Q: When is the next Taming the Bear class starting?

A: We only run the class a couple times a year. We will begin our next Taming the Bear: Taking the Bite Out of Stress class the third week in September. That means that the pre-recorded material will be released on Saturday September 14th and the first live call for Core Participants will be Thursday September 19th at 9am PST/12pm EST. We only teach the class a couple times a year. Registration is now open here: http://www.the7tools.com/divedeeper

Q: What does Taming the Bear entail?

A: Taming the Bear: Taking the Bite Out of Stress is a 12 week course. Most participants say that the class takes them between 2-3 hours a week. If you are a Core Participant the only part that has to happen at a set time is the live call the rest is done on your own time. If you are a Regular Participant it is all on your own schedule. Each week the pre-recorded components are released on Saturday mornings so that you have the weekend and most of the week to watch the 30-45 minute Core Lesson video, the 7-15 minute Experiential Video, and to do the homework. Taming the Bear dives deep and has a substantial amount of content and it is SUPER flexible.

So to recap:

• 12 Weeks long
• Each week the recorded material is released on Saturday and the Live call with Core Participants happens on Thursday (the only work that has to happen at a set time)
• Taming the Bear dives deep and is a substantial amount of content and it is SUPER flexible.
• Most students say they spend a total of 2.5-3 hours a week on the class (with only one of those hours being scheduled).
• 30-45 minute long Core Lesson video (part of the pre-recorded content) where we lay out the ideas for the week.
• 7-15 minute long Experiential Video where we help you put those ideas into action. (Part of the pre-recorded material.) It's important to practice this exercise at least once, but more times is even better. The video leads you through it.
• Homework exercises/handouts with extra info. Many of the homework exercises are things to think about/focus on during the week. Some of them require you to sit down and work on something but again-super flexible. (Part of the pre-recorded material)
• 90 minute live call on Thursdays at 9am PST. The recording of the call is available either later that day or Friday morning for the Regular Participants or for re-listening. (This is the only piece that happens at a set time for Core Participants.)
• The private Facebook group and Taming the Bear Community Forum are always available for questions and sharing of experiences.
• You have lifetime access to the class material so you can return to past lessons or come back years later for a refresher.

Q: When is a good time to take Taming the Bear?

A: Now. Seriously. Now is almost always the best time to dive into this work. People often worry that their lives are too hectic, or that they need to wait until things feel calmer before taking the class. The reality is that life's struggles provide you with beautiful opportunities to practice the ideas we teach in the class AND, life's struggles tend to go better and feel more manageable when you utilize the skills we teach. Taking it now means you can apply what you learn to all of what life is putting in your path so that you can show up to life with more confidence and authenticity. We find this class is an enhancement to a busy life, not something that gets in the way. People are excited to participate because they see how it directly improves their lives.

Q: Is it actually worth the investment of time and money?

A: This is a substantial class with a lot of content each week. You receive two videos, homework, and a live 60 minute call plus you always have access to the private Facebook Group and lifetime access to the class materials. The class is both intellectual and highly experiential. We aren't just talking about the ideas, we are helping you actually implement them in your life. You might be surprised by the power of this content and it has the capacity to get your life moving in the direction of health and wellbeing. We kept your busy life in mind when we created the class and have put in just the material we think is really important. We also have it organized in small, flexible chunks so that you can do it throughout your week as it works for you. Most past students say they spend about 2.5-3 hours a week actively working on the class, so it is an investment of time. They also say that they found the format to be effective and manageable regardless of what else they had going on each week.

Our price reflects the work we have put into the course as well as the investment in yourself that the class entails. This isn't something we have just thrown together and put on the market. It reflects years of figuring out what really works to create these changes and how to teach these ideas in a way that are accessible and digestible.

For years we have taught this class in person and for that, we charge $2500. When we moved online, we adjusted the price down and made the two different participation levels to make it more accessible to folks and to account for the pre-recorded nature of some of the content. We really want to share these ideas with you and we want you to be vested in learning them. Knowing that everyone's finances are different, we also offer payment plans. If you don't see something that works for your life and you still want to take the class, let us know and we'll talk about different payment plan options. We believe in the value of this work and we think you will too once you see it for yourself. It's a funny thing, our students tell us that before they took the class the thought it was expensive, but once they took Taming the Bear and saw the incredible value it has in their lives, they wondered why we weren't charging more.

Q: What makes the class work so well?

A: One of the things we have heard over and over from past students is that we have complementary teaching styles, which means there is something for everyone. Dr. Hall is an intellectual guy and he has the ability to explain things in a way that people really understand. He has been working with this material with his patients for over 20 years. He knows how change happens. I am an experiential kind of person. Not to toot my own horn, but I am a skilled facilitator of inner change and I'm highly empathic so I can really help you get into what you are experiencing and help to lead you through. You put the two of us together on the teaching team and we are a dynamic duo!

The group aspect of the class is one of the things that scares people the most when they are thinking about the class but it is one of the things that is the most valuable to them when all is said and done. And I can say this with authority because I have heard it from so many past students. There is something about healing in community that is super powerful. I say it is because so many of our wounds happen in relationship and that makes community the prime environment for healing. Also, so often we think we are alone in our struggles and the group really shows you just how shared our pain really is. Students learn from listening to each other's processes just as much as they learn from their own. And we do everything we can to make the group a safe and respectful environment for sharing.

Q: Who is the class designed for?

A: We designed this class for the seekers of the world; for the people who are looking for deep healing, looking to transform their lives and thrive.  This class is for those who want to better understand themselves and their experience here on earth. This class is ideal for people who are ready to take their health seriously and to show up for their own inner work but are needing tools and guidance. This class is amazing for people who find themselves in situations outside of their control or those that are healing from past wounding. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are some characteristics of people who have benefitted from the class:

• People living with chronic health issues (chronic pain and chronic illness)
• Those feeling stressed by their role as caregiver (parenting, caring for aging parents, people in helper professions who are feeling worn down, etc.)
• Those healing from childhood trauma or the lasting effects of difficult parents
• People living/recovering from with serious illness (like cancer or strokes )
• Those with body image issues
• People struggling with perfectionism or self criticism
• People who know they need to look at their past in order to move forward but are feeling paralyzed by the thought of it
• People who struggle with job stress, either from a demanding boss, or schedule or living in a job they hate but feel like they are trapped in because they need the paycheck
• People who are struggling with the demands of family
• People who feel stressed financially and are trying to forge a new, more peaceful relationship with money
• People who are struggling in their relationships
• People who can't seem to find themselves in their lives (saying yes to everyone but themselves)
• and so much more.

My dad often jokes that we are teaching The Seven Tools to Heal Literally Anything because they are so versatile and effective.

Taming the Bear is also ideal for health professionals who are wanting to heal their own lives and who are looking for more tools to share with their clients/patients. Make no mistake, you will be asked to show up in a personal capacity but what you learn will also help you help others. The ideas taught in the class have been invaluable to myself in my clinical work (an obviously to my dad in his as well).

The other group of people we have seen greatly benefit from Taming the Bear are performance driven professionals. Stress is one of the biggest impediments to productivity. We have seen people catapult themselves to new levels after doing this work.

Q: Why spring for the Core Participant Pass?

A: This class is truly an example of the phrase "You get out of it what you put into it" and the live calls help you put in the most. The Core Participant Pass allows you access to be on the weekly live calls. This means that you will have personalized help from both Dr. Hall and myself as you go through the class. We have heard from past students that joining the group and being on the live calls felt intimidating before they did it but that being a part of the group was the most beneficial part of the class for them.

The calls offer a deeper level of accountability and support in doing the work and also a place to bring your questions. Each call we work with students on their own life material so you get to practice, with our guidance, the ideas we teach about. On the calls we help you with your actual life situations and feelings. You get to practice using the tools with our guidance and in a community of other people who are doing the same. It is possible to do the work without the live calls but it is easier to get more out of the class as a core participant.