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:
- simple and easy to understand
- presented in a way that would enable the clients to assimilate their new skills
- hands-on vs. theoretical in its approach
- flexible enough to meet the diverse needs of the client group
- 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:
- To educate and empower each participant to make right choices about their anger
- To encourage the taking of responsibility for one’s feelings and actions (vs. laying blame on outside influences)
- 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
- 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:
- Significant increase in self-esteem
- Decrease or discontinuation of use of drugs or alcohol as self-medication
- Self-reported improvement in overall quality of life of participants
- Improvements in quality of mental health
- 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.
Julie Christiansen
