Barbara A. Pulliam was born and reared in Newark, NJ.

 

As a young child, she knew that she wanted to be a psychologist in order to help others. After graduating from Arts High School as a music major, she attended Rutgers University in Newark and majored in Psychology with a minor in Black
Studies. While at Rutgers, she and the other few black students there founded the Black Organization of Students (BOS) in 1968. It is still actively
functioning today at Rutgers. On Feb. 24, 1969, during the civil rights movement, BOS occupied Conklin Hall, one of the main classroom buildings
on campus.  The takeover was to get Rutgers to promote diversity in the student body, faculty, and academic courses. This successful takeover was the impetus for positive change at Rutgers, which is now one of the leading universities in diversity. Additionally, the takeover was the catalyst for the formation of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF).

Upon graduation from Rutgers, she received a full scholarship to attend Fordham University where she received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and
became the first African-American to do so. After graduating from Fordham, Dr. Pulliam immediately enrolled in the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis for post-doctoral training. She successfully completed this four-year program and became a certified psychoanalyst. She then entered and completed the analytic two-year Group Therapy program at the Postgraduate Center.

 

She has also been extensively trained in Psychodrama.

 

During the above training, Dr. Pulliam was also employed by the New York State Department of Mental Health for 34 years. 30 of those years, she
worked in the heart of Harlem at the 125 th Street Clinic, which was housed in the State Office Building. The clinic was the outpatient department of
Manhattan Psychiatric Center, where seriously ill post-hospitalized patients were treated. Her last four years were spent at Brooklyn’s Kingsboro Psychiatric Center as the Director of the Psychology Department. She remained there until 2008, at which time she retired from the New York State Department of Mental Health. Simultaneously, during these years, Dr. Pulliam was licensed to practice in both NJ and NY and had one practice in Montclair, and the other in Manhattan.

 

Although retired from the clinic, she has maintained her two practices. During her career, Dr. Pulliam has conducted and presented at numerous
conferences, workshops, and symposiums covering various topics in mental health. She has also appeared on radio, cable television, and network
television, and has written several articles and reviews. Over the years, she has held many offices with the Association of Black Psychologists, NJ
Chapter including Executive Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, and President (1996). Additionally, she held the post of Treasurer of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus of the Postgraduate Center. Moreover, Dr. Pulliam has had many past and present professional affiliations including but not limited to the American Psychological Association, Life Status Member, the Council for the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, member, Postgraduate Psychoanalytic Society, past member, NJ Psychological Association, past member, Postgraduate Center for Mental Health Group Alumni Association, past member, and the NJ Academy of Psychology, past member, and is a panel member on many health insurance plans.

Over the years, Dr. Pulliam has received many awards and honors. Just to name a few: in 2015, she received The Dr. Jefferson Wiggins Bridge Builder Award for her community work, in 2009 she achieved the distinguished Association of Black Psychologists’ board certification as a Fellow/Diplomate in African Centered Black Psychology, and The Contemporary Center for Advanced Psychoanalytic Studies, and The Association of Black Psychologists, NJ Chapter, has presented Dr. Pulliam with numerous awards and certificates for her long term contributions and support.

Dr. Pulliam’s wish is to continue to serve the community for as long as she is able.