A seasoned analyst, with 40 years of experience gained in helping patients explore the depths of their unconscious, Dr. Bernstein takes the reader through paths unfamiliar. Filled with extraordinary insights fueled by patient’s most intimate of fantasies, Dr. Bernstein explains with perspective and humor the illuminating insights and change that come with exploring the inner space of the psyche. Each short essay takes a subject, relevant to many, and explores it through the lens of the unconscious.

About the Author
Joel S Bernstein was a PhD psychologist, Psychoanalyst and a certified clinical hypnotist. He was founder and president of the Institute for Psychoanalytic Studies in New Jersey, a classically trained pianist, composer, and a black-belt martial artist. He was greatly respected and beloved.

Editorial Reviews

Dr. Bernstein’s work shows a wide ranging mind and a highly original one. His insights are fresh and compelling, his style clear and vigorous without being dogmatic. His new perspectives show his approach to therapy as a joint effort between doctor and patient, to achieve sometimes surprising insights. I have never before read the work of a therapist who so obviously likes his patients. –Joanne Greenberg I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

This book is a powerful and compelling collection of essays on a myriad of topics seen through a brilliant psychoanalyst’s perspective. The reader understands the respect and awe the author has for both his patients and their unconscious process. He takes us with him through the exploration of his patient s character traits, to their innermost fantasy life at the heart of what has troubled their lives. This author’s unique view is a gem. –Judith Korner MD, PhD Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center

Dr. Bernstein is a talented analyst who brings to life the inner workings of the unconscious. His view does not ask for logical reasoning, neither (as he explains) does the unconscious. However, as he excavates the layers of his patients’ inner lives, we witness a rich unfolding of deep and buried impulses that emerge with humor and depth of understanding. This ultimately leads to more energy for the person stuck in what was a spiral of behavioral repetitions. Fascinating read on every subject heading. –Lorna Goldberg LCSW, Psychoanalyst – Director of The Institute for Psychoanalytic Studies