Each of the SelfHelpWorks cognitive behavioral training courses are deliberately structured, with various wait-times between sessions, to allow users adequate time to complete assignments, absorb information, and effectively retrain their brains.
Course Rules, Calendars, & Flexibility
At the end of non-final sessions of every course (with the exception of LivingFit, which operates by a unique set of week-based rules), the user is given a list of rule-driven “next session” dates and asked to select the date and time they wish to take their next session. After scheduling the next session, the dates of all remaining future sessions are automatically updated by applying the “Recommended” course-schedule rules. This allows the user to see their projected completion date as they progress through a course.
Each course has its own recommended schedule and a minimum number of days required to complete it. There are mandatory wait-times between sessions--the amount of time varies depending on the course and the session.
In all courses, each session plays a distinct role in the brain-training process--sessions are spaced out the way they are for two reasons:
- To allow for completion of session assignments
- To give the neural pathways of the brain the necessary time to adapt to the specific cognitive training exercises that are part of the session
Course schedules are flexible and users can schedule sessions in accordance with their personal calendars; however, courses cannot be accelerated or completed more quickly than the calendar-rules dictate.
Total Sessions & Minimum Completion Times
When a user starts a course, the system automatically populates session dates using the system's default "Recommended" schedule.
| Course | Total Sessions | Completion Time |
| LivingEasy (stress/resiliency) | 8 | 3 weeks |
| LivingFit (exercise) | 12 | 9-12 weeks |
| LivingFree (tobacco) | 12 | 3 weeks |
| LivingLean (food/weight) | 14 | 4 weeks |
| LivingSmart (alcohol) | 12 | 3 weeks |
| LivingWell (diabetes) | 9 | 3 weeks |
| LivingWellRested (sleep) | 8 | 4 weeks |
When the user completes a session and selects a "next session" date, the remaining session dates and the projected course-completion date are automatically updated.
An Example...
Let's say the user has the following schedule when they start on 10/1:
| Session | Schedule | Calendar Rules |
| Session 1 | 10/1 | Course start date |
| Session 2 | 10/3 | 2 days after Session 1 (rules-driven) |
| Session 3 | 10/7 | 4 days after Session 2 (rules-driven) |
Now, let's say that the user completes Session 1 on 10/1 but chooses to schedule Session 2 for 10/5 (instead of 10/3). The schedule dates for all upcoming sessions will be shifted accordingly:
| Session | Schedule | Calendar Rules |
| Session 1 | Complete | Complete on 10/1 |
| Session 2 | 10/5 | New date chosen by user |
| Session 3 | 10/9 | 4 days after new Session 2 date (rules-driven) |
In Summary
SelfHelpWorks cognitive training courses are more than mere educational programs--they are intricately designed to change the brain’s trained cognitive response to the pertinent substance, condition, or circumstance--both the overarching course-completion time and the intermittent session-to-session wait-times are crucial elements in the process.
Users have flexibility in choosing their own schedules but, to ensure the highest possible efficacy, there are varying mandatory wait-times between sessions.
