Register Now
Member Login
Mobile Friendly

5 Evidence Based Anger Management Class Techniques that Really Work

Is anger management just a bunch of hot air?  It's often hard to tell what is really effective these days and what is just a bunch of "advice" that is simply based on opinion.  Anger management class techniques can vary from program to program, so it's important to determine what is really going to be effective before you spend the time and energy trying to learn something new to better manage and control your temper.  Here is a quick list of some of the most trusted and proven interventions for better managing anger:

Anger Control Tip #1: Becoming more emotionally intelligent has its advantages.  Emotional intelligence is often associated with skills in empathy.  Those that have the ability to show more empathy towards others tend to feel better, get their needs met more of the time, and how more quality interactions with others.  More on this topic can be found my researching Daniel Goldman.

Anger Control Tip #2:
Get your Stress Under Control.  Anger and stress tend to go hand in hand.  The higher ones stress the easier it is to get upset.  Learning effective techniques in stress management will not only reduce your anger response, but it will also help create a healthier and more well balanced life.  Check out the research on stress management documented by the Occupational Safety and Health organization.

Anger Control Tip #3: Changing internal dialog and self-talk.  Anger management classes that teach this skill will almost always base the intervention on work done by Albert Ellis, R.C. Taft and others.  Their pioneering research has led to some amazing discoveries about how our thoughts effect our behavior and feelings.  Taking personal responsibility for our internal dialog and beliefs helps to change our current and future behaviors towards ourselves and others.

Anger Control Tip #4:
Better manage our Expectations.  Expectation management is often one very difficult skill to master.  Through the work of John Gottman, Elizabeth Loftun and William Calvin, we have recently discovered that both our memories and expectations are greatly impacted by our belief systems.  Anger management training should focus on this important concept.

Anger Control Tip #5: Becoming a more Assertive communicator.  As the saying goes, “Communication is king.  Anger management classes aimed at teaching these skills will help participants better express their feelings and needs more appropriately.  Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings and frustration.  Much research on this topic has been done by the University of Wisconsin’s counseling center (among many others).

Getting help in mastering these skills can be done in a variety of ways including taking anger management classes online, or simply finding a local anger management class near you.

Teachers and Guardians Need Anger Management Too

A TEACHER at a Northampton primary school has been banned from teaching and ordered to attend anger management classes after he was caught twice inappropriately restraining pupils in separate incidents.

Stuart Pitcher, who was employed at Castle Primary School, in St George’s Street, Semilong, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and suspended for a year by The General Teaching Council’s Professional Conduct Committee after using undue physical restraint on the pupils.

The committee said Mr Pitcher had “made inappropriate physical contact with pupils” on two occasions.

The first incident involved a pupil in November 2008, and then on March 11, 2009, he held another pupil by the wrist with a firm grip and used undue physical restraint, disregarding the school protocol in dealing with the child concerned.

A colleague who witnessed the second incident said: “I saw Stuart Pitcher holding pupil A by one of his wrists with a very firm grip.

“Stuart Pitcher had another hand on pupil A’s head, trying to push him down to the floor. I intervened at this point because I was concerned that Stuart Pitcher had used physical intervention.”

In its findings, the committee also accepted the evidence of another colleague in respect to the previous incident in 2008, which confirmed the probability of parents being able to see through the window as he restrained the pupil.

Committee chairman, Christine Green, said: “Having found the facts of the above allegations proved, we further find that Mr Pitcher’s behaviour amounts to unacceptable professional conduct as defined in the relevant Code of Conduct and Practice for Registered Teachers.

“We make that finding because Mr Pitcher failed to put the well-being, development and progress of children and young people first. We also find that Mr Pitcher failed to co-operate with other professionals in the children’s workforce.”

She said a 12-month suspension was the “appropriate and proportionate sanction” and also imposed conditions on his return to teaching, requiring him to attend anger management and behaviour management courses, as well as to undergo “Team Teach” training.

A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire County Council refused to comment on the suspension saying it was a matter between the school and the employee concerned.

Schools may also want to consider having their staff get trained by taking online anger management classes

Anger Management Classes Should Not Be a Source of Humiliation

Anger Management classes don't have to be embarrassing. More than every anger management classes have become the treatment of choice for those wanting to improve or sharpen their relationship skills.  Unlike couples counseling, anger management classes are educational.  They are aimed at teaching participants some very specific and concrete skills for improving interpersonal interactions.

As a licensed psychotherapist, I see many couples, and there certainly is a value in addressing relationship issues in counseling.  Anger management; however, is laser focused on teaching skills that anyone can use right away.  Regardless of whether your in a relationship, anger management skills will help in a variety of life settings including, work, school, family, driving, and day to day interactions with others.

Participants will learn a myriad of new tools including assertive communication, empathy and emotional intelligence, forgiveness, stress management, expectation management, improving judgement and impulse control and much more.

Anger management classes aren't an embarrassment because it is simply a class.  And most quality programs are not just catering to the court ordered anger management, but also for those seeking to gain skills for personal growth and improvement.

How nice would be it be to handle yourself better when you get upset?  Wouldn't you like to walk away from a situation and feel proud of yourself for how you handled it?  Imagine what your family and friends would say and think when they see the "new" you standing cool under pressure.  No need to wait.  You can even start taking anger management classes online!

Anger Management- Staying Cool with Life's Challenges

Even with the best of intentions and preparation, parents are human and have faults. We all have bad days and our temper, now and again, may rear it's ugly head while disciplining our children.

Whether it is a very public temper tantrum at the mall or asking your child to pick up a mess multiple times at home, your breaking point can come after a day of challenges and deadlines. Showing a range of emotions sets an important example for kids but demonstrating restraint and remaining calm when you may feel like losing it is vital as well.

No parent wants to yell at their grumpy or difficult child after a bad day but it happens and the guilty feelings are guaranteed to follow. Realistically speaking, it is difficult to avoid losing it sometimes but having a few anger-diffusing tricks in your back pocket can help keep the occasional outburst and bad feelings to the bare minimum.

Looking for some tips? OnlineParentClass has a great list of 10 Ways to Stop Yelling at your kids.

In my experience with my own young children, I have found that laughter can work wonders for kids and their frustrated moms and dads.

Enduring a toddler's tantrum in public is a classic buildup for parental anger. The pressure of the child's actions and unbridled emotion are enough to cause parental anxiety but then add on the perceived and actual staring of bystanders. Mom or Dad could break.

Why not take a deep breath and try to diffuse your child's frustration by simply daring them not to smile or laugh at you? Or stop, gasp and say, "Is that a chicken on your head?" It sounds silly, but that is the idea. Even if you feel like you have to pretend to be playful in the moment, you might fall for your own trick and want to smile too.

This works great for young kids but teenagers? That is another story. For the full story, click here

Life can have difficult and cumbersome challenges on a day to day basis.  Difficult drivers on the roadway, irratating co-workers, frustration with our children.  Rather than defaulting to skills that might not be working for you, consider getting some help.  Gone are the days where access to education is a stumbling block.  Parentings seeking parenting classes can find them online, and taking anger management classes or an online anger management classes could never be easier.

Parents Play Key Role in Angry Teenagers

Parenting Style and Anger Management

Much research suggests that parenting style can actually effect the behavior of teenagers.  Parents need to better understand the impact they have on their children and recognize their parenting style makes a difference in how their children are going in interact with other people as the grow up.

1. Parents who are authoritarians tend to dictate rules to their kids.  They tend to use a lot of discipline and are not very warm.  They might punish bad behavior but not acknowledge something positive, like a good report card.

2. Permissive parents often are the ones that simply don't pay close attention to the kids.  They essentially let their kids do what they want, set poor or diffuse boundaries and lack discipline.  They might think they are doing their teens a favor by being their friends, but in reality they are setting them up to fail by not showing them they care what they do.

3. Authoritative parents set appropriate boundaries, use warmth and love, and have appropriate discipline.  These are the parents that are most respected by their children because they know they are loved and cared for but also know what the boundaries are in their life. 

Parents can learn skills to help improve how their children behave by taking an anger management class.  Contrary to popular belief, anger management classes are not just about being angry!  They teach skills to help improve interpersonal relationships. 

Regardless of where you live, you can take an online anger management class or have access to specific classes just for anger management and parenting.