Register Now
Member Login
Mobile Friendly

What Does An Anger Management Class Entail?

On a daily basis we get phone calls from potential clients asking us what our anger management classes are all about? In some cases, the individual is looking for help because of a rocky situation at home or work. He or she lost their temper one too many times and a spouse, family member, friend or employer has asked them to take classes or else face consequences. In other scenarios, the client had a few too many cocktails and lost control at a restaurant, bar, or party and it’s a one-time incident that they are forever regretful for. Or, many times it’s a result of getting into it with a police officer, and now they have been court mandated to take a 4, 8, 10, 16, 26 or even 52 session program. Whatever the story is, the individual has to move forward to get their life back on track, and is not sure what they are about to get into. What exactly does this entail?

Anger is a natural reaction that we all experience just like happiness, excitement, fear or sadness. We all get angry, but it’s how we respond to the emotion that can determine the end result. Anger management is NOT about shelving this feeling, suppressing it and never getting angry. It’s about gaining new ways to better channel your feelings resulting in stronger, safer and more effective relationships.

Learning to identify what triggers you to get so angry is one of the first steps in getting it under control. Students start by asking themselves what types of people or events make them angry and take a look at how they have been responding. Are these reactions rational? How are they affecting those around you? In many cases, the way someone is handling their anger is the way they saw their parents’ role model it. If your dad or mom would fly off the handle whenever there was a bit of adversity, it’s understandable that you might have replicated the behavior.

However, there is no reason to live like this and we can retrain the brain by learning how to manage the triggers in a more effective manner. Students who take anger management classes learn skills in stress management, empathy, conflict resolution and assertive (not aggressive) communication. With motivation, adults can change at any age by learning techniques to relax and calm down in the eye of the storm. Anger Management techniques help us to think more clearly to find a reasonable solution to a problem, rather than losing control in a way that continuously causes negative repercussions.

In a group class, students can expect to come 1 or 2 times a week until they have attended about 10 – 12 sessions or the number they have been mandated by court. It’s a comfortable environment with about 6 -10 students per session. Each student has a workbook and the certified instructor will go through it from start to finish over these sessions, rotating through topics, having meaningful discussions and answering questions. Students can come to class whenever they can and when they have met their requirement, a Certificate of Completion is issued to show the court.

Our online classes are also designed for self-improvement purposes and to fulfill court requirements. We suggest that all our clients get prior approval from their judge, probation officer or social work, to take a distance-learning course for their particular court mandate. It’s perfect for people who can’t make it to the weekly classes due to work schedules, health issues, transportation or financial restraints. The online classes cover the same topics that we cover in our group classes, but the student takes it privately, on their own schedule. A Certificate of Completion is instantly available to download at the end of the class and we put the hard copy on the mail to you. Either way you to choose, you will learn new skills that you can employ for a more positive and successful outcome in every aspect of your life!

Is Online Anger Management Training For You?

According to a recent study by researchers at Columbia, Duke and Harvard Universities, about 22 million adult Americans have compulsive anger issues.  These issues are defined as out-of-control, explosive and destructive reactions to life’s daily conflicts.  Are you beginning to feel like you have become a part of this statistic?  Do you have episodes of anger that threaten your relationships?  Have you been told by others or noticed on your own that it’s getting more difficult for you to control your negative feelings? Has it reached the point that law enforcement has been called in because someone close to you has been afraid of your explosive reaction?  Whether it’s now become a legal mandate, you are choosing to make a change as an ultimatum from a partner or friend, or you can just want to learn how to simmer down, anger management classes either in person or online can help. 

Taking a look at the world around us, it’s apparent that workplace anger, domestic violence, and road rage are all less tolerated than ever.  While there may have been a time 20 or 30 years ago when a riled up angry boss might have been overlooked, lightly reprimanded or referred to therapy, now most companies would document the bad behavior for termination.  On the home front, once law enforcement is called out on a domestic violence accusation, many jurisdictions require the officers to bring the perpetrator in.    It’s just not worth taking the chance of dismantling your family life or career over something that is under your control.  The purpose of anger management classes is to teach you to control your emotional responses by learning new skills to better utilize your energy to resolve conflict in a better, more appropriate and professional way. 

If you are the kind of person who likes to be work in group settings to hear other people’s point of view and stories, and contribute your own experiences, then weekly-organized sessions are the way to go.  However, if you are looking for privacy, expediency or flexibility, then the online option would be a better choice.   Some clients falsely think that that this means a weekly class led by an instructor, taken via SKYPE.  Actually, our online programs are designed to simply read through at your own pace.  Once registered, our students log in to the class whenever they have free time and spend a few minutes or a few hours reading through the educationally based material.  This can be done from any WIFI connected computer device so you have the option to sit in the comfort of your own home at your PC or laptop to learn, or from your Smartphone while you are waiting for your child to finish soccer practice.  You can log on and off 24/7 so you get to determine how quickly you go through the class.  

Getting a harness on your anger now will benefit you for the rest of your life.  You can learn cutting edge anger control techniques as presented by a licensed psychotherapist and certified anger management Instructor without the hassle of driving miles away, missing work or family time.  The tools are available, now it’s up to you to utilize them! 

Workplace Anger Management Classes Benefit Employees At Every Level Of The Corporate Ladder

Did you know that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 2 million people in the U.S. are victims of workplace violence each year? This is defined as any physical violence, or harassing and threatening type of verbal abuse. With this statistic in mind along with the daily dose of anger management issues we hear about in the news each day, more and more companies are signing their employees up to take workplace anger management training courses. In some cases, the HR department is working proactively to help prevent major issues from arising while others are trying to cover themselves from future potential lawsuits. Whatever the reason, corporate anger management classes can improve your company’s reputation, improve moral and absenteeism, reduce daily interruptions due to social problems among employees and reduce your exposure to liability and litigation.

The truth is that anger control issues in the workplace can happen at any time but can be diffused and often prevented if employers know how to effectively communicate with employees, and employees have the tangible skills to gain control of their overall stress and anger levels. Studies show that companies that spend the time and initial expense to screen applicants carefully with background checks, and train supervisors to recognize and know how to defuse disputes, greatly reduce overall corporate costs.

Corporate anger management training programs teach staff at every level the skills they need in effective listening and communicating, improved empathy, ways to handle and calm hostile individuals, stress management techniques, impulse control, conflict resolution skills and how to manage expectations of others. Students are introduced to calming techniques that they probably have never instituted, even the basic ones like removing themselves from a heated discussion to go for a quick walk in the fresh air, and taking deep breaths and counting before answering.

To immediately begin creating a safer work environment, there are a few key items to start with that include:

1. Listening closely to your employee’s comments. Sometimes potentially violent individuals will drop hints of upcoming intentions to their co-workers. Tell all employees to report any aggressive or unbalanced behavior they observe.

2. Model and promote respect and a positive attitude on a daily basis. Take the time to say hello to others, show interest in them and speak considerately to everyone you interact with.

3. Institute a team spirit so no one feels alienated. Create a work environment that is inclusive and supportive of each and every employee no matter what level they are in the company. Rejection can often be the catalyst behind an angry act.

4. Create a plan to get employees out of harms way in case of emergency. Know who will contact authorities, what the back up is and the easiest route of escape.

Corporate training programs can be taken with a live instructor that comes to your facility for seminars or through online programs. Many corporations have offices throughout the country and enjoy the ease and convenience of allowing their employees to take a single consistent program from any Internet connected computer device at any time of day, either at home or in the office. Human resources can monitor the employee’s progress and success in the class and the student receives a Certificate of Completion when the course is successfully finished.

How Can An Online Anger Management Class Help Me?

Why has the court mandated that I take an anger management class? It was a one-time incident that will never be repeated and this is just overkill. We hear various versions of this same question week after week from frustrated clients who don’t have another moment in the day to participate in mandatory classes. It’s stories like a television set was thrown across a room to try to get a spouse’s attention or a cell phone at boyfriend in the heat of an argument and someone called the police. While the one time event plea might be true for some, for many of our clients this is just the one time that the law has finally been called in. The defendant has actually spent years displaying this behavior but just doesn’t see the problem in himself. The reality is that anger affects those around you quite deeply and can make co-workers, family and friends feel stressed, intimidated, scared and downright upset.

There is actually a wealth of research that shows that while an individual may have developed certain unproductive behavior patterns, with dedication and practice, a person can learn to change the way they respond. That being said, the reason to take an anger management class is to build new skills to improve relationships, redirect the path your life has taken and to become a more emotionally balanced individual. Taking court mandated classes online is the solution for those clients that really can’t miss work, have health issues that keep them at home, or don’t have transportation to get to the weekly classes.

The truth is that living an angry life is a choice that can be reevaluated and changed. In classes, students learn to identify what situations trigger the feelings, how to calm down before responding, and most importantly how to communicate effectively to resolve the conflicts that cause the angry reaction. Sound good? It is. In order to have a healthier discussion with a spouse, child, co-worker or friend that is causing you grief, people who have learned how to control their anger and negative impulses, understand the following concepts to have a more constructive discussion:

1. The other person isn’t always wrong. It’s not always a debate where one person is right and the other isn’t. Look at the other individual as an equal to come to terms with.

2. Don’t expect mind readers. You can’t expect that the person you are upset with can interpret your feelings or has the ability to read between the lines. It’s up to you to respectfully and openly communicate what you think in a calm tone.

3. Stay focused on the topic at hand. Don’t reach back to old grievances but stay specifically on the current issue. Going off on tangents just contributes to an ineffective discussion.

4. Listen to the opposing view. Don’t interrupt or tune out while you are mentally putting together your next response. Put yourself in their shoes and try to empathetically understand where they are coming from.

5. Forgive. Holding grudges won’t get you anywhere. It does not show weakness to forgive, but instead an openness to move forward. No one says that you have to forget the grievance, but put it behind you and move ahead.

Changing Your Self-Talk Can Help Reduce Chronic Anger

Most of us would agree that anger doesn’t feel good. It can make us feel hot and sweaty, put our stomach in knots, make our body start to tremble and our thinking turn to a hazy fog. When we finally calm down, emotional and sometimes even physical damage is done and we wonder how we possibly created such a mess! The lack of control may have resulted in trouble with the law, employer or family and friends and the person is done living this way, ready to make a change.

In many instances, the way a person deals with his or her anger was learned from their childhood. They observed how their caregiver’s handled stress, obstacles and irritations and followed suit. The good news is that learned behavior can also be unlearned with desire and commitment. We can develop new ways to handle our angry behavior and get our lives back by interrupting and changing the ingrained negative response. We can gain the knowledge and power to choose a more positive outcome!

Change starts from within and most anger management classes emphasize that developing a more positive attitude can help to more constructively deal with daily life. This starts with changing the way the individual thinks about and frames things in his own mind. For example, instead of imagining that someone deliberately cut him off on the freeway because that person is self-centered, the thought would be that maybe that person simply didn’t see him. Or instead of feeling constantly overwhelmed that he can never get his desk cleared of work, take a look at everything that was accomplished that day.

Other simple ways to reduce chronic anger include:

1. Improve organization. Take time the night before to iron work clothes, prepare lunches, remind the kids to put everything in their backpacks by the front door, and have your phone charged to help alleviate morning stress.

2. Wake up 10 minutes earlier than the rest of your family. Take this time to meditate, think about the day ahead, stretch and relax before everyone else jumps out of bed.

3. Exercise. Exercise is a great stress reliever. It leads to improved health and self-confidence, which in turn makes a happier person.

4. Don’t skip meals. Keeping the body fueled also helps maintain emotional balance and blood sugar levels. Eating a healthy breakfast can change your outlook on the entire day.

5. Count your blessings. Take a few minutes each morning to acknowledge all that you have.

6. Do at least one thing to help someone else each day. This can include a simple compliment, donating money, volunteering in your child’s classroom, physically assisting an injured person or someone elderly through the heavy glass doors and to the elevator, stopping to help someone with directions, giving an employee a second chance or picking up some groceries on your way home from work to alleviate the chore for your spouse. Giving to others is fulfilling and boosts energy and positive feelings.

When you change your negative self-talk and replace it with positive, energy boosting behaviors, you will see a noticeable drop in your level of anger.