Anger Management

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”
The Buddha

There are many perspectives of anger, from primitive to pathological. Those perspectives of anger are presented in this course, as are clinical definitions, descriptions, mechanisms, impacts, and treatments for unhealthy anger. “Anger management” has somehow become a farce, at a time when it is desperately needed. The 52-week court-ordered Anger Management programs have become the butt of many jokes, and their limited efficacy has done little to improve public opinion. But Anger Management programs based on research and psychotherapeutic models can have incredible benefit, not just on the life of that toxically angry man or woman, but on all those in their environs.

This introductory course consists of five audio files, with written transcripts. The first document is an audio file which presents two spiritual perspectives on the meaning of anger. Each approach advises specific techniques for managing or resolving anger. The next audio file summarizes the work of KC Meloy, MFT, which examines ways in which anger can be both constructive and destructive. A model has been designed for the expression of healthy anger, to the benefit of both intrapsychic and interpersonal relationships. The next audio file reviews what occurs when the amygdala is hijacked. The next audio file presents information about some of the functional impairments associated with anger, namely road rage. This is followed by an interview with Laura Carr, MFT, covering innovations in Anger Management programs.