About
the Anger Solutions™ Program
The
Anger Solutions™ Program was developed out of an expressed need for a
comprehensive anger management program that would serve the needs of
individuals dealing with a mental illness. Due to contributing factors such as
the side effects of medications, varying degrees of cognitive functionality,
and in some cases, a decline in mental/emotional stability for the client
group, the program needed to be:
1. simple and easy to understand
2. presented in a way that would
enable the clients to assimilate their new skills
3. hands-on vs. theoretical in its
approach
4. flexible enough to meet the
diverse needs of the client group
5. deliverable in a 1-hour format
over 10 to 12 weeks
From
this initial need, the following philosophy and program format was developed
over four years of research and practical application:
- To keep the program simple, it uses as little technical jargon as possible – keeping it at about the Grade 6/7 level of literacy/understanding (the same as daily newspapers)
- The program follows the Psycho-Social Rehabilitation Model of Lifeskills acquisition and application in order to ensure the repetition and steady building of new skills
- The Anger Solutions™ Program uses the WIT Model (Whatever It Takes) to reach its participants – successfully and effectively combining a variety of therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Rational Emotive Therapy, Reality Therapy (Choice Theory), Art and Music Therapy, and Solution Focused Brief Therapy principles. This not only provides us with various hands-on tools we can apply within the program, but also creates a level of flexibility to work within the individual needs of the client group.
- The program was designed to be deliverable in one – 1.5 hour modules over a 10-week period. It can be condensed to an 8 week program or extended to 12 weeks.
- Note that over the initial 4 years of study and use, the program’s content evolved in order to meet the needs of a more diverse group (including children, people with Acquired Brain Injury, addictions, corrections, and developmental delay); however, the philosophy and structure has remained the same.
- The program’s wholistic approach addresses pre-cursors to anger development including:
-
poor
self-esteem
-
poor
communication skills
-
assertiveness
training
-
ingrained
anger styles, faulty beliefs, and
misperceptions about anger
The Anger Solutions™ Program
has various objectives:
1.
To
educate and empower each participant to make right choices about their anger
2.
To
encourage the taking of responsibility for one’s feelings and actions (vs.
laying blame on outside influences)
3.
To
effect a significant reduction in harmful, inappropriate behaviour on the part
of the participant OR to completely eliminate target behaviours identified by
the participant
4.
Participants
will experience an increase in their ability to identify the precursors to their
own anger, and will be able to make conscious choices both before anger
escalates, and in situations of escalated anger
Additional
effects or outcomes that can be expected as a result of successful completion
of the program include but are not limited to:
1. Significant increase in
self-esteem
2. Decrease or discontinuation of
use of drugs or alcohol as self-medication
3. Self-reported improvement in
overall quality of life of participants
4. Improvements in quality of
mental health
5. Significant decrease in physical
ailments and physiological effects of stress
Measurement Tools used at
Intake and Exit:
Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale
Clinical
Anger Scale
Anger
Solutions™ Participant Surveys (Intake and Exit)
Training
is provided on how to use these tools during the Train the Trainer program, and
through our tele-seminar series.
Interested in receiving certification as an Anger Solutions Facilitator? Contact us! www.angersolution.com.
