World-Renowned Doctor Visits UC Irvine Extension, Shares His Innovative Technique – Interactive Guided Imagery^sm

International Psychologist, Neuroscientist, Author and Educator, Dr. David Bresler Teaches the Fundamentals of Interactive Guided Imagery^sm

IRVINE, Calif. – March 16, 2006 – UC Irvine Extension presents the esteemed co-creator of the Interactive Guided Imagery^sm process and co-founder of the Academy of Guided Imagery, Dr. David Bresler, Ph.D., L.Ac. The forward-thinking industry legend who is well known for having explored a wide variety of therapeutic and educational approaches over the past 25 years will present a two-day course entitled Interactive Guided Imagery: Applications and Innovations for Health Care Clinicians and Educators,  This exciting hands-on workshop is being offered in collaboration with the California Psychological Association (CPA), the Academy for Guided Imagery (AGI) and UC Irvine's Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine. It will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in room 100 of the Social Science Hall at the UC Irvine Campus, in Irvine, Calif. 

 “In a continuing effort to bring the most well-respected national industry experts to its students, UC Irvine Extension is honored to welcome Dr. David Bresler to our campus,” said Kirwan Rockefeller, director of UC Irvine Extension’s Arts & Humanities Program.  “Dr. Bresler is internationally renowned for his advances in the treatment of chronic pain with his mastery of mind/body connections and the groundbreaking process he co-developed: Interactive Guided Imagery^sm.”

IGM^sm utilizes the natural language of the unconscious mind, imagery, to help people connect with deeper resources available to them at the cognitive, affective and somatic levels. By prompting pictures that symbolize their problems and exploring what the images mean, clients/patients can experience profound psychological and physiological changes and feel empowered to conquer their own pain and suffering. The solutions are there, in their minds, and the guide is there to help find them.

“Interactive Guided Imagery^sm is not about giving people better visual ‘pictures’ to imagine, but about helping them find meaning in the images that arise from their own psyches” said Bresler. “It’s a way of tapping inner wisdom and support that can open the door to a remarkable world of perception, meaning, affect and growth for both the health professional and patient in their mutual search for healing.” 

The approach is eclectic, holistic, humanistic and non-dogmatic, incorporating skills from many related disciplines including hypnosis, Jungian Psychology, psychosynthesis, self-actualization and ego-state psychology.

The two-day workshop will offer participating students a comprehensive introduction and broad overview of IGIsm’s innovative and highly respected process. The course will also review the history of imagery, how it works, its relation to hypnosis and the unique role of the imagery guide.

Students will also discover useful IGIsm techniques including imagery-based diagnostic and assessment techniques and a variety of relaxation methods that are perfect for a number of medical and health professions. Special emphasis will be given on using Interactive Guided Imagery^sm to help patients/clients communicate with an "inner advisor" to turn insights into actions. Also addressed will be practical considerations such as fees, medical/legal implications and ethical issues as they relate to the use of IGIsm.

For more information or to register for the course, visit www.extension.uci.edu or call (949) 824-6335.

About Dr. David Bresler

Bresler is a health psychologist, board-certified acupuncturist, neuroscientist, author and educator internationally recognized for his pioneering work with people in chronic pain. He has written more than 250 publications, including the popular book “Free Yourself From Pain.”  Currently, he is the executive director of The Bresler Center and president and co-founder of the Academy for Guided Imagery.  Previously, he served as the founder and director of the UCLA Pain Control Unit, as associate clinical professor of anesthesiology in the UCLA School of Medicine and as a faculty member in the Departments of Psychology and Gnathology and Occlusion in the UCLA Schools of Medicine, Dentistry and the UCLA College of Letters and Sciences. He also served as a White House Commissioner on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy.

About UC Irvine Extension

As the continuing education arm of UCI, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a university-level learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional, and global constituencies. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience, from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. For more information, please visit www.extension.uci.edu.