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School for The Work
March 19 - 28, 2010
Los Angeles, CA
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School for The Work
July 30 - Aug. 8, 2010
Bad Neuenahr, Germany
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School for The Work
October 15 - 24, 2010
Los Angeles, CA
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The School for The Work
Katie Talks About the School
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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The School for The Work

This is the ultimate inner adventure. Unlike every other school on earth, this one isn't for learning—it's for unlearning. You'll spend nine days losing the fear-based stories you've innocently clung to all your life. They might be stories like "I'm not good enough" or "I need a partner" or "I'll never get over it" or "I have to be in control." Who would you be without those stressful stories?

Richard Lawrence Cohen has shared his School experience in "The School for The Work: An Account by Richard Lawrence Cohen." (PDF File)

At the School you'll discover that your stories are everyone's, and everyone's stories are yours. You'll be welcomed into a joyous, diverse, supportive family where you can be completely yourself without fear of judgment, perhaps for the first time in your life. You'll facilitate your classmates' Work as they open up to themselves. And then you'll trade places, and they'll do the same for you.

The School for The Work begins on Friday at 6:30 pm (on-site registration is from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.). The School ends at noon on the last day.

This is an immersion experience—an immersion in freedom. Imagine a place where you can laugh from depths of joy you never knew you had, or cry with the release of held-back grief, and know that in either case you are fully loved and accepted. Imagine that the person sitting next to you, whom you have never talked to before, asks you to facilitate her Work, and that fifteen minutes later you are friends who trust each other absolutely.

The curriculum at the School is a living, evolving process, changing with the needs of the participants and on the basis of past students' experiences. Katie herself is both your teacher and your student, sharing questions and answers with an openness rarely found among leaders of her stature. The exercises and activities are designed to mirror the transformation Katie went through after her awakening to reality. You will work on issues such as gender, body image, addiction, money, and relationships. And in each case, you'll discover that you are not alone and you have nothing to fear.

Each day during the School you may find yourself feeling freer and happier than the day before. Old habits may fall away like outworn clothes. You may find yourself eager to get up in the morning so that you won't miss a moment of this unfolding challenge. You may find it impossible not to smile at people. A morning walk, a cup of tea, or a stroll through a hotel lobby will remind you ever afterward of the time you spent here.

When you leave the School, there's a very good chance that you'll view it as the most important nine days you ever spent. When you arrived on day 1, you came lugging a lifetime's baggage. When you leave on the morning of day 10, you'll be pulling a much lighter load. Most importantly, you'll know how to keep the baggage from piling up again. You'll have a new commitment to doing The Work as a daily practice. You'll know how to do The Work with partners as well as on your own. Once back in the everyday world, you'll maintain instant contact with our worldwide community. This is really the School of You; it's a school where you'll always belong.

There is only one authorized School for The Work, and it is presented by Byron Katie through Byron Katie International.

photos: C. Pratte

"On the first evening of the School, I sometimes ask the participants what they want to take home. They say things like 'I want peace of mind' or 'I want to be free' or 'I want to be a more loving person' or 'I want to be less anxious about my problems' or 'I want to be less self-absorbed' or 'I want to live without fear' or 'I want to be happy, whether I have a lover or not.' By the end of the School, they all say that they have found a way to end their suffering and that they got even more than what they originally wanted. People come out so changed that their families are entirely grateful, and often astounded. The Work has awakened within every participant who comes with an open mind, and there is nothing that they can do to shut it down. Once the four questions are alive inside you, your mind becomes clear, and therefore the world you project becomes clear. This is more radical than anyone can possibly imagine." - Katie

Benefits include the Do The Work Helpline, the round-robin, and the forum. Learn more >>

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"I have never been so deeply and positively affected in my life. Not only was the curriculum the most advanced course in emotional honesty and maturity that I have ever encountered, but the timing, content, and sequence of all exercises were planned with such wisdom and safety that my courage to experience the teachings beyond the theoretical was truly amazing." - Michael L.

"I've been to many workshops and retreats in my life, but I've never been to anything so masterfully designed, diverse, and profound as the adventure of this course. It is stunning and beyond belief. As a result, I am clearer, cleaner, and wiser at living my life. I find it virtually impossible to be a victim anymore, and my skill in facilitating The Work has become razor-sharp. I originally thought the course was expensive, and I see it now as priceless. This kind of love can't be bought." - M.O., Los Angeles

"My experience with The Work - phenomenal. I read the books, used the website, used the helpline, paid for four sessions. No type of therapy that I’ve done or facilitated has come close to The Work in relieving my pain and re-wiring my traumas.

I have been a psychotherapist for 26 years. I burned out and left my office September 2007. I then found The Work and it has changed my life and continues to heal me. When I return from my self-appointed sabbatical, I want to be a certified facilitator of The Work." - K.P., Arizona

"The time and the money involved seemed like a lot to me - I could go on vacation instead. But something in me said to go, and by the end I had to laugh - it WAS a vacation. It literally vacated my mind. And instead of going home with souvenirs and a tan, I went home lighter, so much lighter, and it hasn't gone away. It just gets better. I learned how to have a happy life. Amazing!" - A.B., California

"What I love most about the School is my life after the School. The absence of my constant companion of uneasiness is so sweet. I feel really comfortable being me now; I actually like being with myself. I don't know if it is because of the School, and maybe it is coincidence, but now, only six months later, I am newly engaged to the most amazing man, I have moved to a wonderful home in a beautiful town, and my job gets better and better." - S.M., Arizona

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Conference Call

Katie and staff hosted a conference call to answer questions about the School. Listen to the call to learn more about the School.

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FAQs

How long do I need to have done The Work before I attend the School?

No prior experience with The Work is necessary. Some of our attendees have been doing The Work on their own for years. Others have never formally worked through the four questions and turnarounds, and may have only heard of The Work by reading this website a few weeks before a School. Quite a few people attend more than one School over the years, and each time it is a new student who is attending. The School will have a profound impact on you, no matter where you are in your journey. And there's no question of seniority. This is the School of You, and it has no grade levels. It's just you and the four questions, facilitated by your schoolmates and Katie.

Can anyone enroll in the School for The Work?

Yes, and children who are under 18 must be attended by a parent. Anyone who can answer the four questions can benefit from the School. No one is too young or too old to have their feelings hurt, to be confused, or frustrated, or depressed, and everyone deserves to know how to deal with their pain. Katie does recommend that each participant read Loving What Is before coming to the School.

Who will be our teacher or teachers?

One word: Katie. She will be sitting with you through nine full days, leading discussions, facilitating your Work, answering your questions, sharing her thoughts, her insights, her laughter, and her tears of gratitude. An amazingly competent, dedicated staff works with Katie to make the School possible, doing everything from working the lights to sitting with students who request facilitators—but the staff do not lead School sessions.

In another sense, the School is nothing but teachers. You will be your own teacher, lifting yourself to levels of understanding and joy that may astound you. Every classmate you work with will be your teacher, too, and you will be theirs. Katie likes to say, "I am your student." She means it.

What happens on a typical day at the School?

You will get up early—the day starts at 7 a.m. You'll gather with the whole group for a couple of different types of morning meditation and share your insights casually. Then Katie may introduce a topic for discussion and invite you to write a Worksheet reflecting your beliefs about that topic. You might break into pairs to facilitate each other—that is, to ask the four questions and listen with unconditional acceptance. As the day goes on, there will be more Worksheets on related issues, and some special exercises to help you bring your underlying beliefs into the open. The day ends at 9 p.m. or later. And don't be surprised if you become so enthusiastic about the day's Work, so moved by your self-discovery, that you stay up late with your newfound partners, talking and writing like excited students—which, after all, is what you are!

Why are the days in the School so long,
from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.?

Katie’s curriculum is very rich and thorough, and it is her heart’s desire that everyone get what they came for: their own freedom. So expect long hours, and all exercises and sessions are optional—this is made clear every day). With very rare exceptions, participants find that they just can’t get enough of the curriculum, it is so fabulous (according to them). The long hours are Katie’s response to their requests, and never something Katie is imposing on them.

Why does the School last for nine days?

Katie’s first schools lasted for twenty-eight days, and people found it difficult to get away from their jobs and life for such a long time. Later, by request, she reduced the School to fourteen days. Still later, because so many people who wanted to attend the School said that they could afford only a week away from their families, she reduced the fourteen days to nine, including the weekend before and after, so that she could give people the most that she could possibly give in such a short time.

Most of your Work at the School will consist of going deeper and deeper with the help of the four questions. Much of the time you will write your answers on Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheets or One-Belief-At-A-Time Worksheets. In the process, you will gain valuable experience in facilitating others in The Work. Facilitation is not psychotherapy; it is simply doing The Work in pairs. But it can make a surprising difference in the texture of your Work experience, as well as expanding your community of fellow Workers.

Another important part of the curriculum consists of exercises that Katie has developed over the years to help you live The Work within the School setting. Many of the exercises are interpersonal; others consist of encounters with yourself. These exercises address subjects such as fear and terror, death and dying, physical body and health, men and women, sex, prejudice, God, grief, relationships, diet and addictions, why we can't succeed and how to succeed. Occasional outings also belong in the category of exercises. They're challenging, fun, safe, and often mind-blowing. The surprise is part of the adventure. Wait and see!

What is social life like at the School?

You'll live and work among a couple of hundred of the most fascinating, open-minded, open-hearted people you've ever met. And they'll all be serious about doing their Work and facilitating yours. Your interactions will be so rich that you'll remember many of them all your life. You may come to view your fellow classmates as family. Sightseeing? Hanging out in the hotel bar? Nights on the town? The School is so much better than that!

Where do the students come from?

All over the world. At a recent School in Los Angeles, we had students from Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, France, England, Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, Indonesia—not to mention West Virginia, Utah, Texas, Nebraska, Hawaii... We could go on and on.

What is the food like?

Great! You'll enjoy three meals a day in a large dining room, choosing from a wide variety of dishes. The vast majority of the dishes are vegetarian, and often vegan. Organic ingredients are used whenever possible, and individual dietary requests can be accommodated if doctor-prescribed. Breakfasts include eggs or a similarly hearty main dish; one or more hot cereals; several types of fresh and dried fruit; and nondairy as well as dairy milks. Lunches and dinners feature at least two main dishes, a plentiful array of salads, and numerous side dishes of vegetables, legumes, and grains. Our chefs love to express their creativity in a setting as joyful as ours.


The long hours, the many days, the isolation—isn’t this cultish? Is The Work a cult?

No, if by “cult” you mean a group of people who are indoctrinated to accept certain beliefs. Actually, The Work is the opposite of a “cult,” since The Work’s whole purpose is to question beliefs. It gives people a way to think for themselves, a way to take their own minds back. It has nothing to do with substituting new beliefs for old beliefs or teaching that any belief is true or untrue. The Work is about taking on the responsibility of unbrainwashing ourselves from the negative thoughts that keep us from the optimum health, happiness, and productivity that each of us deserves.

Here is what Katie says at the beginning of Loving What Is:

Why are participants advised not to email during the School?

This is Katie’s way of supporting participants in staying focused on what they came for—their own freedom, rather than their email—for nine days. It is not a requirement: it is a suggestion. It is important to Katie that participants are offered the opportunity to stay focused on their own process of inquiry, and not be distracted by business or non-emergency family matters for nine days. (Any emergency messages from family or business get to participants immediately. All other messages go through the hotel switchboard and are left on the participants’ phones in their own rooms.)

Are participants in the School required to share a room?

No. Some people do choose to have single rooms. It is suggested that participants have roommates, and that they room with someone they don’t know, because we have found that an unfamiliar roommate often stirs up stressful thoughts, and this gives people a chance to do The Work on thoughts that they have been suffering from their whole lives. The roommate exercises have transformed relationships with spouses, parents, children, business partners, and friends. Our experience is that by the end of the nine-day School everyone who had a roommate is very happy that they did. And often those who chose not to have a roommate feel that if given the opportunity again, they would say yes.

Don’t you isolate members from society, as cults do?

No. We are not a cult, and our participants are not members of anything but a nine-day-long experience developed by Katie to create kinder lives. With cults, the isolation is complete, extended, and even permanent. The participants in the School are not isolated. Rather, they are invited to take advantage of these precious days with Katie and her staff and to stay focused on the School curriculum for nine days After this nine-day-long experience, they return to their everyday lives, with a way to deal with any problem that may arise. The overwhelming majority of them—this is what they themselves say—return to their lives as much happier, kinder, freer human beings. At home, they are free to do The Work or not, as they wish. We don’t contact participants unless they request enrollment in the Institute for The Work, or unless they request our free newsletter. We do have an amazing aftercare program, which is free of charge, and is available to them if they sign up for it themselves. The School is about taking total responsibility for yourself, and Katie supports that for the entire nine days, and for the rest of your life.

What happens after I graduate from the School?

We have designed a constantly evolving set of post-graduation activities to help you make The Work a permanent part of your life. You'll be able to stay in touch with classmates and to keep deepening The Work through the Institute for The Work, a special community for School graduates. You'll be able to participate in telephone partnerships, round-robin sessions, conference calls, and inquiry circles. You'll be eligible to train for certification as a Work facilitator. Many graduates form independent groups to do The Work in their communities or by phone. Chat groups for School graduates are also popular. The School is a continually extended welcome.

How will attending the School help me in my profession?

Licensed professionals such as marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, alcohol and drug-abuse counselors, nurses, teachers, massage therapists, and acupuncturists can receive continuing education credit for attending the School. For details, scroll down to the Continuing Education Credit section on this page.

Those in the helping professions are deeply impressed by how quickly and efficiently The Work can help a client untangle a problem that may have resisted therapy for years. War veterans with PTSD and survivors of abuse have proven remarkably able to liberate themselves, through The Work, from years, even decades, of suffering. When you, as a professional, help a client experience this kind of breakthrough, you will know one of the deepest fulfillments someone can have: the joy of guiding another human being to freedom.

And if you're not in one of the helping professions? If you're a businessperson, an educator, an artist, a homemaker, a student? The Work can help you cope with the stresses that accompany any career: interactions at the workplace; uncertainties about vocation; procrastination; the upheavals of success and failure. The Work is the ultimate education, and the School of You has campuses in every area of life.

How will the School change my life?

That's up to you. The one thing that can be said with complete confidence is that it will change your life, and always in a positive way. The great majority of our graduates find their mental, and even physical, well-being increased. Their ability to manage stress is markedly improved. They become better listeners, better communicators, better friends, better family members. They become more creative in the face of life's changes. Interestingly, these quantum leaps may take you by surprise. You may find yourself responding calmly to a situation that used to rattle you, and think, "Hey, in the old days I would have blown my stack. Look how well I'm dealing with it now." Your loved ones may say, "Wow, you've changed." And the longer you keep doing The Work, the more that kind of realization will become a familiar experience.

How much does attending the School cost?

Prices for all BKI events are listed on the registration page of our Store. Limited scholarships are available—see below >>

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Scholarship Information

If you have a strong compelling desire to attend the School for The Work, and work for a non-profit organization, or in the education and/or the mental health field, and are unable to attend School because of financial circumstances, Byron Katie International offers full and partial scholarships and tuition assistance to those who qualify. Click here to download an application.

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Continuing Education Credit

Continuing education units/contact hours are available for licensed professionals.

Byron Katie International is currently approved as a provider of continuing education contact hours for the School for The Work and for the weekend intensives.

CEU: The School for The Work

California Licensed Clinical Social Workers
California Marriage and Family Therapists
California Registered Nurses
National Certified Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors
Acupuncturists
National Certified Counselors
Massage Therapists & Bodyworkers
California Teachers*

*Please note that there is an additional fee for teachers only.

Our provider numbers are listed below. These numbers are recognized by many states other than California. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility for approval, please ask us.

These courses are designed for professionals. However, anyone is welcome to attend.

Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors: Byron Katie International is approved by the NAADAC Approved Education Provider Program (Provider #362) for 50 contact hours.

California MFTs and LCSWs: This course meets the qualifications for 50 hours of CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (Provider #PCE-1283).

Counselors: Byron Katie International is recognized by the National Board of Certified Counselors to offer 50 CE hours of continuing education for National Certified Counselors. We adhere to NBCC Continuing Education Guidelines (NBCC Provider #5914).

Nurses: Byron Katie International is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP 13091 for 50 contact hours.

Teachers: 5.0 contact hours with California State University, Hayward.

Acupuncturists: Byron Katie International is approved by the California Board of Acupuncture for 50 CE credits (Provider # CEP 279).

Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers: Byron Katie is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education provider under Category A (Provider #333231-00).

CEU: Weekend Intensive

Byron Katie International offers 14 continuing education units/contact hours to the following licensed professionals at our Weekend Intensive:

California Licensed Clinical Social Workers
California Marriage and Family Therapists
California Registered Nurses
National Certified Counselors
California Teachers*

*Teachers receive 1.5 contact hours (equivalent to 15 CEUs) and must pay an additional fee of $81.

For more information on continuing education, please contact us at customercare@thework.com.

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Translation

DO YOU NEED TO FIND A TRANSLATOR FOR THE 2010 SCHOOL FOR THE WORK IN GERMANY?

Those of you requesting information about translators for English into German, Spanish, or Russian please contact the following:

If you translate English into French and French into English fluently, and are available to translate for others (7/30 - 8/8/2010), please contact natalie@thework.com.

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Upcoming Schools: March 19 - 28, 2010 Crowne Plaza Hotel Los Angeles, California July 30 - August 8, 2010 Dorint Parkhotel Bad Neuenahr, Germany (The School is presented in English. For information about translation, click here.) October 15 - 24, 2010 Crowne Plaza Hotel Los Angeles, California Register by Registering online, calling 1-888-98-KATIE (52843) or 1-805-444-5799 International calls: (001) 805-444-5799

Staff

School graduates may apply to staff the School:
Click here to fill out the online application.

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The Work in Action

cancer	"I'm too fat"
father	empathy
loss	money
son	pressure