“What’s Good About Anger?” is unique because the book and curriculum emphasize the following:
- Anger is an emotion and force that is good when it is expressed in healthy ways to achieve healthy goals.
- The physiological process of anger happens quickly! Anger triggers the amydala (emotional center of the brain) within 1/20th of a second — therefore, you need to be prepared by preventing other triggers (cognitive distortions, stress, etc) and planning to take a break to engage the parasympathetic nervous system (calms you down) by using diaphragmatic breathing and prayer. Prepare with statements like: “I’m going to take a break and get back to you on that.” Use that time to think over the issue and how to respond in a healthy way with assertive. empathic and conflict management strategies.
- Evidence-based strategies which work: changing hot self-talk to cool-talk (thinking ahead reminders); relaxation; spiritual principles; behavioral change — assertiveness, empathy, forgiveness.
- Power over self: anger is a choice. You don’t have to let someone make you mad! You can choose healthy anger or decide it’s not worth ruminating over.
- Emotional intelligence: the program is not about containing anger — it’s about growing in EI (EQ): self-awareness, self-management, self-motivation, social awareness/empathy– which statistically will give you more success in life than high IQ.
- Motivates people to try out options that resolve anger and conflict through problem-solving, assertiveness and more!
- Order the curriculum and resources here!
Lynette Hoy, NCC, LCPC, CAMS-V
Visit the: What’s Good About Anger? web site
