The Vienna Theorists
Summer of 2002
Impressions of Vienna
By Jesse Manoa Winter, Class of 2003

In June of 2002 thirteen WFU CEP students, two faculty, and two family members spent two weeks together in Vienna, Austria. Here is a little information about our trip and my reflections on the experience.

The academic part of the trip is the classes about Moreno and Psychodrama, Adler, Freud, and Frankl. We were divided into four groups and each group prepared a presentation on one of the four theorists, so we were experts in one area and we also had the opportunity to learn about the others from our fellow classmates.

After class we took a field-trip related to each theorist. We visited Frankl's widow who spoke about him and his work and we had a lecture from his grandson which was very good. We also had a guided tour of the concentration camp where he was interned. For Adler we were supposed to get a lecture from a professor at the university, but it fell through. One day we visited Freud's apartment in Vienna which is now a museum. Instead of getting a field-trip for Moreno we had two Psychodramatists come to the Flow Haus and work with us for a morning. That was my personal favorite as I enjoy Psychodrama and it was also an experiential learning opportunity.

We had plenty of time to explore the city. There are many historical/cultural sites to enjoy as well as great restaurants, musical performances and shopping. I enjoyed people watching most of all and sitting in coffee shops sipping espresso.

We had a couple of free days and many of us traveled to Salzburg for an overnight trip. You can go on the Sound of Music Tour (the movie was set and filmed in Salzburg) or just enjoy the gardens, shops and restaurants. It's a fairly short train ride and inexpensive as well. Some of us found hotel rooms and some stayed at a bed-and-breakfast/farm which was very cool.

Several of us also took an overnight trip to Prague which was a highlight for me. It's an absolutely amazing city and I am very glad that I got to see it. I wish I had been able to spend more time, but no other complaints. It's also a train ride away and not really very expensive.

I did not like feeling like a tourist, but it's inevitable. We had a short amount of time and I wanted to make good use of every moment of it. That meant that I hopped from site to site without ever feeling at home or getting to know locals. I wanted more time to get over the culture shock and start to understand the city and culture as a local might. I did make a point of shopping in the market and taking as much time as possible to sit still and watch people around me. If you are a people-watcher you'll love it.

All of Vienna is very pretty – even the Flow Haus where we stayed. Learning about the four theorists in their home town is an unbelievably cool way to study. IT was an unbelievable bargain for this kind of trip. I highly recommend it to other students in the program.

Comments from the students who studied at the Flow House in June 2002

About the house:

• The house was such a blessing – a comfortable place to feel at home in a different culture – and so beautiful.
• The Flow House was beautiful and very comfortable. It was amazing to have such a place to come home to while in Vienna.
• Living in such rich comfort really enabled me to focus on class even though we were there such a short time. A home versus a hotel was a real gift!
• Having such a comfortable home base was great. It made staying in the city fun and took stress out of being in a strange place.
• The Flow House is so beautiful. I felt like a Princess in a castle!
• The house was amazing! Thank you for the wonderful accommodations. It was the highlight of the trip.
• What a beautiful place to call home for a while! It really made the trip!

About the city of Vienna:

• Vienna is a beautiful city with many cultural and entertainment opportunities.
• This was my first trip aboard, and Vienna really set the tone as a wonderful experience. It was one of the cleanest and safest cities I’ve visited.
• The experiences I had in the city of Vienna have permanently broadened my point of view.
• The beauty of Vienna was so delightful. The impact of being in this famous city really added to the educational value of our summer school class.
• The city was absolutely beautiful, easy to navigate, and surprisingly safe.
• The city of Vienna is full of rich beauty and history. I love Vienna! I should have bought a shirt that said that. ?
• In spite of the heat, navigating Vienna and visiting the wonderful historic sites – and beautiful gardens – was a wonderful experience.
• Vienna was a great city to explore, and was impressed by how easy it was to get around. It was beautiful, and everyone was friendly!
• Vienna is a wonderful city, full of art, beauty, and diversity. There is so much to explore and discover.
• A city never to forget.

About specific academic experiences:

• What a great opportunity to study in the city of the theorists! Being with counselor trainers in psychodrama and logotherapy was a real treat! Thank-you.
• It was a wonderful experience to actually feel a part of the culture while learning.
• It was the first time that my education came to life. The theories and theorists became real and more relevant.
• Being in Vienna, visiting places that different theories worked, and especially meeting Victor Frankl’s family members, made the academic experience so much more meaningful and applicable than sitting in class and reading a book.
• Our visit to the concentration camp was very moving and memorable – and Melk Abbey was a beautiful way to switch gears and end the day.

Faculty Leaders:

Dr. Laura Veach
Pamela Karr

Student Participants:

Family and Friends:

Steve and Andy Karr