Anger Management 9 Session Protocol
Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LMHC
Executive Director, AllCEUs.com
Objectives
~ Learn about anger and it’s functions
~ Explore events and cues
~ Develop an anger control plan
~ Learn about the aggression cycle and how to change it
~ Review the ABCDEs and thought stopping
~ Assertiveness and conflict resolution skills
~ Alternatives for expressing anger
~ Relaxation Interventions
~ Explore how past learning from your family of origin can influence current behavior
Session One: Learn About Anger
~ Anger is an emotion triggered by a threat which prompts the fight (aggression) or flight reaction
~ Hostility refers to a set of attitudes, thoughts and judgments that motivate aggressive behaviors.
~ Aggression is behavior that is intended to protect oneself by causing harm or injury to another person or damage to property. (Fight or Flee)
~ Many times what we initially perceive as a threat is not currently one
~ Misperceptions
~ Example: Fire alarm
~ Example: Sean and Elias
~ Initial experience: Brewster perceived a danger
~ Future experiences—Elias is associated with a threat
~ Example: Rescues
~ Initial experience: A man hurt you
~ Future experiences are overgeneralized: All men are dangerous
~ Example: Domestic Violence
~ Initial experience: Raised voices leads to violence
~ Future experiences: Anytime someone raises their voice it is a threat
Session 1
~ Anger becomes a problem when it is felt too intensely, is felt too frequently, or is expressed inappropriately
~ How does anger affect you:
~ Physically: Sleep, pain, GI, immunity
~ Emotionally: Regret, guilt, feeling helpless
~ Socially: Fear vs. respect, negative impact on relationships
~ Occupationally: How you work with others, customer service
~ Spiritually: Your sense of connectedness to and impact within the world, karma
~ Environmentally: Break stuff, holes in walls, throw out things impulsively
Session 1…
~ Anger initially has apparent payoffs (e.g., releasing tension, controlling people).
~ In the long-term, however, these payoffs often lead to negative consequences.
~ What benefits/payoffs does anger have for you?
~ Habits are things we do almost automatically.
~ In what ways is anger a habit
~ How can you use mindfulness to start to break that habit?
~ I am angry?
~ What am I angry about?
~ Is this actually a threat to me?
~ What is the best response in this situation to help me achieve my goals
Session 1
~ Identify anger control strategies you have used in the past
~ Which ones worked? Why?
~ Which ones didn’t work? Why?
~ Homework: Keep a log of your anger intensity the next week. Keeping a log helps you become more aware of your triggers and cues and see your progress.
~ On the top of the page, put the date (use a different sheet each day)
~ Make 3 columns with the following headers
Session 2: Identifying Triggers, Events & Cues
~ When you get angry, it’s because you have encountered an something that has made you feel threatened (provoked you)
~ What are some general situations that make you irritable? Angry or enraged?
~ Many times, specific events touch on sensitive areas. These sensitive areas or “red flags” usually refer to long-standing issues that can easily lead to anger
~ Loss of Control
~ Rejection/Isolation
~ Death/Loss
~ Failure
~ Why does each of these “sensitive areas” make you feel threatened/trigger your anger?
Session 2 cont…
~ Cues are indicators that you are getting angry.
~ Cues can be broken down into four cue categories:
~ Physical Cues (how your body responds;
