Justin,
Did you get the 3 or 4 finger? By your description I guess a 3 finger?
I shoot 3D with a 3 finger thumb trigger style release but wanted my Eagle to be 4 fingers just so I was pulling with three. Index ring and pinky with the Eagle.
I just keep my middle finger off the trigger and slid up along the head of the release and loop.
I don't recommend using the strap to pull the bow back because it doesn't promote consistent or proper hand placement on the release itself. if I could trust myself not to punt the thing out of my treestand by accident I'd just take the strap off entirely.
Putting any weight on the strap at full draw while anchored also defeats the back tension principle almost entirely. There should be no tension on the strap at all when drawing, just use it to keep from having to climb down the tree and pick it up.

Just keep shooting it and drawing and finger placement will become second nature....as with anything new or different, it will feel foreign for a little while, and then one day you'll realize you are on auto pilot.

I love mine, it's turned my hunting rig into a real tack driver by taking away that urge to just mash an index trigger.
and the nice thing is that you can fire the Eagle quickly as well by simply leaning more weight on that one finger and pulling through.

Great release, don't give up on it.