Expert teaching in a Community of peers.

"Feeling gratitude for this book club only begins to describe the benefits I've experienced from this 12 week group. Our two well-informed leaders, Brandon and Heather, compassionately lead by example demonstrating ways to ease the burdens of anxiety and other emotions we have unnecessarily carried. The relief, lightness and hope from the tools learned have been a gift. My relationships with others and myself have been softening." ~Jodee F from USA "It was a delight to meet with this wonderful group of people each week! I learned a lot, felt safe and connected, and as importantly managed to get through this information dense book thanks to the accountability that this format provides. I would wholeheartedly recommend the book club to everyone!" ~Milan S. from Serbia. "This is an amazing experience and I highly recommend. I learned something new every single time about my thoughts and how integral they are to my feelings. Amazing facilitators that are so genuine and ready to help everyone! I can’t say enough and I will be back again to practice." ~Kristina T. from Australia. "It was an amazing experience for me during the difficult days of the pandemic. It gave me a wonderful opportunity to meet with other members who are all extraordinary individuals." ~Mohammed A. from USA. "The Bookclub was a wonderful, helpful learning opportunity. Dr Brandon Vance, Dr Heather and Sunny were the Very BEST faculty and the community experience was very enjoyable. Dr Burns visit was particularly memorable! The music and songs greatly enhanced the rich experience! Thank you so much for all these resources. I am so glad I joined the Bookclub, else I am not sure I would have read the book!" ~Shobha A. from USA.

A Book Club for Everyone Everywhere

Join a community of people from all over the world. Choose from one of two times:

Mons: Feb 24th - May 12th | 4:00 - 5:20 pm PST Weds: Feb 26th - May 14th, 8:30 - 9:50 am PST

Groups meet online for 80 min Cost is $14 per session, but we’re happy to meet you where you can comfortably afford the group. No one will be turned away for lack of finances!

Learn powerful tools for Anxiety and Depression

In each group, we will have small group discussions, work on exercises and discuss questions from group members.

Note that this group is NOT intended to treat any illness, but rather to learn more from this remarkable book.

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Now with special breakout groups for the Feeling Great App!

The Feeling Great App is a new mobile app developed by Dr. David Burns and his team. In addition to interactive courses and exercises, the App features an AI-powered chatbot that takes the time to learn about what is upsetting to you and helps you challenge thoughts that may be causing you to feel down or worried. Using the App has been demonstrated to have long-lasting impacts on joy and outlook on life.

Brandon Vance, MD, a level 4 TEAM therapist and trainer, will facilitate with help from other Feeling Great Therapists.

Lead by:

Brandon Vance, MD, level 4 TEAM therapist and trainer

Heather Clague, MD, Level 5 TEAM therapist and trainer

For Frequently Asked Questions, and Do-It-Yourself Book Club Suggestions, see below:

FAQ

What is it and what is it not? This is an educational group to have support in learning the material in David Burns' new book Feeling Great. It is NOT a treatment group, and it is NOT an emotional support group. It is also a large group of people and there will not be opportunity for much individual attention from leaders (though there will be facilitated breakout groups).

The goals for this group are:

  • to support you to read the book and do the exercises in it

  • to deepen your understanding of the concepts in the book

  • to facilitate a sense of community

What will we do in it? We will have small group discussions on the chapter(s), work on related exercises, and discuss questions that you can email us before the group (or ask during it). There will also be a NON-MODERATED listserv for people in the community to discuss issues related to the book. We will also practice the 5 Secrets of Effective Communication in breakout groups, something that is mentioned a number of times in the book but is not discussed in depth.

Do I need to be a user of the Feeling Great App to join the group? No! We welcome App users (who can request to be in a breakout with other App users) but the group centered on the book, Feeling Great.

How much is it? The cost is $14 USD per 80-minute session paid for the whole series when you register. So $168 for the whole 12 weeks of 80 minute sessions. If you can not afford this, please email brandonvance@gmail.com to discuss what you can comfortably afford per session paid in advance. No one will be turned away for lack of funds!

Requirements: we want everyone to get the most out of this book club.

- Please purchase Feeling Great by David Burns (available on hard copy, ebook reader, audiobook).

- Please do the reading BEFORE each group.

How long does each group last? 80 minutes

What Online Platform will you use and where's the link? We will use Zoom.

*Note that Daylight Savings Time in the US begins Sunday, March 9th Please check for your country and time zone, when the group will be. Times will be pegged to US Pacific Time.

Can I switch back and forth between the two book clubs? In order to protect the sense of community that forms in the breakout groups, we ask that participants commit to either the Monday or Wednesday group time.

Who are Brandon and Heather and who else will be helping with the group?

Brandon Vance, MD (you can call him Brandon) has been a psychiatrist for 17 years and has practiced psychotherapy for 20 years. He has studied TEAM therapy with David Burns since 2011. He is a level 4 TEAM therapist and trainer and actively teaches training groups in TEAM therapy and teaches also at the California Institute for Integral Studies. He lives in Oakland, California in the United States. Outside of work, he is engaged in writing and performing music, most recently in a social justice themed group that plays hip hop over latin rhythms. He is part of www.feelinggreattherapycenter.com and co-founder of www.gamefulmind.com which develops playful ways to support mental wellness such as our card game TuneIN TuneUP.

Heather Clague, MD (you can call her Heather) is a level 5 certified TEAM therapist and trainer with a practice in Oakland, California. She co-leads the Feeling Great Book Club and other groups with Dr. Brandon Vance and leads Five Secrets Deep Practice Groups. In her work with patients, she integrates cognitive behavioral therapy with contemporary psychodynamic therapy, Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to relieve suffering and empower patients to realize the best in themselves. She was awarded the Alexander Simon award for excellence in psychotherapy teaching. Her writing can be found at psychotherapy.net.

DO-IT-YOURSELF BOOK CLUB:

SUGGESTED FORMAT, QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES TO USE IN YOUR OWN BOOK CLUB HERE

Those groups are also welcome to hire me to sit in on a session occasionally to answer questions and do demonstrations (of course I imagine other TEAM therapists would also be willing to do this). My rate will be adjusted by a Purchasing Power Parity conversion to take into account differences in income in different countries.


What People are Saying about the Book Club:

  • Participating in the Feeling Great book club this fall and learning about TEAM CBT, has given me a whole different perspective on approaching depression, anxiety, moods, emotions and thoughts. I also deeply value the relationships created with those in my breakout group. Well worth the time and investment!em

    Christie R., South Dakota, USA

  • The Feeling Great Book Club was an awesome resource to get more information on and better understand Feeling Great. I first read the book on my own and learned a lot, and getting questions answered, seeing live demos and having a consistent small group was super valuable in helping me! The instructors were incredibly warm, empathetic and skilled. I'd highly recommend it!

    Mani S., California, USA

  • A fantastic forum to dive into the book, listen and learn from excellent skilled therapists and discover applications as well as practice in the breakout groups. A tremendous experience.

    Mareen R., Wellington, New Zealand

  • I was unsure about signing up, but so glad I did. The leaders are so gifted. And the other participants were good people! I loved my small group.

    Christine C., Georgia, USA

  • This will be one of the best investments that you can make in your personal development to overcome Depression and Anxiety.

    Patricia M., Saskatchewan, Canada

  • Joining this book club is an ideal way to motivate yourself to read this great book, meet kindred souls, and be guided by a team of highly trained CBT specialists.

    Rose T., California, USA

  • I have learned a lot from joining this book club, and I can really recommend it. The only thing you need to do is to read the chapters every time, so that you get full potential from the book club. To see and hear how to do the exercises makes it easier to understand.

    Annette H., Denmark

  • Very clear and thoughtful delivery and a good overall experience.

    Sophie P. Oxford, UK

  • The Feeling Great book club was a great source of accountability to read the book, and most importantly, to put the lessons into action. It was rewarding to get to know the other participants in the breakout rooms and share how we were all feeling and changing, without pretense.

    Rosemary F., Washington, USA

  • The benefit to me was commitment to read chapters and develop questions keeping me accountable rather than telling myself that I’ll get to the book later….and that doesn’t go well for me. Also loved seeing the individuals participating because it reinforced how many people are searching for a tool to change old thought patterns and introduce knew. It was a good journey!

    Karen K. from Texas, USA

  • Great support from best professionals and learning process for dealing with negative moods.

    S.L., California, USA

  • The structure and accountability of this book club motivated me to fully engage. The camaraderie of other participants provided perspective... I am not alone in my need to retool my thinking. It is wonderful to be surrounded by others who also want to learn and be their best selves.

    Lynn F., California, USA.

  • My experience in the Book Club was positive and worth my time. When I learned that the Book Club was being offered, I thought to myself, this is a perfect way to reinforce the material in the book! It was difficult to believe this was the first time the Book Club was presented. When I think of how well it was planned and facilitated by Brandon and the team I would think the class had been offered many times. The breakout groups were extremely beneficial it was an opportunity to hear and learn from others who were so supportive and it reinforced the materials being discussed in the larger group. Reading Dr. Burns book Feeling Great is wonderful, but having the opportunity to discuss the content with those that are well qualified and experienced takes it to another level. I am looking forward to the next Book Club starting in August. Thank you Brandon and to your team for making the Book Club experience very rewarding. Thank You!!

    Robert J., California, USA

  • The Feeling Great Book Club community was so incredibly helpful in giving my 19 year old daughter and I time to process the quantity and quality of David Burns life work. It give us the vocabulary and structure to communicate and have a better relationship.

    Susan B., Washington, USA.