2000 Hans Selye Award

Herbert Benson, M.D., a Founding Trustee of The American Institute of Stress, is Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Chief of the Division of Behavioral Medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and the founding President of the Mind/Body Medical Institute. A graduate of Wesleyan University and the Harvard Medical School, he is the author or co-author of more than 150 scientific publications and six books, including: The Relaxation Response, The Mind/Body Effect, Beyond the Relaxation Response and Timeless Healing: The Power and Biology of Belief. More than four million copies of Dr. Benson’s books have been printed. Herb is a pioneer in behavioral medicine and mind/body studies as well as in spirituality and healing. Through his work, he defined the relaxation response and continues to lead research into its efficacy in counteracting the harmful effects of stress. The recipient of numerous national and international awards, he is widely sought after as lecturer and appears in scores of newspapers, magazines, and television programs each year. Dr. Benson’s research extends from the laboratory to the clinic and to Asian field expeditions. His research results have served to build a bridge between medicine and religion, East and West, mind and body, as well as between belief and science. These interests are reflected in the Eleventh Congress, which also featured several presentations and a workshop on Modern Oriental Medicine held in memory of Yujiro Ikemi by his students and colleagues.