Bernie-SiegelDr. Siegel, who prefers to be called Bernie, not Dr. Siegel, was born in Brooklyn, NY. He attended Colgate University and Cornell University Medical College. He holds membership in two scholastic honor societies, Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha and graduated with honors. His surgical training took place at Yale New Haven Hospital, West Haven Veteran’s Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He retired from practice as an assistant clinical professor of surgery at Yale of general and pediatric surgery in 1989 to speak to patients and their caregivers.

In 1978, he originated Exceptional Cancer Patients, a specific form of individual and group therapy utilizing patients’ drawings, dreams, images and feelings. ECaP is based on “carefrontation,” a safe, loving therapeutic confrontation, which facilitates personal lifestyle changes, personal empowerment and healing of the individual’s life. The physical, spiritual and psychological benefits which followed led to his desire to make everyone aware of his or her healing potential. He realized exceptional behavior is what we are all capable of.

Bernie, and his wife and coworker Bobbie, who died in 2018, lived in a suburb of New Haven, Connecticut. They have five children and eight grandchildren. Bernie and Bobbie have co-authored their children, books and articles. Their home with its many children, pets and interests resembled a cross between a family art gallery, museum, zoo and automobile repair shop. It still resembles these things, although the children are trying to improve its appearance in order to avoid embarrassment.

In 1986 his first book, Love. Medicine & Miracles was published. This event redirected his life. In 1989 Peace, Love & Healing and in 1993 How To Live Between Office Visits followed. He is currently working on other books with the goal of humanizing medical education and medical care, as well as, empowering patients and teaching survival behavior to enhance immune system competency. Bernie’s realization that we all need help dealing with the difficulties of life, not just the physical ones, led to Bernie writing his fourth book in 1998 Prescriptions for Living. It helps people to become aware of the eternal truths and wisdom of the sages through Bernie’s stories and insights rather than wait a personal disaster. He wants to help people fix their lives before they are broken, and thus not have to become strong at the broken places. Published in 2003 are Help Me To Heal to empower patients and their caregivers and 365 Prescriptions For The Soul, in 2004 a children’s book about how difficulties can become blessings, Smudge Bunny, in 2005 101 Exercises For The Soul and out in the Fall of 2006 a prescriptions for parenting book Love, Magic & Mud Pies. Published in 2008 Buddy’s Candle, for children of all ages, related to dealing with the loss of a loved one, be it a pet or parent, and published in 2009 Faith, Hope & Healing with inspiring survivor stories and my reflections about what they teach us. Also out is Words Swords, my poetry and chance to write and react with your own. In the Fall of 2011 A Book of Miracles was published with amazing stories and my comments. In September 2013 my latest book The Art of Healing was published containing 60 drawings by patients and what they reveal.. Out in November of 2015 Love, Animals & Miracles containing heartwarming inspiring and informative stories about life.

My web site for more details is www.BernieSiegelMD.com.

Woody Allen once said, “If I had one wish it would be to be somebody else.” Bernie’s wish was to be a few inches taller. His work has been such a growth experience that he is now a few inches taller. His prediction is that in the next decade the role of consciousness, spirituality, non-local healing, body memory and heart energy will all be explored as scientific subjects.

For many, Bernie needs no introduction. He has touched many lives all over our planet. In 1978 he began talking about patient empowerment and the choice to live fully and die in peace. As a physician, who has cared for and counseled innumerable people whose mortality has been threatened by an illness, Bernie embraces a philosophy of living and dying that stands at the forefront of the medical ethics and spiritual issues our society grapples with today. He continues to assist in the breaking of new ground in the field of healing and personally struggling to live the message of kindness and love.

Bernie has been named one of the top 20 Spiritually Influential Living People on the Planet by the Watkins Review which is published by Watkins Books, an esoteric bookshop in the heart of London, England. Established over 100 years ago, they are now one of the world’s leading independent bookshops specializing in new, second-hand and antiquarian titles in the Mind, Body, and Spirit fields.

Taking on the not-so-simple task of naming the most popular authors, religious leaders and spiritual teachers in the world today, Watkins has produced a list of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People on the Planet. Published in the Spring of 2011 issue of their magazine, The Watkins Review, the list was compiled by taking several factors into consideration. The main 3 factors were:

  1. The person has to be alive
  2. The person has to have made a unique and spiritual contribution on a global scale
  3. The person is frequently googled, appears in Nielsen Data, and is highlighted throughout the blog.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF BARBARA H. SIEGEL

Bobbie graduated from Oswego State Teachers College with a BS in Early Childhood Education. As she says it prepared her to educate and train Bernie. Even he admits her guidance has helped him become the person he is today. Bobbie and Bernie married in 1954.

After raising five children and teaching kindergarten she began to help Bernie with his ECaP groups and workshops. She has worked with many participants to help with their drawing interpretations and make the workshop groups aware of the importance of humor in healing. She often contributes one-liners to presentations to allow people to experience humor and see how laughter affects them physically. This leads to her getting more grateful comments then Bernie. She and Bernie both enjoy a home still filled with their children’s things, pets and love.

Bobbie died in January of 2018 but still keeps in touch in many mystical ways.