INHALE & EXHALE: The First Practical Step to Maintaining Your Stress Management

By Rasheed Ahmed


It has often been said that something “is easier said than done”. In the cases of those who support anger management, it is probably easier for them to live an entire day without losing control. Of course, this depends on their level of understanding what it means to be in control of anger. As has been mentioned before, true anger management involves success in four areas: anger management, stress management, assertive communication, and emotional intelligence. What is sometimes difficult for even those who practice anger management daily is stress management. How can any one person catch and handle those bullets that seem to be fired constantly by the stress gun?

This is where things become easier said than done. We often forget what it takes to remain calm when in stressful situations, because we are actually unwillingly thrust into these kinds of situations at times. The Anderson & Anderson curriculum teaches us that we need to take a time out when such an opportunity permits itself. Take a time out and go to a place where you can perform some breathing exercises. Inhale, count to five, and then exhale. Continue to do this until you have reached a point where the immediate stress has been put to a minimum. The purpose of the breathing exercises is to give you the strength and courage to open the double doors that lead to problem solving.

You don’t need me to tell you how hard it is to open those doors sometimes! Sometimes it seems as though you have just been hit in the stomach with a crowbar. Your nerves are causing the pain. Your heart feels as though it is trying to escape from your chest. Sweat and, in some cases, tears are falling down both sides of your face. If you attempt to jump into the maze immediately after you are confronted with it, you may just fall flat on your face. It is always a good idea to stop for a moment, find a quiet place (if you can), and perform those breathing exercises.



Rasheed Ahmed
Anderson & Anderson
Anger Management Services
Intern, Undergraduate Student
California State University, Los Angeles
http://www.andersonservices.com

THERE IS A VERY THICK LINE BETWEEN ANGER MANAGEMENT AND PSYCHOTHERAPY

Anger management is a force to be reckoned with. Anderson & Anderson, along with many other anger management providers who are certified under George Anderson, are doing their best to promote the anger management movement. It should be made clear to all providers, as well as people who are interested in becoming providers, that anger management is useful for training clients to excel in four areas: anger management, stress management, assertive communication, and emotional intelligence. Anger management is for clients who have anger issues that have caused them to be at odds with their families, perfect strangers, the justice system (e.g., committing misdemeanors that require them to pay heavy fines or seek anger management as an ultimatum), or with themselves (if they believe it is necessary to seek anger management in order to improve in the above four areas). With this in mind, it behooves us to explain what anger management must not be used for.

Anger management is not a suitable alternative to psychotherapy. In fact, we need to go as far as to say that it would be irresponsible for an anger management provider, or any anger management facilitator, to provide services to those who are really in need of psychotherapy, psychotropic medication or hospitalization. First of all, facilitators and providers trained specifically in anger management may not be trained in psychotherapy. Second of all, for those providers who are licensed clinicians, they tend to distinguish between the two practices, which is extremely important. Someone who is not trained in psychotherapy is not authorized to treat clients in need of psychotherapy. Furthermore, a trained psychotherapist who is also an anger management facilitator and executive coach, must know the signs that show what the client needs BEFORE making the decision to provide anger management services. Just so that all are aware, let us take the time to list some of the needs that MUST NOT be addressed by anger management classes.

The “Suggested Guide for Anger Management (Facilitator’s Guide)”, written by George Anderson, M.S.W., BCD, CAMF, says that “the following categories of clients should be excluded from outpatient anger management groups: paranoid clients, extremely narcissistic clients, clients with hypochondriac dispositions, suicidal clients, brain-damaged clients, psychotic or sociopathic clients, and actively-using alcoholics or drug addicts” (page 9). Let’s say, for example, that Mr. Green shows up in your office and asks you if he can enroll in your anger management group. He follows this up with a statement going something like this: “My wife left me, and I’m so angry without her. I think I want to end it all.” The provider should know right away to tell the person that it would be better if he sought a psychiatric assessment. The facilitator’s guide also points out that it is advisable to have someone licensed in mental health work for your organization as a consultant, if you do not have any training in psychotherapy. Please refer to the anger management facilitator’s guide for any further information you may need.

Rasheed Ahmed
Intern, Undergraduate Student
Anderson & Anderson
Anger Management Services
http://www.andersonservices.com

ANGER MANAGEMENT AT ITS BEST

The Anderson & Anderson model of anger management is a program that is increasing its presence in the United States. This model is useful for helping anger management clients excel in four areas: anger management, stress management, assertive communication, and emotional intelligence. Anger management is not about eliminating anger. As we have learned from the model, anger is a natural emotion. It is also a healthy one. However, there is a point when anger becomes unhealthy. Anger management simply helps one to control his or her anger so that it won’t become counterproductive, as well as turning into a force that harms rather than heals.

Stress Management works to help one learn how to juggle the various constraints that exist in her or his life. We all know that people can become so overwhelmed with life that they wind up becoming physically, as well as mentally, unhealthy. Assertive communication is all about stating your needs and wants in such a manner that gives others reasons to respect you. It is better to be assertive rather than aggressive. It is also necessary to be assertive rather than passive. Emotional intelligence is very important, because it is the key to achieving right-of-way outcomes in life. By picking up, and basing your actions, on the emotions of others, you will find that you can influence them to react positively to your needs.

These four areas of anger management are like keys to living a positive and healthy lifestyle. As has been demonstrated time and time again by the general public, people are bound to lose these keys every once in a while. As long as this loss doesn’t lead to the death of others (unfortunately it does at times), it is okay. One can always have duplicate copies made. The goal is to keep the four areas (keys) in a safety box, so that you can always have access to them when you need them the most. The Anderson & Anderson model is good for keeping these keys the shiniest.

Rasheed Ahmed
Intern, Undergraduate Student
Anderson & Anderson
Anger Management Services
http://www.andersonservices.com

Anger Management/Executive Coaching is a Risk Manager’s Dream

As the tension rises in any industry, so does the stress related to the pressure from all sources to increase profits. Consequently, tempers may flare, productivity may decrease, absenteeism increases, morale decreases and person-directed aggression shows its ugly face. These are some of the ominous symptoms or signs of organizational dysfunction.

With legally mandated protections for line staff workers and traditional disaffected employees, there is a more assertive demand for fairness and respect among employees at all levels. Unionized workers are particularly organized to confront perceived grievances.
Hence, the demand and need for executive coaching and anger management has dramatically increased nationwide.

Risk management experts project that the average cost of litigation for a workplace incident, in which verbal or physical abuse is charged, averages $700,000 per case regardless of the outcome. Therefore, it is incumbent on organizations large and small to become proactive rather than reactive in responding to potential workplace conflicts.

Executive Coaching/anger management is an individual intervention designed to assess the client’s level of functioning in managing anger, stress, communication and emotional intelligence. The coaching focuses on providing enhancement skills in these four areas.

Anderson & Anderson is the industry standard for anger management and emotional intelligence coaching. We offer on-site training nationwide.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
www.andersonservices.com
www.aaamp.org
www.anger-management-resources.org

Emotional Intelligence, the Basics

Michael G. Rayel, MD.

There’s so much talk about emotional intelligence and how it can promote personal and business success. What is it really? What are its basic tenets?
Emotional intelligence is the capacity to recognize, understand, and manage one’s emotions and that of others. This “intelligent” concept focuses on the role of emotion in our daily lives and how it affects our perception, reasoning, and behavior.
Emotions are pervasive in our daily existence. From the time we wake up to the time we retire to bed, we experience emotions. We can get excited by the news of economic recovery, or we feel upset when our favorite team loses a championship game.
Moreover, we can get lonely when our friend of many years decides to look for greener pastures and we can feel anxious when our child does not go home on time after class.
So really, emotions happen everywhere and anytime. There is no day that passes by without emotions being involved. We experience emotions when we: win or lose, receive phone calls from long lost friends, greet our children good morning, say hello to our neighbors, prepare meals for our spouses, or ride the subway train.

Feuding Couples Need Anger Management

Aleck Baldwin’s now infamous voicemail to his daughter reveals on the surface poisonous anger which seems to grip this well known movie star. However, there are deeper issues that may need to be addressed. The voicemail also reveals a man in pain, in a state of turmoil, unable to find an appropriate vehicle to express his intense emotions. What do I mean? Anger is a secondary emotion that is 100 percent of the time driven by some primary emotion like fear, disappointment, feeling used, disrespected or mistreated. These intense emotions, if not handled wisely, can end in an explosive episode as we all witnessed with Alec Baldwin.

No matter the intensity of the emotions, it is the individual’s responsibility to manage their own anger therefore the latter maybe an explanation for Mr. Baldwin’s behavior but not an excuse. Feuding couples often have children in the middle of this conflict and inevitably not only are these children hurt emotionally by the feuding but many develop problems with anger and self esteem. As a rule, couples who are involved in contemptuous divorces seem to be prone to unbridled anger and should seek anger management. This intervention may help to:

• Improve communication between couples
• Improve stress management
• Reduce the negative impact on children
• Improve conflict management
• Increase emotional intelligence

If for no other reason but for the sake of the children, feuding couples nationwide should give serious consideration to anger management. It is an ideal tool to assist in navigating the emotions associated with divorce as well as reducing the possible emotional fallout that can be meted out on children who often become collateral damage in the divorce. For an anger management provider in your area visit: www.anger-management-resources.org.

Carlos Todd, LPC, NCC, CAMF

President of the American Association of Anger Management Providers

Carlos Todd is an Anderson and Anderson Anger management provider in North Carolina

www.angerhurts.com

www.angeronmymind.com

www.aaamp.org

www.andersonservices.com

www.anger-management-resources.org

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
www.andersonservices.com
www.angertrends.blogspot.com
www.anger-management-resources.org

Spirituality and emotional IQ can drive business
Boston Business Journal -
by Jay S. Sidhu

Noted philosopher, poet and artist John Ruskin said: "Education does not mean just teaching people what they do not know, it also means teaching people to behave as they do not behave."

Today, more than 150 years later, Mr. Ruskin's words still ring true, as it is no longer enough to just have a high IQ. In fact, new research at Harvard University reveals that 90 percent to 95 percent of success now depends upon Emotional Intelligence — EQ or EI — and only 5 percent to 10 percent on IQ.

Emotional Intelligence is developing universal values of dignity and trust gained through open and honest communications. It is adding intelligence to emotions and gaining wisdom.

My own personal journey has convinced me that you cannot reach your potential as a leader if you are not using your potential as a human being first. And you can't achieve your potential as a human being if you are not authentic.

And yet companies and organizations across this country invest about $25 billion a year on training for technical skills and very little on developing authentic leadership skills. I call it the "Great Training Robbery."

My experience has been that "authentic leadership" can be developed and should be considered as a viable option for you, personally, and your team members. Authentic leadership based upon emotional intelligence, leads to mutual trust and respect and sustainable superior performance.

There are four conditions of authenticity, and none of them will come as a surprise to you. In fact, they are traits our parents and mentors instilled in us during our development years. They are:

• The absence of defensiveness.

• The absence of manipulation or the presence of truthfulness.

• The presence of sincere empathy.

• The presence of values.

Couple those traits with what I identify as the five components of emotional intelligence-based authentic leadership and you are creating greatness.

The five components are:

• Self-awareness: The ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions, drives and values as well as their realistic effect on others.

• Social skill: Proficiency in managing relationships and building networks, and ability to find common ground and build rapport.

• Self-regulation: The ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods, the propensity to suspend judgment, and the ability to think before acting.

• Empathy: The ability to accurately understand the emotional makeup of other people and skill in treating people according to their emotional reactions in a way that maximizes trust.

• Values: A clear and consistent understanding of the role your values play in reaching goals and a propensity to consider the importance of the values of others in reaching goals in a way that builds trust.

Authentic leadership based upon values and EI creates a company that can grow several times faster than competitors. You will be the architect of a company that is built to last and has the potential to become a great company, a company that fosters a culture in which leaders truly become the sustainable competitive advantage.

At Sovereign Bank, we have a senior-level managing director of organizational development and a "chief learning officer" committed to assisting with leadership development.

We evaluate leaders not only for strong business skills, but outstanding human skills and passion for excellence. Our reward systems are based on achievement of results and leadership qualities.

The bridge from a revitalized human engine to a formidable business engine is to develop procedures to speedy decisions, communicate timely information through the organization, provide quick and effective feedback and evaluate managers on openness, candor and self-confidence.

I firmly believe that spirituality leads to character development — the human spirit of love, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, and contentment, a sense of harmony, humility and a sense of responsibility.

It is a journey worth taking.

JAY S. SIDHU is chairman, CEO and president of Sovereign Bancorp, parent of Sovereign Bank New England. He speaks nationally on his strong beliefs on the reward of spirituality. The Sixth International Symposium on Spirituality and Business, "Spirituality, Ethics, and Profit: Integrating the Human Spirit and Values into the Workplace," will take place March 20-21 at Babson College.

Anger Management Facilitators as First Responders

Anger management is a psycho-education intervention. How an individual learns to express their anger is learned. Anger management interventions are therefore designed to unlearn old skills and teach new skills. Anger management is neither counseling nor psychotherapy. Through the use of structured anger management classes, clients learn new skills that can reverse years of poor anger management.

Over the last decade anger management has been gaining prominence, however the notion that anger management is for the raving mad may need to be re-conceptualized. It may be more helpful to conceptualize anger management as a preventative or early intervention for those who struggle with difficulties managing anger. Therefore the anger management facilitator is also seen as a first responder whose aim is to avert or prevent the escalation of angry outbursts which may lead to violence.

At the core of poor anger management are unmet emotional needs. The goal of a well trained anger management facilitator is to teach not only anger management but communication skills, emotional intelligence and stress management. Those appropriate for anger management may include a couple who frequently argue, an executive who is argumentative, an employee who seems not to be able to get along with co-workers, an adolescent who displays frequent angry outbursts, or a nurse whose level of stress drives him or her to aggressive behavior. Anger management is not appropriate for the paranoid client, psychotic or sociopaths, suicidal client, the extreme narcissist, brain damaged clients or actively using drug addicts. This distinction is important in the light of incidences like the Virginia Tech shootings where some may insinuate that anger management may have been needed. However, the news reports suggest that the shooter was an individual who had a history of severe mental health problems. If this account proves accurate, anger management alone could never have been appropriate.

This brings me to an emerging trend which the anger management community welcomes. Psychiatrists, other medical doctors and mental health clinicians have begun to collaborate with anger management facilitators in the care of the mentally ill. While the anger management facilitator is not trained to either diagnose or treat the mentally ill, they have been working collaboratively with clinicians so that patients continue to receive therapy as well as learning effective skills to manage their anger. Such collaboration holds the promise of improved client care. The anger management facilitator is or should be a first responder on anger management issues. He or she is trained to asses the areas of deficit in the angry and teach new skills to improve their communication skills, emotional intelligence, stress management and anger management.

The respect of anger management as a field continues to grow and stationed throughout the country are hundreds of trained facilitators who are the public’s first responders on anger management. They are there to assist you. To find a facilitator in your area visit: www.anger-management-resources.org , www.andersonservices.com or www.aaamp.org .


Carlos Todd, LPC, NCC, CAMF

President of the American Association of Anger Management Providers

Carlos Todd is an Anderson and Anderson Anger management provider in North Carolina

www.angerhurts.com
www.angeronmymind.com
www.aaamp.org
www.andersonservices.com
www.anger-management-resources.org

ANGER, IT’S NOT ALL THE RAGE

Maddie Blomgren, LPC, CADMS, CGP
Anger and Relationship Institute

Anger is not an issue; in fact it may not even exist according to the American Psychiatric and the National Social Work Associations. Surprisingly, anger management is neither an elective nor a required course in any Masters or Doctoral level training program in any field of psychotherapy. According to George Anderson, LCSW, Fellow, American Orthopsychiatry Psychiatric Association, "The American Psychiatric Association … maintains that anger is not a mental or nervous disorder… Since anger is not a medical condition, the APA claims that it has no position on anger or anger management. The National Association of Social Workers has not taken a position on anger or anger management either. In fact, there is a pervasive denial that anger exists as a problem. There is no research studies found on anger in any Social Work Publications. Perhaps by ignoring the issue, it may disappear."

While the Mental Health community may be ‘anger avoidant’, our American culture most assuredly is not.

· The United States has the highest homicide rate of any industrialized Western country and anger is the second leading cause of death for fifteen to twenty-four year olds.

· Every nine seconds a woman is beaten by the man she loves and four of these women die per day. Of all females murdered in the USA, 40% of them die at the hands of their husbands or intimate acquaintances. Anger has been found to be the distinguishing characteristic in domestic violence.

· Nationally it’s become the "wild, wild west" out there on our highways. Motorists involved in fender-bender collisions and silly disputes are increasingly being shot, stabbed, beaten and run over for minor or inane reasons. This makes road rage a dangerous and often fatal problem.

· Medically, coronary heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US. According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease, arthritis, high blood pressure, and other conditions are related to anger. Dr. S. T. Sinatra, author of Heartbreak & Heart Disease says, "A surgeon operating on a diseased heart can't tell if the patient ate a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet or if he had simmering anger. The blockage in the vessels looks just the same."

· A study found 66% of traumatized clients who were interviewed stated their therapists had become inappropriately angry and blaming towards them during therapy. Another 19% of clients interviewed stated that their therapist did not respond at all to disagreements or angry outbursts. That left only 15% of therapists who took steps to explore the reason for the client’s anger and their own role in engendering it. (Study detailed in Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training Winter 2004 edition.)

How then, is it possible for anger and anger disorders to be so dismissed by the governing bodies of psychotherapy? One reason is there are no medications for anger so the pharmaceutical companies do not finance research in the field. Anxiety and depression, mood disorders for which there are medications, have received the bulk of scientific attention for the last several years. No one would question the significant advancements in the assessment and treatment of anxiety and depression due to this attention, but overlooking anger has been a serious side effect.

The lack of empirical studies on prevalence of anger in both the general population and in the population undergoing mental health treatment means that no form of anger disorder has been listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV). Since anger is not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, it cannot be diagnosed (and therefore is not considered to exist as a problem). If anger can’t be diagnosed, it follows that it cannot be treated. These two ‘facts’ mean that managed care often does not reimburse for anger treatment. Further, practitioners are cautioned not to treat anger and bill managed care for the depression, anxiety disorder, trauma etc. that may accompany the disorder. Until anger disorders are included in the DSM, individuals are solely responsible for paying for their treatment.

It is also surprising that there are no state or local standards, laws or ethics for the practice of anger management. Because of this, there are many non-certified and under-trained individuals teaching anger management and treating anger. With no governmental or institutional influence guiding the practice of anger therapy, anger is fast becoming the ‘loose cannon’ of psychotherapy.

Anger and the need to mange it is not going away. It is a problem worldwide and deserves the attention of Psychiatry, Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, and Clinical Social Work fields. The inclusion of anger management needs to be urged as an area of specialization in all four disciplines. Anger needs to be recognized and included in the next Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. And, it is vital to the mental health of therapy clients for graduate students in any field of therapy to receive some basic anger management training.




George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.angertrends.blogspot.com/
www.anger-management-resources.org

Anger management Classes As Violence Prevention

Most major businesses and governmental organizations have Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) in place to provide assessment and referral, brief counseling or Critical Incidence Debriefing. Colleges and Universities have student counseling and Judicial Affairs for disruptive students. Educators as well as the community must come to terms with the reality of the ongoing problems of person-directed violence. In addition to the very real physical threat posed by such rampant violence, education and workplace civility is threatened. When fear is paramount in their minds, students cannot learn and teachers cannot teach.

Many administrators, teachers, and parents feel a sense of hopelessness about the role of schools in combating violence, in which the emphasis has historically been on social control rather than improving the school climate. This approach has been unsuccessful in the workplace as well as schools despite increasing security such as metal detectors, permanent school and work place security officers, and zero tolerance. All of these services may work well in dealing with trauma but is limited in its usefulness for preventing conflict and violence which may impact job and/or academic performance. . Learning how to deal with aggression and hostility in nonviolent ways before violence becomes a stable personality trait is absolutely critical.

Crises counseling and/or Critical Incidenct Debriefing are specifically designed to deal with situations like accidents, violence, murder, death, robberies, bomb threats or suicide. Equally as important as dealing with workplace or school violence are anger management prevention programs which are less costly and far more effective in reducing the incidences of workplace conflicts, violence, accidents and sick day usage. Anger management is the most effective violence prevention intervention currently available.

In both the Virginia Tech Tragedy and the Murder Suicide at the Johnson Space Center in recent days demonstrate the need for proactive rather than reactive measures to prevent person-directed violence in the work or school environment.

Since anger is a secondary emotion which is generally preceded by stress, anxiety, depression or some other perceived threat, voluntary or mandated classes can be implemented to deal with stress related tension at work or on campus. In contrast to mental health interventions such as counseling, psychotherapy or hospitalization, anger management can be mandated based on aggressive behavior, intimidation or threats. One of the most successful such programs is currently being used by the United States Postal Service. For many years, “going postal” was used to describe the frequent violent incidents which occurred among postal workers.

Several years ago, the postal service introduced a ten session anger management course offered on-site, on the clock at no cost to the employee. When first introduced as a pilot, the program resulted in a reduction of sick day usage, dramatic decrease in workplace conflict, increase in morale, increase in production, decrease in accidents and a 226% increase in voluntary referrals to the Employee Assistance Program. In a population of 16,000 employees, the Postal Service saved 1.5 million dollars during the one year pilot program.

Effective April 1, 2007, all Hospitals in the United States were required establish anger management policies for “disruptive physicians". This will likely have a tremendous impact on the improvement of patient care as well as staff retention. Anger management/executive coaching is the fastest growing new area of specialization in human services worldwide and needs to be considered when violence prevention is the goal.










George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.angertrends.blogspot.com/
www.anger-management-resources.org

The Use of Video Clips In Teaching Anger Management

For many participants, anger management is a mandated course. It is predictable for clients to protest/resist anything which is coerced. Therefore, it is incumbent on the anger management facilitator to not only teach content in an interesting and understandable manner, but to use teaching material and techniques to make the material more interesting and meaningful for the participants.

Anderson & Anderson has developed a series of brief, focused DVDs on “Styles of
Communication”,” Session One”, “Gaining Control of Ourselves” and “Emotional Intelligence 0 – 10”. The clips were made much shorter than the actual video tapes, which was desirable since an anger management facilitator has only a small amount of time to facilitate class content for the participants. A typical anger management class is one hour. The first ten minutes should be used for introductions of new participants and the topic of the day. The last ten minutes should be used to summarize the lesson of the day and announce the next meeting topic. This means that at best, there is only about forty minutes for the topic of the day.

Therefore, video clips are designed to provide a visual representation of course content such as assertive communication, seeking compromise, emotional intelligence or some other concept necessary to achieve any of the goals of managing anger or stress.

In addition, the clips can be incorporated into PowerPoint presentation. Running video tapes that are several hours long is impractical and inconvenient. A one hour video or movie for a one hour class will almost certainly backfire and, if it is brought to the attention of the court of referring source, will bring into question the competence of the facilitator.

Anger management is practice based. Just as it is impossible to learn to play basketball by watching games on television, it is impractical to learn to manage anger, stress or enhance communication skills and emotional intelligence by listening to lectures or watching movies. Passive learning may work for intellectual exercises but not for skill based behaviors.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF


George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.angertrends.blogspot.com/
www.anger-management-resources.org

Carlos R. Todd As President of The American Association of Anger Management Providers

The American Association of Anger Management Providers appoints a number one rated Anderson and Anderson anger management provider--Carlos R. Todd, as President.

Carlos R. Todd, LPC, NCC, CAMF, the energetic psychotherapist, named as the number one Anderson and Anderson anger management provider for the first quarter of 2007 has been appointed President of the American Association of Anger Management Providers--the organization representing anger management providers nationwide.

The American Association of Anger Management Providers was organized in 2001 to become the single voice to express the concerns of trained anger management providers nationwide. There are hundreds of certified anger management providers across the nation who everyday are at the front lines dealing with individual, familial and organizational anger. The AAAMP is the single voice representing this movement of trained providers.

While Anger Management as a specialized practice is in its infancy, AAAMP continues to advocate for dialogue among practitioners and scholars in the field. This dialogue will be imperative to further engineer innovative solutions to inappropriate expressions of anger. Therefore, as president, Carlos Todd has four major objectives: 1) To increase the visibility of this AAAMP in every state among schools, organizations and individuals; 2) To provide members with technical support and assist them in providing relevant services; 3) To increase membership; 4) To ensure that AAAMP becomes the single most respected voice on anger management issues nationwide.

Carlos R. Todd is a psychotherapist in North Carolina, with close to a decade of experience in the mental health field. He is energetic, focused, and an avid writer on anger management issues. Through greater visibility in the print, television media and over the internet he will make the voice of the American Association of Anger Management Providers known nationwide. For more information on the American Association of Anger Management Providers visit www.aaamp.org. Visit his popular blogs at www.angerhurt.com or www.angeronmymind.com He can be reached at angerhurts@gmail.com.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF
Executive Director, AAAMP

VitalSign: Forcing Change

Dear EQ Ally,

First, I'd like to take a moment to note the tragedy in our country -- I am horrified by the news about the shootings at Virginia Tech; I can barely imagine how awful this must be for those families and friends. All these circles of life sundered by senseless brutality.

I am also afraid that we, our society and world, will let this slide by as yet another set of statistics. What will it take for us to get serious about raising healthy people and healthy communities?

How do we start? I suggest that starting right now, this minute, this hour, we could each interact just a little differently and this would yield a massive change.
The brutality in Virginia is a symptom of a larger issue, and it's tied to a way of seeing and keeping power and prestige; a paradigm of force=right. While we don't go killing others, the vast majority of us use this same paradigm as leaders, parents, lovers, and friends -- we hold ourselves "right over" others. This month's VitalSign is about the failure of this paradigm in leading change.

VitalSign: Forcing Change

Change Works... Sometimes. The difference is people - and how they are led.
When the stakes are high, life and death for the people or the company, change will happen - right? Fast Company senior writer Alan Deutschman was surprised that the answer is "no." He was attending a conference on the future of healthcare where the dean of Johns Hopkins talked about what happens to cardiac patients when they're told to "change or die." Only 10% do.
The incident led to an in-depth analysis of individual and organizational change with a startling conclusion: While change is possible, the usual approach doesn't work.

While the notion that people won't even change in a "Change or Die" situation sounds bleak, Deutschman isn't: "We're change machines. We improvise, we adapt, we overcome. And normally we do very well with change. It's just an issue when people or organizations get stuck. When we've tried the solutions that we know, the supposed solutions again and again, they keep failing. At these times, we can change but we need to learn from other people."

The real challenge isn't change, but the "conventional wisdom" that change requires the Three Fs: Force, Facts, and Fear. He points back to the heart patients - where even a doctor's expertise, extensive medical information, and the fear of death are not motivating. "You can't just tell people that they need to change. You can't try to just scare them. And you can't try to force them by relying on the moral authority of your position or expertise."

Most business culture is steeped in the exercise of positional power and the control of facts. We constantly hear messages that need to conform, “or else,” and if we want to propose change we will only convince people with hard facts. Yet if you accept Deutschman's conclusion (and it's hard not to given the evidence in his new book, Change or Die) we have to turn all that tradition on it's ear and recognize a fundamental truth: People are not logical.

To become more aware of this dynamic in your leadership and in your organization, try this 3F test: For two work days, count how many times you and other leaders rely one of the Fs in communicating priorities:

•Facts: The case will be made based on data only - leading through the spreadsheet.

•Force: Leaders will use words like “drive,” “push,” “demand,” or “nail” reinforcing the notion they have the power to “make it happen.”

•Fear: Either veiled (“you better not go there…”) or explicit (“this won't look good in your jacket”) threats will be made to reinforce the leaders' position.

Email me an let me know how many incidents you track in two days. I suspect that if you see less than 50 you're either working alone or in an exceptional workplace.
In an extensive interview about Change or Die, Deutschman and I discussed the hope for change - it's available here from 6seconds.org and you can download a PDF.

Warmly yours,

Joshua Freedman
Director, Six Seconds Consulting Group
Director of Programs, Six Seconds EQ Network

Profiles in Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a powerful tool for increasing empathy and compassion, as well as assertive communication. The ten awesome women who comprise the Rutgers University Basketball team demonstrated, for the world, how important emotional intelligence can be in calming destructive dialog and promoting healthy anger.

These young women managed their anger and hurt over the vicious comments of Don Imus by using the incident to demonstrate civility, class, gracefulness and emotional intelligence. Rather than inflame an already volatile situation, they chose do have a private meeting with Mr. Imus, where they listened to his apology and shared the feelings which his comments triggered in them.

The four emotional intelligence skills of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management tend to pair up under two primary competencies: personal competence and social competence. Personal competence is a result of your self-awareness and self-management skills. It’s your ability to stay aware of your emotions and manage your behavior and tendencies. Social competence is a result of your social awareness and relationship management skills. It’s your ability to understand other people’s behavior (Don Imus) and motives and manage your relationships (anger). In response to Mr. Imus’ comments, all of these skills were used by the ten Rutgers University students and their coach to a great extent--their behavior influenced the ultimate outcome of this issue.


George Anderson, M.S.W, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.angertrends.blogspot.com/
www.anger-management-resources.org

Notes from Dr. Natalia Ivantchenko, CAMF

Dear George Anderson:

I would like to share with you some of my experiences practicing "Anger Management" using the Anderson & Anderson Curriculum.

Shortly after arriving in Kazakhstan from the Phoenix Facilitator Certification Training, I made a good review of my notes and made a list of things that I wanted to practice first. I wanted to start with the Control Log and the Contrasting Wheels of Behavior from the Anderson & Anderson model. I used the Positive and Negative Wheels of Behavior with my Family Therapy patients. The results were amazing.

Now I want to go further and use this model in my presentations with business client companies, as well as with more of my patients.

I love your program and I am proud to a part of it. I want to do my best in practicing it.

Thank you for your attention.

Best regards. I will be in touch with you.

Natalia

Watch The Anderson & Anderson Intro Video!

For a quick review of the Anderson & Anderson Anger Management Model, visit:

http://www.andersonservices.com/ . Anderson & Anderson has the capacity to provide anger management and executive coaching on-site any where in the United States.



George Anderson


George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.angertrends.blogspot.com/
www.anger-management-resources.org

DENIAL & MOTIVATION: BARRIERS TO ANGER MANAGEMENT

By Dr. Victoria D. Coleman

When I ask why they are seeking assistance, oftentimes clients who are present for anger management indicate that they came because of the strong recommendation, or, frequently, the ultimatum of a spouse, family member, friend, co-worker, or a court order. Many believe that they do not have a problem, and that it is someone else’s fault or responsibility for them being here. These clients are in denial, and this attitude can be a barrier to the process of anger management. Anger management requires change. Denial interferes with change.

Also, since change will not occur without motivation, it is essential that anger management facilitators determine how denial adversely impacts the level of motivation of their clients. Individuals change when there is motivation to change, and when they have a cursory understanding of who they are. Self-awareness is an integral component of the Anderson & Anderson anger management intervention program.

A comprehensive instrument that measures the level of the client’s motivation is the Anderson & Anderson Conover Assessment. The Conover Assessment is a tool that provides a simple, but reliable, Map of a client’s level of competence. In addition to measuring the client’s Change Orientation, the degree of motivation and readiness for change, the Conover Assessment identifies the level of functioning in Interpersonal Assertion, Interpersonal Aggression, Interpersonal Deference, Empathy, and Stress Management. All of these areas of competence are critical to the anger management educational process.

The Anderson & Anderson Model of Anger Management recommends a pre/post-test assessment of the six Conover categories. This assessment will provide invaluable information for the client and the facilitator, allowing a benchmark from which to teach anger management skills, and subsequently, determining the success of the anger management program.


Victoria D. Coleman, Ed.D., LPC, LCSW, LMFT, CAMF
President/CEO, The Coleman Group
California, Illinois, and Nevada
E-Mail: info@thecolemangroup.org
Website: www.thecolemangroup.org

Anger Management is now one of the Fastest-growing Disciplines in Executive Coaching.

The mismatch between the existing infrastructure and the increase in population leads to an increase in stress and anger. Our business environment is fueled by a fast-paced environment where change, complexity, pressure, and stress are on the increase. Consequently, the number of requests for anger management is on the rise.

In dealing with these anger management situations, it is important to refer only executive coaches with demonstrated expertise in anger management. With the demand for anger management coaching outstripping the supply of trained facilitators, it’s important to screen providers very carefully.

Anger management touches on a variety of issues—stress management, emotional intelligence, assertive communication and anger management. In addition, it crosses into the realm of psychology. It is essential that anger management/executive coaches, regardless of their training, refrain from providing counseling or psychotherapy in the context of executive coaching or anger management.

An executive coach must be willing and able to use the Anderson & Anderson anger management curriculum and avoid implementing any training related to psychotherapy.
Here are some resources for anger management providers:
www.andersonservices.com
www.aaamp.org
www.anger-management-resources.org

George Anderson, M.S.W, BCD




George Anderson, M.S.W, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.angertrends.blogspot.com/
www.anger-management-resources.org

What Anger Management Is And Is Not

What is anger management?

This is what anger management is not:

•It is not useful for domestic violence cases.
•It is not conflict resolution.
•It is not psychotherapy or counseling.
•It is not a mental health intervention.
•It is not a treatment for mental or nervous disorders.
•It is not appropriate for men who beat their wives or significant others.
•It is not an insurance covered disorder.
•It is not for someone who has “gone berserk”.
•It is not “rehab”.
•It is not a remedy for racism.
•It is not psychotropic medication prescribed by a psychiatrist.
•It is not psychoanalysis.
•It is not a religious based cure.
•It is not designed to teach one how not to get angry.

This is what anger management is:

•Anger management is a course specifically designed to teach participants how to recognize the signs of anger, stress and typical styles of communication in themselves and others.

•Anger management should always begin with an assessment to determine the participant’s level of functioning in managing anger, stress, communication and emotional intelligence.

•Anger management classes teach skills to enhance the day to day management of intense feelings of anger and stress.

•Anger management teaches skills in assertive communication and emotional intelligence.

•Anger management uses a wide range of activities to increase empathy, compassion, and effective communication.

•Anger management improves self-esteem, as well as interpersonal relationships.

•Anger management should be made available to students as a routine course in grade school.

•Anger management raises the Emotional Intelligence of all motivated participants and, therefore, should be seen as an opportunity for growth and change.

Emotions including anger are an important aspect of every person. Instead of disconnecting our emotions, anger management focuses on teaching participants how to control unhealthy actions.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD


George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.angertrends.blogspot.com/
www.anger-management-resources.org

Open Letter to Hospital Administrators:

Anger management is not a cost. Rather, it is a saving, which increases staff morale, reduces interpersonal conflicts and protects an organization from costly legal challenges.

Although no definitive statistics are available, anecdotal reports indicate that disruptive doctors — those who intimidate, threaten or anger co-workers and patients — are a minority who, nevertheless, comprise of a substantial problem. Abusive physicians can erode morale, increase turnover, impede communication and ultimately jeopardize patient care. Abusive physician behavior can, and does, impact all areas of a medical practice.

Recent changes in the ‘Joint Commission Standards for Abusive Physicians’ calls for hospitals nationwide to establish clear standards for addressing the issue of “disruptive physicians”. Long before establishment of this policy, Anderson & Anderson has already been the leading provider of Executive Coaching/Anger Management for disruptive physicians.

The Anderson & Anderson model is an educational based intervention designed to teach skills in the recognition and management of anger, stress, communication and emotional intelligence. Our 12-hour executive coaching intervention for physicians is available on-site and anywhere in the United States.

The individual coaching begins with a confidential assessment to determine the client’s level of functioning in managing anger, stress, assertive communication and emotional intelligence. The two assessments used are non-psychological, and, therefore, do not in anyway stigmatize the participants.

For information on our Disruptive Physician Program, visit our website at www.andersonsersvices.com or contact our office at 310-207-3591.

George Anderson, M.S.W, BCD, CAMF
www.andersonservices.com
www.aaamp.org
www.anger-management-resources.com

The Geico Cavemen Need Anger Management

carlos_todd says:
The Geico caveman needs anger management

Anyone who has seen the Geico insurance advertisement, featuring the now famous cavemen, will agree with me that they need anger management. These cavemen have never had an anger outburst; so the question may be: how could one say that they need anger management? The answer is related to the comprehensive scope of the Anderson and Anderson anger management model, which focuses not only on anger management, but also communications skills, emotional intelligence and stress management.

The Geico cavemen are ticking time bombs--any day they can explode on their employer, friends or family. They allow others to insult and take advantage of them and they never stand up for themselves. When an attempt is made to be assertive, only passive aggressive behavior is displayed. These actions will certainly never result in them getting their needs met. In this case, anger management should both be an intervention and a preventative response. The intervention is to ensure that the cavemen can learn to set boundaries, and the preventive action is necessary to reduce the possibility of an explosive outburst.

There is the need to broaden the understanding of anger management. Anger is a secondary emotion. Therefore, long before there is an outburst, there are signs of the potential of aggression. Poor stress management, poor communication skills and poor emotional intelligence form the foundation of poor anger management. The inappropriate expression of anger is “a very complex problem that is rooted in not being able to properly express unmet needs”, according to John Elder. Therefore psycho-educational interventions that address this core issue will be much more successful in teaching more long lasting anger management skills.

The Geico cavemen are fictional characters; however, the flagrant expression of passive-aggressive behavior is an appropriate example of poor anger management. In this case, an angry response would have been a natural way to let their employer know that their display of them was not appropriate. Nevertheless, these cave men never drew this line. If you find yourself always deferring your needs to others and never seeking to meet your own emotional needs, I encourage you to consider the comprehensive Anderson and Anderson anger management model; otherwise, implosive or explosive anger may soon follow. Both of these results of poor anger management can be destructive to your health and relationships with others. For an Anderson and Anderson provider in your area, visit www.anger-management- resources.org.

Carlos Todd, LPC, NCC, CAMF

Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers

Carlos Todd is an Anderson and Anderson anger management provider in North Carolina.

www.angerhurts.com
www.angeronmymind.com
www.aaamp.org
www.andersonservices.com
www.anger-management-resources.org
Posted at 3:43pm, 6 April 2007 PDT ( permalink )

Anger Management Goes Main Stream

April 01, 2007
By ctodd

In Brentwood, a beautiful suburb of Los Angeles, California, a quiet movement of intellectuals and practitioners continued to build the anger management empire. During a recent three-day certification training, George Anderson shared his extensive knowledge and experience on anger management with a number of individuals including: a physician, Marriage and Family therapists, Licensed Professional Counselors, a probation officer and a retired church official. This certification experience solidified the fact that, despite years of training as physicians and mental health clinicians, anger management is a field in itself and requires specialized training.

Over the three day period, George Anderson reminded the group that anger is a secondary emotion. He also reminded them that proper interventions in anger management will require that those who struggle with anger learn not only anger management, but emotional intelligence, good communication skills and stress management. Participants were also treated to the knowledge of a pioneer in the anger management field--John Elder. He has created a model which we all hope will be published soon.

During these three days, a movement was also created. This is a movement of individuals committed to not only being anger management entrepreneurs, but also a solid commitment to building on the knowledge that George Anderson has single handedly compiled and organized into a field that is now respected globally.

One other amazing event occurred during the three day certification training. Some individuals came to the training as skeptics; however, by the end of the first day, they had wholeheartedly accepted the Anderson and Anderson anger management model. They too accepted that anger is a secondary emotion, and that how humans express their anger is learned and, therefore, can be unlearned. All indicators reveal that anger management, as a field, is about to explode under the guidance of its guru-George Anderson.

With the acceptance of this model by those in the medical profession, it is clear that the Anderson and Anderson model, and anger management as a whole, has officially gone mainstream. In the coming months, other major developments are expected. Stay tuned…
For a certified anger management provider in your area visit http://www.anger-mangement-resources.org/

Carlos Todd, LPC, NCC, CAMF

Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers

Carlos Todd is an Anderson and Anderson Anger management provider in North Carolina

http://www.angerhurts.com/
http://www.angeronmymind.com/
http://www.aaamp.org/
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.anger-management-resources.org/

Quiet Anger Management Pioneer Drops in on Facilitator Certification Training

March 31, 2007
By GeorgeAnd

John Elder, M.A., M.F.T, CAMF, Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers, and the genius behind most of the popular Anderson & Anderson publications, paid a surprise visit to the Executive Coaching Certification training at Anderson & Anderson today. In his typical modest, low key style, John quickly captured the interest of those in attendance by providing an impressive mini-lecture on how to maximize website hits and internet presence of Certified Anger Management Providers.

John introduced the participants to the power of internet marketing and the techniques needed for success as a Certified Anger Management Provider. Some of the suggestions made include the following: 1.) Well designed, focused website limited to anger management and executive coaching, 2.) Use of relevant key words, 3.) Constant updating of your website content, 4.) Incorporation of a frequently updated blog into your Home Page, 5.) Importance of related website links, 6.) Branding of the Anderson & Anderson model, and 7.) The best references for information on anger management, stress management, communication and emotional intelligence.

In his brief presentation, John summarized the results of recent research on evidenced based anger management models as well as studies on anger management and health related issues. The bottom line is: he was awesome.

George Anderson, M.S.W, BCD, CAMF
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Provider
Fellow, American Orthopsychiatric Association
http://www.anger-management-resources.org/
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org/
http://www.anger-trends.blogspot.com/
--- Anderson & Anderson is the trusted name in anger management.

All Anger Management Is Not Equal

March 30, 2007
By ctodd

’Anger management’ is now a household phrase. I can’t tell you how many times I hear, “He/she needs anger management.” Because of the rising demand for anger management, many providers have emerged to meet this need. These operations are popping up without regulation, leaving the consumers to fend for themselves to determine the quality of service and the qualifications of providers. The fact is that all anger management is not equal. Anderson and Anderson is now the global leader in anger management training. This organization has set the standard for facilitator training and recertification.

In the last seven years as a therapist, I have taken many clients through anger management, but the Anderson model had been the most useful and relevant. It combines teaching not only anger management, but communication skills, emotional intelligence and stress management. I must admit that a much desired side effect has been that this model has also improved my own marriage.

The Anderson and Anderson anger management model pays close attention to the issue of emotion intelligence. This is what intrigues me. (Check out my blog at http://www.angerhurts.com/ for more discussion on emotional intelligence as it relates to anger management). I am finding that this is the key to empowering clients. When individuals have a better handle on their emotions they tend to see the potential for anger outbursts well in advance; and, they are better able to take responsibility for their own feelings and meet their own needs without passing the buck.

This model is the standard of training and service delivery in California and Texas. A list of certified Anderson and Anderson providers nationwide can be found at http://www.anger-management-resources.org/

Carlos Todd, LPC, NCC, CAMF

Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers

Carlos Todd is an Anderson and Anderson Anger management provider in North Carolina

http://www.angerhurts.com/
www.angeronmymind.com
http://www.aaamp.org/
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.anger-management-resources.org/