Werner certainly does not need another accolade. His life’s work speaks for itself. In some small way, this is my tribute.

The year was 1973 and I was about to begin medical school in Philadelphia. EST was far from main stream and essentially unknown in Philly. Nick, a friend from NYC excitedly called me about this experience he’d had and I just ’had to do it’.

Nick and I had been to Europe that Summer and I knew him to be a really cool guy with his head on straight. Without much questioning, I enrolled and went to New York for ’the training’.

Now, 43 years later, reflecting back on my life, that Summer defined so much of what I was able to become and make a difference to the world around me.

What is an accomplishment? A successful 27 year marriage with two great, fearless kids who are also making a difference in their world? Caring for patients and watching their lives change course for the better? Helping bring new medical treatments to market? Lecturing to thousands of fellow physicians about the connection between emotions and health? Creating (directly or indirectly) over 2000 jobs, many of which gave employees new opportunities to better their lives?

I have often reflected on the ’cosmic joke’ and the power it gave me and others as I passed the message on about the freedom of choice. The experiential part of ’the training’ permeated my work and opened me up to a richer more fulfilling life of professional and personal adventure.

We live in a World that could not have been anticipated 43 years ago. Time, however, has not changed the human challenges and fundamental issues.
What we learned, what we experienced is as relevant today as then.

Thank you Werner for creating a unique experience that taught one psychiatrist to embrace and appreciate life in ways he’d never imagined. And, thank you from the countless numbers of people I was able to touch, and will never know that much of that power came from a two weekend experience a young man took before entering medical school.
Murray H Rosenthal