Anger Management Exercises
We spend a lifetime learning (usually unconsciously) how to act out our anger--we have been socialized into the process. Anger management is a resocialization process. That's one reason why groups and classes can be more effective than working on a self-help book alone. Anger is something that we expererience cognitively, emotionally, and even physically. The anger management exercises below are designed to help people become more aware of their anger, how it feels and how it manifests, so that they can manage it more easily.
The Anger Management Log
The Anger Management Log is a basic anger management exercise. This simple, one page exercise helps to clarify how angry or aggressive outbursts slipped out, what emotional needs underlie the angry behavior, and what the earliest symptoms of anger feel like. Knowing early symptoms allows a person to identify the need to manage their anger before becoming aggressive or full of rage. It gives a window of opportunity to practice anger management techniqes. The anger management log also provides an opportunity to evaluate your own thought process, learning how distorted thinking (cognitive distortions) and judgements lead to anger. This makes it easier to avoid the next time. The more you put into this anger management exercise, the more you'll get out of it. Downloading the Cognitive Distortions Worksheet will make it easier to fill out your anger log.
Anger Management Log (PDF file)
Using the Anger Management Log effectively
Cognitive Distortions Worksheet (PDF file)
The Anger/Needs List Exercise
Anger is a secondary emotion. Lying behind anger is a primary emotion (anxiety, sadness, loss, fear, etc.) that springs from an unmet need. Generally we act out our anger and actually prevent our needs from getting met. This anger management exercise ties anger to unmet needs. Once needs are identified, then it becomes possible to work on fulfilling them or practicing self-soothing. For a copy of the Anger/Needs List Exercise, click [here] to download a PDF file.
The Anger Poetry Exercise
Anger is not just a rational, left brained phenomenon. Part of the challenge of teaching anger management is to enroll the right brain and deeper emotional portions of the brain to become more conscious and aware of when anger is brewing. This allows a person to begin managing his or her anger sooner and to have an easier time maintaining calm behavior. The Anger Poetry Exercise is designed to stimulate visual and emotional portions of the brain, as well as echos of childhood memory. It brings them all together a beautiful piece of poetry that raises awareness of the emotions and feelings that preceded anger. For a copy of the Anger Poetry Exercise, click [here] to download a PDF file.
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