Course Catalog / BMU 202 / Syllabus
BMU 202 Healing Out Loud: Course Syllabus
Welcome. You are an adult with a full life, and this course is built for that. This page shows what you will learn, why it matters, what you will do, and how to succeed. Come back to it any time you wonder what is next.
This page helps you
- Explain what success looks like in this course
- Find your next step and set your own target dates
- Find help when you get stuck
Why this course matters
Many adults look fine on the outside but carry hurts nobody taught them to put down. This course helps you name what you carry and see where some of it came from. You learn to answer your inner critic, use your voice, and build a simple system for hard days. You finish with a one page Healing Plan and a list of places to get more help.
This course is for you if:
- You have finished BMU 102 Hard Conversations at Home and want to go deeper
- You carry family weight you never chose and are tired of carrying it quietly
- You do great for a few weeks, then slip, and want a routine that holds
What success looks like
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Name one weight you carry and catch the moment you numb out
- Map one family pattern and choose to keep, change, or end it
- Tell shame from guilt and answer your inner critic with self compassion
- Use your voice: reappear in small ways, ask for what you need, and write what was never said
- Build a weekly sanity system with if then plans and a One More Day safety plan
- Spot false progress, reset after a slip, and know where to get more help
You will know you got there in two ways. First, you pass the posttest with 80% or higher. Second, your capstone rubric shows Ready to use on each row.
Your next step
Start with the pretest. It takes about 10 minutes and is not graded. Then open Lesson 1: Where Are You Right Now?.
Here is the full path through the course:
- Pretest: 12 questions, plus 3 quick confidence questions. Not graded. You take it once.
- The lessons, in order: 9 lessons, from Lesson 1: Where Are You Right Now? to Lesson 9: You Are the Pattern Breaker, and Your Mud Toolkit.
- Course wrap up: finish your capstone on the Course Project page, which checks it for you.
- Posttest: 12 questions. Pass with 80%. Retake as often as you need.
- Course survey: about 2 minutes, optional and anonymous.
- Your certificate: type your name and print it.
- A 30 day check in, if you opt in.
Your dates. BMU sets no deadlines. You choose them. Pick a start date and a target finish date now, and put both on your calendar. Each lesson's action step also says when to do it, such as tomorrow or this week.
Course schedule
Every lesson has the same parts, so you always know what is coming. You get a short read, a Try it action step you do in real life, and, in most lessons, a quick check. Times come from each lesson page.
| Lesson | Read | Action step | What you do (Try it) | Builds outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pretest | 10 min | None | See where you start | All |
| Lesson 1: Where Are You Right Now? (free preview) | 12 min | See lesson | Your starting point | Start here |
| Lesson 2: The Stuff We Carry, and Why We Numb Out | 8 min | 15 min | One bag, one week | O1 |
| Lesson 3: Generational Baggage Is Real, and It Was Not All in Your Head | 9 min | 15 min | Your family pattern map | O2 |
| Lesson 4: Shame, Guilt, and That Inner Critic | 9 min | 15 min | Critic to coach | O3 |
| Lesson 5: How You Were Taught to Disappear, and the Lie That You Are Too Much | 8 min | 15 min | One week of reappearing | O4 |
| Lesson 6: What You Were Never Allowed to Say | 8 min | 15 min | Your unsent letter | O4 |
| Lesson 7: A System for Sanity, and Making It Through One More Day | 9 min | 15 min | Two parts and a plan | O5 |
| Lesson 8: False Progress, Slipping Back, and the 4 Step Reset | 8 min | 15 min | Reset and follow through | O6 |
| Lesson 9: You Are the Pattern Breaker, and Your Mud Toolkit | 9 min | 15 min | Your Mud Toolkit and pattern breaker plan | O2, O6 |
| Course wrap up | 5 min | 20 min | Finish your capstone. The site checks each part | All |
| Posttest | 10 min | None | Show what you can do (80% to pass) | All |
| Survey (optional) | 2 min | None | Tell us what to improve | None |
Suggested pace
Two lessons a week. That is about five weeks. Go slower if a lesson brings up a lot. There is no rush, and you can pause any time. Go faster or slower if your life calls for it.
| When | What to do | About how long |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pretest, Lesson 1, Lesson 2 | 45 min plus the action step |
| Week 2 | Lesson 3, Lesson 4 | 48 min |
| Week 3 | Lesson 5, Lesson 6 | 46 min |
| Week 4 | Lesson 7, Lesson 8 | 47 min |
| Week 5 | Lesson 9 | 24 min |
| Week 6 | Course wrap up, Posttest, Survey (optional), Certificate | 37 min |
How much time it takes
- Each lesson: 8 to 12 minutes to read, in one sitting.
- Each action step: 15 to 15 minutes, done in your real life within the window the lesson gives.
- At the suggested pace: up to about 48 minutes a week.
- The whole course: about 4 hours and 7 minutes, including the tests, the wrap up, and the survey.
What you will do and why
Each task below practices or checks one of the outcomes above. Nothing here is busywork.
| Task | What you do | Counts toward the certificate? |
|---|---|---|
| Pretest | Answer 12 questions and 3 confidence questions before Lesson 1. It shows where you start, so you can see your growth later. | No. Not graded. |
| Check your understanding | Answer 4 short questions at the end of a lesson. Every answer tells you why it is right or wrong. | No. Try as many times as you like. |
| Try it action steps | Do one real task after each lesson. Each one builds a piece of your capstone. | No, but they are where the change happens. |
| Capstone | Your capstone is a one page Healing Plan. It names one weight you carry and your numbing check in. It names one family pattern you are changing. It includes one critic line rewritten with self compassion and one DEAR MAN ask or unsent letter decision. It lists your two sanity system parts, three if then plans, and your One More Day plan. It ends with your 4 Step Reset and your Mud Toolkit. You keep it private unless you choose to share it. | Yes. The Course Project page checks each part automatically. Every part must pass for your certificate. |
| Posttest | Answer 12 questions and the same 3 confidence questions. Each retake mixes the order and swaps in some new questions. | Yes. Pass with 80% or higher. |
| Self assessment | Rate yourself on each outcome and pick one to review. | No. It is for you. |
| Survey and 30 day check in | Tell us what helped and what to fix. Opt in to a check in at 30 days. | No. Both are optional. |
Your capstone rubric checks these parts:
- Weight and numbing (Lesson 2)
- Family pattern (Lesson 3)
- Inner critic (Lesson 4)
- Voice (Lessons 5 and 6)
- Sanity and safety (Lesson 7)
- Reset and help (Lessons 8 and 9)
How the course checks each goal
Each goal is taught in a lesson, tested in the Posttest, and, when it is something you do, checked again in your Course Project.
| Goal | Taught in | Posttest | Course Project part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name one weight you carry and catch the moment you numb out | Lesson 2: The Stuff We Carry, and Why We Numb Out | Questions 1, 2 | Part 1: Weight and numbing (Lesson 2) |
| Map one family pattern and choose to keep, change, or end it | Lesson 3: Generational Baggage Is Real, and It Was Not All in Your Head | Questions 3, 4 | Part 2: Family pattern (Lesson 3) |
| Tell shame from guilt and answer your inner critic with self compassion | Lesson 4: Shame, Guilt, and That Inner Critic | Questions 5, 6 | Part 3: Inner critic (Lesson 4) |
| Use your voice: reappear in small ways, ask for what you need, and write what was never said | Lesson 5: How You Were Taught to Disappear, and the Lie That You Are Too Much; Lesson 6: What You Were Never Allowed to Say | Questions 7, 8 | Part 4: Voice (Lessons 5 and 6) |
| Build a weekly sanity system with if then plans and a One More Day safety plan | Lesson 7: A System for Sanity, and Making It Through One More Day | Questions 9, 10 | Part 5: Sanity and safety (Lesson 7) |
| Spot false progress, reset after a slip, and know where to get more help | Lesson 8: False Progress, Slipping Back, and the 4 Step Reset | Questions 11, 12 | Part 6: Reset and help (Lessons 8 and 9) |
Grading and your certificate
Performance task: in the Course Project page you build the capstone for your own life with guided fields, tables, and choices. The page checks each rubric line automatically and shows how to fix any part that is not ready yet. You can revise and check again as often as you need. The certificate needs every part of the project passing and the Posttest at 80% or higher.
- Pretest: not graded. You take it once. It is fine to miss questions. They show where to start.
- Posttest: you need 80% or higher. You can retake it as many times as you need. Your first try is the one BMU uses to see how much the course helped, so there is no need to rush it.
- Capstone (Course Project): the Course Project page checks each rubric line automatically. A line that is not ready yet shows you what to fix.
- Certificate of Completion: it unlocks when you have done two things: every part of your Course Project passed its automatic check, and you passed the posttest with 80% or higher. The survey is optional and never blocks it. Type your name on the certificate page and print it.
Your Certificate of Completion lists the skills under What success looks like, the course time (about 4 hours), and the standard you met: your Course Project passed the automatic check on every rubric line, and you passed the posttest at 80% or higher.
What you need
Prerequisites: none. You do not need any earlier BMU course. Read Getting started before Lesson 1.
- Cost: Lesson 1 is free. The rest of the course is part of BMU All Access. Sign up free as a Founding Member to keep going.
- Device: a phone, tablet, or computer with internet and a current version of Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox.
- Skills: you can open links, type in a box, and scroll. Printing is optional. You can also save pages as a PDF.
- Privacy to write about your own life. You never have to share what you write.
- A phone, to save 988 and your One More Day plan
How this course works
This course is self paced and online. There are no live classes, no group posts, and no one checks when you log in. Taking part means three things:
- Read each lesson in order, in one sitting if you can.
- Do the Try it step in your real life. That is where the learning happens.
- Be honest with yourself on the practice checks and the self assessment. Your reflections are private, and you never have to share them.
Policies and flexibility
If you fall behind or get stuck: there are no deadlines. Start with the Quick review at the top of the next lesson. If a step still does not make sense after two tries, contact BMU Learner Support with the lesson name and the step.
- Pace: go at your own speed. There are no late penalties. If you miss a week, pick up where you left off.
- Retakes: lesson checks and the posttest have no limit on tries.
- Your progress: lessons, notes, and test scores are saved in this browser on this device. They are not tied to your name. If you clear your browser data, use private browsing, or switch devices, your progress will not follow you.
- Honest work: take the pretest and posttest on your own, without notes, other people, or AI. Please do not share test answers. Your certificate says you passed, so let the score show what you can do.
- Using AI: You may use AI to brainstorm, explain an idea in simpler words, or practice. If AI helps you draft your capstone, check every fact and make it sound like you. Never paste passwords, account numbers, or medical details into an AI tool.
- Keep it accurate: This course is education, not therapy or medical care. It does not diagnose or treat any condition.
- Changes: if BMU changes this course, the date at the top of this page will change, and we will say what changed here.
Getting help
Words you do not know? See the glossary.
This course is self paced, so there is no live instructor. You are not on your own, though. Here is where to go:
- Quick answers: the BMU Help Center covers progress, certificates, billing, and technical problems.
- Ask a person: use the Contact BMU support form and pick a topic. We read every message and reply as soon as we can. Please do not send card numbers or passwords.
- Something not working: refresh the page and try a current browser. If it still fails, contact support, choose Technical problem, and tell us the page, your device, and your browser.
Accessibility
We want every page to work with a keyboard, a screen reader, and zoom. Tables scroll on small screens, and answers open with a tap. If anything gets in your way, or you need a lesson in another format, tell us on the contact form. Choose Technical problem, say it is an accessibility issue, and describe the page. We will work to fix it or get you the content another way.
Check your understanding of this syllabus
Can you answer these three questions? If so, you are ready to start.
1. What does success look like in this course?
You can do the 6 things listed under What success looks like. You pass the posttest with 80% or higher, and your capstone rubric shows Ready to use.
2. What is your next step?
Take the pretest, then start Lesson 1: Where Are You Right Now?. Put your own start and finish dates on your calendar.
3. Where do you get help?
Try the Help Center first. Then use the contact form. We read every message and reply as soon as we can.
Recap
- Start with the pretest. It is not graded.
- Do one lesson at a time, and do each Try it step in real life.
- Pass the posttest with 80% to earn your certificate. Retakes are unlimited.
- Need help? Use the Help Center or the contact form.
Sources
This syllabus is built from the course design record. The research behind each lesson is listed at the end of that lesson.