Dr. William Bernstein was the consummate physician, psychiatrist, and psychoanalyst. He was dedicated to psychoanalysis, education, his patients, his colleagues, and the many students whom he has mentored over the years. Until the very end of his life, he was constantly sought out as a teacher, supervisor, and consultant.
Bill completed his undergraduate education at the University of Minnesota in 1955. He went on to complete his medical education, also at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1959. After receiving his medical degree, he and his wife Paula moved to Los Angeles for a rotating internship at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital where their son was born. Following his internship, Bill and his family came to Colorado for psychiatric residency. In the middle of his second year, Bill was suddenly drafted into the army. He served two years as a psychiatrist at Tripler Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii, and then returned to complete his psychiatric residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1965. Bill immediately joined the full-time faculty at the University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry, working with Brandt Steele in the Psychiatric Liaison Division. He eventually became head of this Division, serving as its Director from 1973-1984.
During this time, he also completed his Psychoanalytic Training at the Denver Institute for Psychoanalysis, graduating in 1976. Bill was appointed to the position of Training and Supervising Analyst in 1986, continuing to supervise, teach, and mentor psychoanalytic candidates until the time of his death.
During his many decades as a faculty member, he served as President of the Denver Psychoanalytic Society and held multiple leadership roles within the Denver Institute. In addition, Bill chaired or served on almost every Institute committee. From 1995 until the present, Bill held the position of Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Bill extended his commitment to psychoanalytic education nationally, through his work on the Board on Professional Standards of the American Psychoanalytic Association. He served as a member of the Executive Council, Fellow to the Board, on the Committee on Institutes, and as Chair of the Committee on New Training Facilities.
One of Bill's greatest professional pleasures was as a member of the Center for Advanced Psychoanalytic Studies (CAPS). He loved attending the bi-annual meetings of his group for over 30 years.
Bill will be deeply missed by everyone whose lives he touched, both professionally and personally.
