Acknowledgments

So many people contribute to our coming to each moment in time, I am overwhelmed with considering how to acknowledge them all.

Certainly my mother and father, who survived Auschwitz and came to New York City, where I was raised. With special thanks to my mother, who, when I was five years old and said, “I want to be a garbage collector,” replied with, “When you finish medical school, you can be anything you want.” Which led me to becoming a naturopathic doctor, an evidence-based physician focused on wellness, health restoration, and optimal health (see naturopathic.org).

Thanks to Dr. Doughton, who in my senior year shifted my focus to mind-body medicine and how communication and relationships affect our health and well-being.

To my good friend, naturopathic doctor colleague, and coauthor Dr. Rick Kirschner, with whom I took the journey of communication and seminars, armed with a costume trunk and a mission to change the world for the better.

To the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians for putting up with my seven-year reign of terror on the board, where much of this was incubated.

To Lisa, my wife of 38 years, for being the brilliant artist and thoughtful therapist that she is and for enabling an environment in our home of creativity that fosters the creation of works such as this.

To my daughter, Carle, for being so much fun as a kid—and as an adult, living her values and making a positive difference in the world.

And to my feline friends, Neelix and Leela, who sit patiently on my desk purring, waiting for me to take a break so we can go out for a walk together.