Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever been accused of being a bully? I am a firm believer that anyone can benefit from an anger management class. This is especially true of bullies. Our children are often faced with them at school, we see them at work, and they exist in the everyday world. They attempt to intimidate others to submit to their own views or agree to their position. They use their bodies or language to scare others into submission.
The main skill that bullies lack is emotional intelligence. That is to say, they lack the ability to have empathy for others. They tend to have low self-esteem and use their bullying as a way to feel better about themselves or gain acceptance from others. Anger management classes would be an ideal resource for all bullies. They would not only learn new ways of connecting with others without intimidation, but they would also attract more meaningful interpersonal relationships with others.
I urge all school personnel, especially as we approach the start of the new year, to consider having students take an anger management class or an online anger management class for teens. Prevention is key and an anger course is an excellent intervention with a very low barrier to entry.
Corporations can also benefit from anger management courses for their employees. Corporate bullying has become common place in America and it is an often overlooked problem for Human Resource professionals. Anger management classes not only teach skills in emotional intelligence, but also in improving communication skills. Anger management should be viewed as risk prevention.