Answer these questions:

• Do you find yourself getting angry at everything that inconveniences you, annoys you or otherwise gets in the way of what you want to be doing?
• Does it lead you to act out aggressively or violently as in yelling, ranting, hitting, shoving or plotting revenge?
• Issues consume you long after the event has passed? If you dwell on the things that make you angry then you’re in trouble because normal anger is only a temporary emotional response to unsettling eternal stimuli.
• Are things that didn’t used to make you angry are suddenly major issues worthy of a rant? This does not apply to times when you have suppressed normal anger, only to times that anger really isn’t merited, for example when somebody gets a higher grade than you or when a person is taking too long in the bathroom.
• Do you find yourself doing self-destructive things to cope with your angry feelings? Such as reckless driving, hazardous recreational activities, physical fighting, drugs and alcohol or unsafe or random sexual activity.

If you answered yes to these questions you may have a real problem handling your anger. Consider learning better ways to manage these feelings.

As Timothy Murphy, Ph.D., put it in his book, The Angry Child, “anger itself is not always the demon emotion others have made it out to be; children can and should be allowed to react angrily to injustices, just as adults do. But while it is not always inappropriate for a child to be angry, it is never appropriate for a child to be mean.”

The child who has a problem, Murphy wrote, is the one who “tends to react to everyday disappointments in a way that is inappropriate – and brings discomfort to those around her.”

 

During the adolescent years, young people may become more easily agitated and annoyed. Anger is one of the more common traits for teens as they want more control of their lives and want more independence.

However, sometimes some teens may be more angry than “normal”. They may have “anger issues” at school, home, with their peers, and at their jobs. They may destroy property, hurt themselves, or others.

New Solutions offers a Teen Anger Management program which includes the following topics:

• What do you want to change?
• Keeping track of your anger thoughts
• Shame and Anger
• Defenses against Shame
• Aggression and Anger
• Self-esteem and Anger
• Identifying Negative Thoughts
• Redirecting Negative Thoughts into Positive Thoughts
• Identifying Anger Styles
• Iceberg Theory of Anger
• Utilizing “I” messages and other responses
• Response Choice Rehearsals
• Utilizing Relaxation Techniques
• Letting go of Resentments
• Forgiving Self and Others

Call today for an appointment.

New Solutions offers a domestic violence group which focuses on behaviors between intimate partners in which one harms, gains, or maintains control over the other person. The behaviors focused on include: emotional or psychological abuse, destruction of property, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and power and control where an atmosphere of fear and intimidation is created. The program includes 24 groups, 3 individual sessions and an orientation session. Groups are gender specific.

TOPICS:

• Dating Rights
• Handling Breakups
• Safety Planning
• Types of Abuse
• Non-violence and Equality
• Accountability
• Time Outs
• Male Cultural Expectations
• Dynamics of Abusive Relationships
• Gender Roles
• Assertiveness & Communication Skills
• Respect
• Drugs/Alcohol & Violence
• Characteristic of Batterers