For Immediate Release – For Information and Interviews Call:
Alan Siegel, Ph.D. at (510) 527-7929 or Wendy Pannier at (610)
995-1507
“DREAM WEEK”
to Feature Experts at 22nd Annual
International Association for the Study of Dreams Conference
www.asdreams.org/2005
BERKELEY, CA — The week of June 24-June 28, 2005, has
been declared Dream Week by the mayors of San Francisco, Oakland, and
Berkeley, California to honor the International Association for the
Study of Dreams (IASD) which is holding its 22nd annual conference at
the Doubletree Hotel at the Berkeley Marina that week.
Internationally Recognized Experts: The IASD
conference, entitled, CALIFORNIA DREAMING, includes over 100
presentations by the world's foremost dream researchers, authors, and
clinicians. Included are diverse presentations on psychological,
biological, anthropological, spiritual, artistic, and literary
perspectives on dreaming.
Dream Research: Who remembers their dreams and why?
What has science learned about the meaning of dreams? What is the link
between REM sleep and dreaming? The answers to these and other
questions will be featured in presentations by G. William Domhoff,
Ph.D. who is an Emeritus Professor at the University of California at
Santa Cruz and by renowned nightmare researcher, Ernest Hartmann, M.D.
and other North American and European researchers. How do the dreams
of liberals differ from those of conservatives? Kelly Bulkeley, Ph.D.
will present research on differences between Democrat’s and
Republican’s dreams and nightmares about sex, flying, terrorism, and
death and will explore the unconscious roots of America’s bitterly
divided political landscape.
Continued Education Program: Conference Program
Co-Chair and past-President of IASD, Alan Siegel, Ph.D., will
coordinate a series of clinical and research seminars on the meaning
of dreams and their use in psychotherapy throughout the life cycle
with presentations on children’s nightmares, characteristics of dreams
during life transitions such as pregnancy, marriage, divorce, midlife,
and approaching death. A special seminar on dreams, aging, and grief
will feature noted author, Patricia Garfield. Clinical, cultural, and
ethical considerations in using dreams with trauma survivors will also
be addressed.
Dreams and the Arts: Acclaimed novelist, Chitra
Divakaruni (Mistress of Spices), will present a keynote speech on
traditional and contemporary views of dreams in Indian culture and
will read from her latest novel, Queen of Dreams, which is set in
Berkeley and features an Indian woman who discovers the dream journal
of her deceased mother. She will be introduced by IASD President,
Richard Russo, who will also make a presentation on dreams and
photography. A juried exhibit of dream-inspired art will be open
during the conference with the artists available at a reception on the
evening of June 25th. The art show will be viewable during the
conference on the IASD website. At the conference, a series of
workshops will show the role of the expressive arts in exploring and
understanding dreams.
Cultural and Spiritual Dimensions of Dreams: How do
different religious traditions view dreams? A series of presentations
by anthropologists, psychologists, and religious studies scholars will
explore the role of dreams in the Koran, Bible, and the Talmud,
reviewing ancient and contemporary spiritual perspectives on dreams. A
symposium on Islamic Dreams will feature a presentation by English
anthropologist, Iain Edgar, Ph.D., on the “True Dream” in Contemporary
Islamic Jihadist Dreamwork. Research on lucid dreaming and PSI
phenomena in dreams include a presentation on precognitive dreams, by
distinguished researcher and author, Stanley Krippner, Ph.D and a
keynote presentation by Charles Tart, Ph.D.
International Association for the Study of Dreams: The
International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) is the only
organization of its kind in the world. This non-profit, international,
multidisciplinary organization has a diverse membership representing a
variety of dream-related activities, including academic research,
clinical practice, and individual study. The IASD was founded in
California and has its headquarters in Berkeley, CA. www.asdreams.org
Conference and Contact Information: Members of the
public may register for conference activities on a space-available
basis. Reporters are welcome to cover presentations. Please go to the
registration desk and request a press pass. Media access to workshops
is strictly limited; reporters must receive approval to attend from
workshop leaders. For additional information on IASD and the
conference program visit our website, or call toll-free at
1-866-DREAM12.
Media Contacts:
Alan Siegel, Ph.D. at (510) 527-7929 or
Wendy Pannier at (610) 995-1507
