Anger Control Plan

Anger Control Plan

1. Take a timeout (formal or informal)

2. Talk to a friend (someone you trust)

3. Use the Conflict Resolution Model to express anger

4. Exercise (take a walk, go to the gym, etc.)

5. Attend 12-Step meetings

6. Explore primary feelings beneath the anger

Anger Control Plans

Anger Control Plans

Up to now the group has been focusing on how to monitor anger. In the first session, you

learned how to use the anger meter to rate your anger. Last week, you learned how to identify

the events that trigger your anger, as well as the physical, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive

cues associated with each event. In this session, you will begin to develop your own anger control

plans and learn how you can use specific strategies, such as timeouts and relaxation, to

control anger. Some people refer to their anger control plans as their toolbox and the specific

strategies they use to control their anger as the tools in their toolbox.

An effective set of strategies for controlling anger should include both immediate and preventive

strategies. Examples of immediate strategies include timeouts, deep-breathing exercises,

and thought stopping. Examples of preventive strategies include developing an exercise program

and changing irrational beliefs. These strategies will be discussed in later sessions.

Timeouts

The timeout is a basic anger management strategy that should be in everyone’s anger control

plan. A timeout can be used formally or informally. In its simplest form, it means taking a few

deep breaths and thinking instead of reacting. It may also mean leaving the situation that is

causing the escalation or simply stopping the discussion that is provoking your anger.

The formal use of a timeout involves our relationships with other people. These relationships

may involve family members, friends, and coworkers. The formal use of a timeout involves having

an agreement, or a prearranged plan, by which any of the parties involved can call a timeout

and to which all parties have agreed in advance. The person calling the timeout can leave

the situation, if necessary. It is agreed, however, that he or she will return to either finish the

discussion or postpone it, depending on whether the parties involved feel they can successfully

resolve the issue.

A timeout is important because it can be used effectively in the heat of the moment. Even if a

person’s anger is escalating quickly as measured on the anger meter, he or she can prevent

reaching 10 by taking a timeout and leaving the situation.

A timeout is also effective when used with other strategies. For example, you can take a timeout

and go for a walk. You can also take a timeout and call a trusted friend or family member

or write in your journal. These other strategies help you calm down during your timeout period.

When Does Anger Become a Problem?

When Does Anger Become a Problem?

Anger becomes a problem when it is felt too intensely, is felt too frequently, or is expressed

inappropriately. Feeling anger too intensely or frequently places extreme physical strain on the

body.

What is anger management?

Overview of Anger Management Treatment

What is anger management?

In the most general sense, anger is a feeling or emotion that ranges from mild irritation to

intense fury and rage. Many people often confuse anger with aggression. Aggression is

behavior that is intended to cause harm or injury to another person or damage to property.

Hostility, on the other hand, refers to a set of attitudes and judgments that motivate aggressive

behaviors.

I. Purpose of the Group

1) Learn to manage anger effectively.

2) Stop violence or the threat of violence.

3) Develop self-control over thoughts and actions.

4) Receive support from others.

II. Group Rules

1) Group Safety: No violence or threats of violence toward staff or other group members are

permitted. It is very important that you view the group as a safe place to share your experiences

and feelings without threats or fear of physical harm.

2) Confidentiality: Group members should not discuss outside of the group what other members

say. (The group leader should determine the limits of the laws or rules pertaining to

confidentiality in his or her State.)

3) Homework Assignments: Brief homework assignments will be given each week. Doing the

homework assignments will improve your anger management skills and allow you to get the

most from the group experience.

4) Absences and Cancellations: You should call or notify the group leader in advance if you

cannot attend a group session. Because of the amount of material presented in each session,

you may not miss more than 3 of the 12 sessions.

If you miss more than three sessions, you may continue attending the weekly sessions, but

you will not receive a certificate of completion.

5) Timeouts: The group leader reserves the right to call a timeout at any time. Eventually, you

will learn to call a timeout yourself if you feel that you may be losing control because your

anger is escalating.

ANGER MANAGEMENT

The emotion of anger is not always a negative feeling to experience. In fact, being

angry in some ways can be a positive outlet and something that should not be ignored.

However, having rage inside that results in harmful tendencies towards yourself or other

people, and from which the source is painful experience, is not healthy at all. This type of

anger should be dealt with before it escalates into more negative experiences.

Designed for your protection and safety, anger/rage is ultimately your friend and close

ally. But until you can accept this kind of feeling as a part of your being, you will tend to

be at war with the emotion of anger as well as yourself. You must first understand that

anger is a protective emotion and then consider the ways in which anger can be useful

and positive to you.

Because anger or rage springs immediately from pain and fear, and then ultimately love,

you must be careful that this anger is not disconnected from other basic emotions. This is

when it becomes dangerous. Once you overstep that boundary of caring for your feelings

or the feelings of another person, your anger has the power to instill pain, either

emotional or physical.

On the other hand, if you can connect love for every angry feeling you get, anger tends

to dissolve and love and sense prevail. Below are four ways in which you can better

understand your anger:

1. Learn to recognize the relationship that exists between the

emotions of anger, rage, fear, pain, and love. There is an inherent

connection between all three and the mark of a healthy individual is

one where that person can target the origin from which their emotions

of anger and stemming from. Is it fear? Is it pain? Or is the root cause

of the anger stemming from love?

2. Learn to identify the vast differences between the actions

that are motivated by fear and the actions that are motivated

by love. Again, this is very similar to number one above. Your goal

should be to immediately identify your feelings of anger and the

feelings of anger from other people and where they come from.

3. Understand that having courage is a result of the anger-love

connection. Having courage to face a problem that has resulted from

being anger with a loved one is a necessity in life, but only if that