Anger Management and Healthy Communication Skills for System Involved Youth

Brooke Hailey

Training Description

This training will help participants understand the basics of anger management. They will learn how the brain responds to anger, how to identify signs that anger is escalating, and how to activate the calm down. Participants will learn teachable anger management strategies, as well as long term communication skills which help prevent anger outbursts, which can support improved outcomes for system involved youth and families.

Learning Objectives

· Participants will be able to identify 3 signs anger is escalating.

· Participants will be able to list 3 anger management strategies which can be taught to system involved youth and/or their caregivers.

· Participants will be able to identify 3 key communication strategies which can support improved outcomes for system involved youth.

Agenda

10:00-10:30am  Introduction

· My experience with anger

· My experience using and teaching anger management and healthy communication skills.

10:30-11:00am  Understanding Anger

· Understanding the brain’s response to anger (what chemicals are released and what parts of the brain shuts down when we are angry)

· Recognizing the physical and psychological signs of anger

• Anger Triggers: Identifying triggers or situations that lead to anger. Understanding the difference between anger and other emotions
• The 3 Rs of anger management – Recognize, Reflect, and Respond
• The aggressive cycle and anger meter

11:00am-12:00pm  Cognitive Behavior Therapy techniques for anger management

· Thought distortions, evidence log, replacing distorted thoughts with rational responses

· Mood logs and anger triggers

· Interactive exercise: Vignette of a scenario where anger escalates because of distorted thoughts

· Identify thought distortions and replace with rational responses

12:00-12:30pm  Lunch (CE hours will not be offered for this time)

12:30-1:30pm  Decreasing Stressors to control anger

· Interactive exercise: Participate in a guided relaxation to alleviate stress

· Other healthy coping strategies to alleviate stress including square breathing

· Anger and Substance Abuse

· Understanding the connection between anger and substance abuse issues

· Strategies for managing anger without relying on substances

1:30-2:30pm  Communication Skills

· Effective communication techniques for expressing anger and frustration without aggression or hostility

· Assertiveness, passiveness and aggressiveness: Understanding the cycle of passive to aggressive

· Interactive exercise: Vignettes to practice assertiveness

· Methods for resolving conflicts in a constructive and non-violent manner

• The Impact of Anger on Relationships:

o Recognizing how uncontrolled anger can damage personal and professional relationships.

o Learning to rebuild trust and repair relationships after anger-related conflicts.

2:30-2:45pm  Break (CE hours will not be offered for this time)

2:45-3:30pm  Relapse Prevention

· Techniques for preventing relapses into uncontrolled anger.

· Developing a personal anger management plan (to include anger triggers, negative thought patterns, emotional responses, coping strategies, relaxation techniques and an anger journal)

· Daily skills to keep emotions regulated

3:30-4:00pm  Questions & Answers, Wrap-up

Meet Our Trainer

Brooke Hailey, PhD is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She completed her undergraduate work at New York University and then received her masters from Antioch University and her PhD from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She has been in private practice in Los Angeles for more than twenty years. She is also the owner and clinical director of New Directions, an intensive outpatient program for eating disorders. Brooke works with adults, adolescents, couples and families. Though she specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, Brooke works with clients who have a variety of issues from depression, anxiety and addiction to relationship issues.

This course meets the qualifications for (5.25) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.