienation processes
Office Information:
Best reached by email at rchrisbarden@gmail.com