A Tribute to Dr. Arthur Bernard

Those of us immersed in the world of dreams are familiar with the greats – Freud, Jung, Adler, to name a few. Well, it’s time to add one more to that list: Arthur Bernard.

Dr. Arthur Bernard, known as Art to his friends, colleagues, clients, students and admirers, devoted his life to the study and transformative power of dreams.

I had the remarkable good fortune to know Art in each of the capacities noted above.  We first met while I was earning my Masters degree at the California Family Study Center (later known as the Phillips Institute). He was one of the instructors, his specialty being – you guessed it – dreams.

As part of the Masters curriculum, students were required to engage in the process of therapy as clients themselves. I chose Art as my therapist, and thus began my own transformative process with dreams. At the time, Art maintained The Dream Center in Encino, California, where he taught people in both individual and group settings how to recall, understand and use their dreams to enrich their lives. I became his apprentice, and carried his teachings with me into my own practice.

Over the years, Art produced a number of books and tapes designed to assist in recalling, recording and interpreting dreams. His titles include: Dreams – The Wisdom in Sleep; God Has No Edges, Dreams Have No Boundaries; and Sleep, Dream and Grow Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. He became a renowned speaker and media expert, at one time hosting his own radio talk show, “Dream Talk” in Los Angeles. This excerpt from his bio summed up his dreams persona well:

“Dr. Bernard takes dreams from the mystical and incomprehensible realm and makes them practical and plausible. He is known for his ability to take the mystery out of dream work, has a delightful teaching style, keen sense of humor, and creates a supportive atmosphere where learning is playful as well as challenging.”

 Art departed the waking world for the last time on 10/26/14. He is survived by an adoring wife, two beloved sons, and innumerable others like myself who will forever carry his transcendent spirit within.

Farewell, Art. See you in our dreams!

–Laynee