Emotional Intelligence: The Foundation of Hope

I have often wondered what purpose blind faith serves above and beyond establishing a sense of purpose. The answer that most readily comes to mind, in this regard, is quite simply hope combined with a sense of belonging.


To that end, the majority of human beings at some point in their lives will ask, “Why am I here?” It is this very dilemma that instills a sense of lacking within humanity.

Similarly, human beings need to feel validated, regardless of their ethos. They must believe they have a purpose, and more importantly that their existence stands for something. One might say, they need to believe they belong and are needed.


Humanity, regardless of culture, has an instinctive need to believe they belong and as such are part of something that is bigger and stronger that is on their side, and in their corner; an omnipotent figure if you please, that will unconditionally love, support, and forgive them no matter what. Humankind must believe that they are not alone in this world, and that they are living for a reason; a reason that has its basis in hope.

For information regarding our services, please visit our website at www.nvamc.com, or call us at 1-888-992-6479.

Happy New Year!
North Valley Anger Management Consultants

Anger: A Normal Human Emotion

Per George Anderson, LCSW, anger is a normal human emotion. Consequently, our anger is one of the  first indications that we have sustained an emotional injury that causes us to feel, hurt, offended, attacked, frightened or sad. This is not an uncommon response to more vulnerable feelings. In fact, anger even has a positive side to it. Some examples of the positive uses of anger include Martin Luther King and his struggles to end discrimination in America, Nelson Mandela (www.nelsonmandela.org) whose struggle against South Africa mobilized most of the world against his adversaries, and Rosa Parks whose anger was the source of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Another example of a positive outcome in sighted by anger is that of Mahatma Gandhi, whose anger and resulting passive resistance stance against England occurred in direct response to Britain’s domination of India.

However, anger also has very negative connotations, and is often associated with unhealthy and abusive aspects of the human condition. Anger maybe considered a problem when it is too intense, occurs too frequently, is harmful to self or others, lasts too long or leads to aggression. Unfortunately, as the economy continues to struggle and the cost of living remains astronomical, there has been an increase in unhealthy anger and aggression worldwide. This increase is visible across all sectors of our society including government, politics, professional sports, business, education, and medicine.

Therefore, emotional intelligence may no longer be effectively managed at the individual or family level, but may require voluntary and mandated training in stress management, anger management, communication and impulse control.

For more information about managing stressful emotions, please visit our website at www.nvamc.com, or call us at 1-888-992-6479.

Take the Anger Out of Christmas!

With the fiscal cliff looming, ever increasing unemployment, and hyperinflation turning grocery shopping into financial terrorism, holiday anger isn't just on the rise but has set up permanent residency!

In keeping with the holiday spirit of hope and salvation, North Valley Anger Management Consultants, in Mission Hills, CA., thought the following tips maybe useful to help you and your loved ones deal with holiday stress:

1. Watch carefully the amount of alcohol you consume. Many anger management students confess that excessive drinking definitely contributed to family conflict and aggression.

2.Reduce stress by managing your time carefully and not over-scheduling yourself. Take time for yourself.

3. Adjust your expectations of family members. No, Aunt Irene hasn’t changed since last year. Tell yourself that you only have to see her once a year- you can cope with it.

4. Work on forgiveness skills. Let old resentments go. Holding grudges hurts you more than your relatives.

5. Develop better empathy skills. Try to see the world from the viewpoint of irritating family members and you may be shocked at how your anger dissipates.

6. Limit the amount of time you spend with stressfull family members. Remember the "spirit" of the season can be shared just as well with brief quality time.

7. Celebrating the holidays doesn't have to be expensive. You can keep Christmas alive and well without going broke. Reconnect with the meaning of Christmas through religious or cultural practices.

For more tips on how to deal with angry feelings, holiday stress, or the angry behavior of others, call us at 1-888-992-6479 or visit our website at www.nvamc.com


Happy Holidays from North Valley Anger Management Consultants!

Are Anger & Abuse Pre-requisest for Love?

One of the most powerful concepts to implement in any relationship is UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. So the question truly becomes how you define unconditional love, and what are you willing to do to mend the hurt and pain you are currently feeling without passing blame onto the other person. Each person must communicate their love in a calm, clear, and direct, fashion in order to demonstrate respect to their partner. Our emotions have an amazing ability to unite people; however, left unchecked, they possess the same propensity to divide us.

Daniel Goldman(http://www.mbni.med.umich.edu/mbni/faculty/goldman/goldman.html) defines EMPATHY, which is a significant factor involved in unconditional love, in three ways. The first is cognitive empathy, meaning that we can understand how the other person thinks; we see his or her point of view. He states "this makes for good debaters, sales people and negotiators. On the other hand, people who have strengths in cognitive empathy alone can lack compassion – “they get how you see it, but don't care about you". The second is emotional empathy, which refers to someone who feels within herself the emotions of the person he or she is with. Goldman states "this creates a sense of rapport, and most probably entails the brain's mirror neuron system, which activates our own which in turn circuits the emotions, movements and intentions we see in the other person". This type of empathy creates opportunities of compassion and love. Consequently, this is where the third type of empathy, empathic concern, comes into play. Empathic concern "means we not only understand how a person sees and feels in the moment, but also prompts us want to help them if we sense the need". This unlocks the door to true empathy and unconditional love.

As you read this article, can you think of an experience where someone demonstrated Unconditional Love? What area of empathy do you most find yourself demonstrating (cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, or empathic concern)? Do you believe you have to hurt or be hurt to receive love?

If you are in a relationship in which you are hurting the ones you love physically, emotionally, or mentally we can help. For more information and a free consultation, please call 1-888-992-6479 or visit our website at www.nvamc.com today. Help is just a phone call away!

For additional resources, including assistance with a safety plan, please call the national domestic violence hotline at 1-800-787-3224 or visit their website at http://www.thehotline.org/ today.

Safely Coping With Holiday Anger & Stress

One may think the Holiday Season is everybodys  favorite time of year. The weather is cooling. The leaves are falling; the food is getting richer and more decadant. It’s the time of smiling faces, warm cozy fires, hearts full of joy, and families filled with love and togetherness right?

As pretty a picture as the media would try to sell us, we all know the truth. The Holidays are full of family stress, anger, conflict, and pressure. In fact, some of the the following stress filled messages may be running through your mind right now. What will we make for dinner? Who is coming over? What is the budget looking like for presents this year? How do I stop myself from getting angry at the in-laws? Where will my family stay? Is there enough space in our house? Will the kids actually let me sleep today? Do I really want to have to talk to my brother, mother in law, cousin, other family members I don't like ?

With all these stresses and pressures a short temper, anger, and cranky snappy responses are bound to arise. All it takes is the smallest thing to set us off during these times. Sometimes maladaptive coping, such as over indulgence in food and drink can seem like the only way to get through the season.

Coping with the season in a positive and safe way is not easy, but it can be done.

Often, it is the the little things that help the most.  Just remember to breathe, the holidays don’t last forever. Try to keep in mind that even with all the build up, expectations and disappointment that often come with the season, ultimately they are just days, and you can get through them just like you do every other day that has come, or is yet to come. Just be aware of your mood and tone of voice, your body language, and that other peoples behavior is not personal. Another thing to keep in mind is that alcohol only adds to the problem, and can be down right dangerous. Keeping the holiday cheer in check will help keep the anger and stress in check too. It helps when you realize that everyone else is just as stressed as you are. You are not alone; just smile, relax and try to enjoy what you can. Remember, you are the only one who can keep yourself safe, sober, and under control.

For information and assistance coping with holiday stress, please visit our website at www.nvamc.com  or call us toll free at 1-888-992-6479 today.

Happy Holidays from North Valley Anger Management Consultants!

How to Survive The Holidays Anger Free

The Holidays can be challenging for many people, most especially during these difficult economic times. Whether finances or family are giving you the Holiday Blues, following the road map below will definitly help you to successfully negotiate the emotional tidal wave associated with the season without loosing control, exploding in anger, or over indulging.

The key surviving the Holidays without explosive anger is resiliency: Having resilency means developing a set of tools we can use to cope with the various emotional challenges and triggers the Holidays may bring. Resiliency is a learned behavior that anyone may learn and incorporate at any point in their life.

Defining Resilience:

The word "resiliencies" is used to describe clusters of stengths that are mobilized in the

struggle with hardship. The vocabulary of strengths includes seven resiliencies which are as

follows:

Insight -

asking tough questions and giving honest answers.

Independence -

life.

distancing emotionally and physically from the sources of trouble in one's

Relationships -

making fulfilling connections to other people. -

Initiative -

taking charge of problems.

Creativity -

using imagination and expressing oneself in art forms.

Humor -

finding the comic in the tragic.

Morality -

acting on the basis of an informed conscience.

Diagramming the Seven Resiliencies:

The Wolins have represented the resiliencies pictorially on a diagram they call the

resiliency mandala. A symbolic circle that stands for peace and order in the self, the mandala

was identified by Carl Jung as a universal symbol.

 

For more information about coping with anger, or a free consultation, please call 1-888-992-6479 or visit our website at www.nvamc.com today.

Happy Holidays!

North Valley Anger Management Consultants

Coping With Anger & Stress: When to Get Help

Stress and anger often go hand in hand. For many of us, financial issues are the greatest cause of stress. Am I going to have enough hours this month? What if I get sick? The pressure to make enough to have a place to live and cover all the bills can wear us down, adding additional tension to already overwhelmed lives .  It is during these times of stress and emotional strife, that we are the most prone to a dangerous level of anger. We might begin, on an unconscious level, to look for any reason to yell, or start a fight, in order to relieve some of the pressure. The more stressed you become, the more the smallest things can set you off.  You know, common everyday things like someone changing lanes without signaling,or  maybe your spouse or child hasn't taken out that trash yet. Whatever the case, it is up to us to be aware and recognize when we feel ourselves starting down overload road and getting angry about things that normally wouldn't matter. It is up to us to be responsible, and to look for appropriate ways of releasing our stress and anger before it harms ourselves or loved ones. 


There are many different ways to calm down and relax. If any of these symptoms of system overload sounds like you or someone you love, I encourage you to find what works for you, or your loved one to de-stress and reclaim  a calmer quality of life.  

For more information about anger management, and a free consultation please visit our website at www.nvamc.com, or call 1-888-992-6479 today.       

Mob Mentality: Avoiding the Trap of GroupThink

The de-evolution of societal norms is becoming such a common occurence that we are seeing it's like on an almost daily basis. A good example is demonstrated in a recent display of mob mentality at a High School Prep ralley in Florida. In this particular example,  a football referee was violently attacked by a group of angry coaches and players, due to a collective impression of bias associated with unfavorable calls affecting the outcome of the team's score. Individually, the probability of any of the coaches or players involved physically attacking the referee is negligible at best. However, as a group, they created a seperate identity with normative values uniqully assigned to their shared purpose resulting in an angry mob bent on getting their way by any means available. In short, a 'mob mentality.'
A mob mentality is a mind set that often occurs when a crowd takes on an identity of its own, seperate and devoid of the distinct identities of the individuals that embody the collective, yet joined by a shared sense of purpose. According to Don Forsyth, a professor at The Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond, "the concept of mob mentality first developed in the 1800s, when French sociologist Gustave Le Bon wrote The Crowd." Per a recent article by Lacey Schley, of Medill,  Forsyth further proposed that one possible theory explaining the origin of a central group identity is the social psychology concept of "deindividuation." Phil Zimbardo, a social scientist and professor at Stanford University, most noted for his classic 1971 psychosocial experiment entitled The Stanford Prison Experiment, in which graduate students voluteered to enact the roles of either inmate or prison guard. As a result, Zimbardo is considerd to be the foremost authority on the conceptual theory of deindividuation, which is a social therory that posits the embracement of the group cultural identity in place of individual values.    
Avoiding the contagion of mob mentality in modern society is not easy, but it can be done. 'Group think' can be avoided by being aware of yourself in relation to others. Angry mobs, violent or aggresive behavior, dissolutionment, verbal anger and public discontent, dialectic politics, etc, are all signs of mob mentality, group think, and deindividuation. Monitoring your own behavior when alone and within a group is the key. With awareness, we can regulate the amount of deviation between our individual values and those associated with a group. Angry outbursts, public violence, verbal and physical aggression are all traits that are the antithesis of societal norms, yet accepted within the group culture resulting from a sense of safety associated with the collective. You do not have to allow youself to become a mob member, or surrender your individual beliefs. Personal vigilence and social awareness will assist with the deescalation of anger, violence and other symptoms of a mob mentality.

If you would like more information regarding anger management, regulating emotions, avoiding angry outbursts or other symptoms of violence please visit our website at www.nvamc.com or call us at 1-888-992-6479.

For more information regarding mob mentality, the Stanford Prison Experiment, or the violence at the High School prep rally please visit the following websites.

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=205860

http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Coaches-and-players-violently-attack-youth-footb?urn=highschool-wp5326

http://www.prisonexp.org/

Managing Your Anger With The Boss

    It's Saturday morning; you sit in your favorite chair cup of coffee in hand, a nice breakfast laid out in front of you. After a long, and particularly stressful week at work you plan to enjoy your day off, relax, move slowly, not have to rush here and there, spend time with your family and friends, or maybe just catch up on all those  shows saved on your DVR. Whatever you choose to do, it doesn’t matter, this day is yours and you plan on savoring every moment of it. 

You sigh contentedly and lift your fork, about to take your first bite of your lovely breakfast, when the phone rings. Once, you ignore it, twice and you are starting to get irritated, by the third ring you get up just to silence the ringer when you happen to glance down at the caller ID, and notice that your boss is calling.  Great, you think to yourself. You know exactly why he is calling. Either he messed up the scheduling again, or one of your coworkers has called in “sick” and now you are stuck with having to go     in, on your very hard earned day off.

Instantly, your anger is through the roof and you are furious! More than anything, you want to pick up that phone and really give the boss a piece of your mind, but thankfully something stops you; this time. 

While that instant satisfaction would feel great, you know that the consequences of that action would not. You take a few deep breaths and calm yourself before you answer. Sure enough, the boss wants you to come into work. While you don’t want to go in today, you are polite on the phone and go to quickly get ready.

If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone! Life is not always pleasant, situations that make you angry will always pop up. It is how you respond to those situations that really matter. Just because one day sucks, is no reason to let anger rule your judgment, and cause you to act out ruining many more days to come. Each day is a new beginning, and each moment offers you a new course to take. Make sure you decide to take the best course every time, by not letting anger cloud your mind. One anger management technique to quickly get yourself back under control is to close your eyes, and count to ten while taking several slow deep breaths. Another is to tear paper into little pieces. Redirecting your hot thoughts away from the trigger is the key to regaining your self control.

If you or a loved one are struggling with anger, and it feels out of control, perhaps it is time to seek professional help. For more information and a free consult, please call 1-888-992-6479, or visit us at www.nvamc.com.  

Why Hater's Hate: Moving Past the Anger

Hate. For most people this word conjures up more images and memories than perhaps any other. The bully who made you miserable as a child; a friend you once trusted; an ex lover, a parent, a sibling…maybe even yourself. Hate comes from anger, and anger from the instinct to protect ourselves from pain. In short, anger and hate originate from a primitive defense rooted in the brains need to automatically protect itself from perceived threats. When it comes down to it, feeling angry and hateful is easier and safer than feeling sadness, betrayal, disappointment, fear, grief or loss.

Fixing this is simple, but it is not easy. It takes a willingness to recognize and change negative thoughts and behavior patterns, and the ability to identify and work through the experiences that caused the hate and anger so you can let it go. Remember that hate is easy, but forgiveness is hard. It is up to you to decide to forgive and move on to being a healthier, happier you.

                                                             

When you are ready to begin to the healing, we can help. North Valley Anger Management Consultants offers evening and weekend classes to help you over come the anger and hate. For more information, or a free consultation, please visit our website at www.nvamc.com or call us at 1-888-992-6479 today. Anger hurts, we can help stop the hurt and begin the healing.

                                 

                                                      

Overcoming Anger Addiction

Anger is an emotion we are all very familiar with. Despite being a universal emotion of the human condition, anger is generally viewed in a negative way and most people love to hate it. However, anger, over time, can become an addictive rollercoaster trapping you in toxic thoughts, patterns and behaviors. In short, people can become addicted to anger, or rather the emotional response know as anger.

So what causes people to become additcted to anger? Well, anger triggers the primal, subconscious, part of your brain designed for survival and fight or flight responses. When it is triggered, waves of chemicals ,such as dopamine and adrenaline, flood your system giving you a quick false sense of feeling good. Your body then subconsciously begins to settle into this comfortable and familiar routine of getting angry to protect itself and gain that quick feel good.

So just what can we do about all this? There are many things we can do to solve this problem. The first and most important thing we can do is learn to recognize just when we are about to go into this state of toxic, feel good anger, and respond to it with ways to move away from this course of thought. Remember that by design your subconscious is not capable of rational thinking, rather it relies on messages and beliefs that were absorbed during  formative childhood years. This means that it is up to you to consciously recognize this, and decide to change it.

 Another thing we can do is to form other patterns of behavior that give us a feel good response, without being harmful to our mental and physical well being.This is called building resiliency through the creation postive personal habits. The important thing to remember is that no one is powerless over their emotions, and we all have the capacity for positive growth and change; we just have to learn to accept it. Truly knowing yourself is scary, and can be difficult, but with dedication and patience anyone can do it.   

For information, or a free consultation, please call us at 1-888-992-6479, or visit our website at www.nvamc.com.

The Price of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence (DV) is more than anger. It is more than abuse. It is not about gaining pleasure from inflicting pain. What it is about is the power and control of one person over another brought about through a combination of intimidation, physical, mental, and emotional cruelty. What domestic violence is is a living nightmare for the victims trapped within it's clutches. It is in every city, on every block. It is unbias and nondiscriminatory. It effects rich and poor alike and has no regard for social or political status, and its effects are long term and hereditary.

 Witnessing domestic violence is in and of itself a form of child abuse and neglect. Unfortunately, the trickle down effect of  DV does not end there. Domestic violence is often discussed clinically, in terms referring to the physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal cost,yet it is the human cost that needs to be profiled. The physical effect of domestic violence alone, such as damage to a child's growing brain, can cause developmental and learning impairment including cognitive delays and behavioral difficulties. However, the physical effects of exposure to abuse is only the tip of the iceberg.

As the children from a home with domestic violence grow up, they are predisposed to become abusers themselves. The recurring cycle of violence often begins on the school yard, with the child bullying other children, and ultimately ends with the child becoming an adult who perpetrates domestic violence themselves.

According to the United States goverment, an estimated 905,000 children were victims of exposure to domestic violence, a form of child abuse, both physical and emotinal, and neglect in 2006 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). While physical injuries may or may not be immediately visible, abuse and neglect not only can but will have consequences for the children and families that experience this abuse that will last the course of the victims lifetime, and often for generations to come.

For these families, living in fear and pain is all they know. The emotional and physical cost of domestic violence to children and families is unconscionable. Stopping the cycle of violence is the only way to end the multi-generational pattern of abuse being passed down from parent to child ad infinium amen.

IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PLEASE CALL YOUR LOCAL SHELTER, YMCA, OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IMMEDIATELY. THESE AGENCIES MAY BE REACHED BY DIALING 211, 411, OR 911.

If you are a batterer/perpetrator and have been court ordered to seek help in stopping the abuse, or are self referred, please call 818-606-7531 for more information, or visit our website at www.nvamc.com.

For more information about the effect of abuse on children, stopping the cycle of domestic violence,  resources to help a victim recovering from domestic violence abuse, please visit the following websites:


http://www.cpedv.org/

cadv.org/children.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYWxfxMOUO4

Anger in Your Relationship: When to Get Help

Anger, left uncontrolled, can be one of the most dangerous and destructive components in a relationship. Often, both hetero and same sex couples struggling with anger problems are unaware of why their relationship continues to deteriorate. Although, a couple struggling with anger may be committed to one another, knowing when it is time to reach out for help can play an important part in beginning to heal the relationship. If your relationship is falling apart, due to anger management issues, the following list of symptoms and behaviors may help you identify when to reach out for help:


1. Feeling controlled or micromanaged by your partner

2. Feeling afraid of your partner at anytime (get help immediately)

3. Unable to express wants, needs, or desires out of fear of partner rejection

4. Fear of physical or verbal attack (get help immediately)                           

5. Unable to communicate without partner getting angry

6. Children being effected by arguing in the home (can't focus in school)

7. Children feeling afraid of parents

8. Children feeling they have to protect either parent

A loved ones anger may be a symptom of a deeper mental health health concern requiring professional assistance, or it maybe a communication concern that anger management classes combined with relational therapy may be able to address. However, the first and most important step is knowing when to reach out and ask for help. If you, or someone you love, are dealing with any these symptoms/behaviors in a relationship, please seek help immediately. Moreover, if you are in a relationship and are feeling afraid of your partner, or your children are afraid of a parent, or fear for a parent, seek help immediately by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. No one has to live with anger between themselves and a loved one, and no one should ever live in fear. Help is available 24 hours a day. For more information, or a for free consultation, please call 1-888-992-6479 or visit our website at http://www.nvamc.com/.                                                                           

How To Spot a Bully In Your Child's Life

Would you know if your child was being bullied? Often bullying goes unreported and undetected, yet the damage is still done and can have life altering effects. In 2009,  Finkelhor, Turner, Ormrod,&Hamby conducted a national study of United States school children, ages 2-17, and identified 29.5 percent of the youth surveyed had experienced emotional bullying, and 21.6 percent had experienced physical bullying. Knowing the signs and getting immediate assistance to stop the bullying and provide emotional support can make all the difference in the life of child. The following are warning signs often demonstrated by children being bullied:

Comes home with torn, damaged, or missing pieces of clothing, books, or other belongs

Has unexplained cuts, bruises, scratches

Has few, if any friends, with whom they spend time

Seems afraid of going to school, walking to and from school, riding the bus, or taking part in organized activities with peers

Takes a long, illogical, route to school

Has lost interest in, or suddenly begins to do poorly at school

Appears sad, moody, teary, or depressed when they come home from school

Complains of frequent headaches, stomachaches, or other physical symptoms

Has trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams

Demonstrates a loss of appetite

Appears anxious and suffers from low self esteem

Learning how to recognize the symptoms may save a life. Know the signs and stop bullying today!
For more information please visit www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/se/bullyres.asp

The "Anger Trap"

Avoiding the "Anger Trap" is an important skill to have in your communication tool box, and is one that is often over looked. Navigating the slippery slope of interpersonal relations is never easy, but with a little help you will be stirring the communication course like a pro.
 An "Anger Trap" is the emotional mine field of any interaction that involves one party being denied something that they want. Yes, this happens all the time, all over the world, in ever aspect of life from the home to the cooperate board room. The result of getting caught in one of these traps, most especially in the business world, can often be a fast trip to anger management class. So what is the infamous trap, and how do you avoid it? An "Anger Trap" is sprung when the party being denied is able to hook the denier into justifying the denial and in so doing begins to exploit the deniers guilt. At this point, the denier becomes angry in response to the emotions associated with the guilt, and thus a successful 'anger trap' has been sprung. Avoiding the trap then becomes a matter of the denier being able to establish clear boundaries and effectively managing their communication of the denial. In short, the denier must avoid engaging in explanations by using clear, concise commands coupled with immediate disengagement from the conversation. This does not mean forgoing politeness, but it does mean remaining in control of the conversation. For more information about our services including anger management, interpersonal communication, stress management, avoiding the "Anger Trap", emotional intelligence, etc., please visit our website at www.nvamc.com or call 888-992-6479.

Anger Management for Parents

Today's parents are dealing with more day to day frustration raising their children than ever before. In the majority of homes, parents are not only working, attempting to provide after school activities via sports programs, scouting, etc, but are also trying to maintain relationships with significant others, family, friends, religious affiliations, etc. Many of these homes are single parent households, which adds even more stress to the equation. Factor in those parents who are also trying to go to school in addition to everything else, in an attempt to improve there ability to earn a livable wage, and the stress multiplies expotentialy. Throw a defiant teen, or angry young one acting out due to divorce or other concerns, into the mix and you have a pressure cooker ready to blow at any moment. So how can mom&dad; diffuse their frustration and cope with the stress of parenting children in the twenty-first century? Are we really talking about anger management for parents? The answer is yes. In fact, anger management techniques are appropriate for everyone, everywhere, in all walks of life and parents are no exception. Mom&dad are people too, and are dealing with even more stress than those without children and as such have even greater need of anger management skills to cope with the demands of modern life. The following anger management techniques are recommended as stress management tools for parents to use to prevent nuclear implosion : 
1) Lean to identify the physical signs of rising anger such as tightening of the stomach, neck, shoulders, clenched fists, gritting of teeth etc.

2) When the above signs are identified, count backwards to refocus your thoughts.

3) Give yourself a time out and walk and disengage from the source of stress while counting backwards.

4) Utilize relaxation techniques such as slow deep breathing, guided imagery, isometric excersises, stretching.

5) Give yourself fifteen minutes of unscheduled time a day just for you.
At North Valley Anger Management Consultants, we understand the unrelenting demands of being a parent in the twent-first century and are available to help. For a additional information, visit our website at www.nvamc.com or call us at 1-888-992-6479.


 

The Heavy Cost of Anger: A Challenge & Social Experiment

Human beings get angry for various reasons, as a way of expressing and relieving emotion. One of the most common forms of anger is frustration. Anger, in and of its self, can be a normal, healthy emotion. In fact, everyone gets angry from time to time, most especially when that anger is frustration based. However, when the amount of frustration in a person life becomes so high that they are angry more often than not, or the anger is being expressed in unhealthy ways that are interfering in your quality of life, then it maybe time to consider getting help.

As it is now the dawn of 2012, I would like to issue a challenge; a social experiment if you will, and ask that you look back over the past year at how many times you, or a loved one, became angry, who was involved, and how you/they expressed the anger. Did you or a loved one feel better or worse after becoming angry? Was anyone hurt emotionally, physically, etc? Did you/they discover that the number of times/days they were angry was equal to, or greater than, the amount of time spent not being angry? Has the anger begun to interfer with daily living? Has your/their anger gotten in the way of things that used to be pleasureable? If it is a loved one, have you noticed you are now avoiding spending time with them? Has the anger become scary? Has the anger become so great that there is now a cost for that anger such as loosing a job or relationship?

 If you have answered yes to any of these questions, I urge you to consider consulting with a professional. Anger of the degree described above is a heavy load to carry, and comes at a high cost to everyone involved. The good news is, anger doesn't have to consume anyones life. At North Valley Anger Management Consultants, we offer individual and group anger management classes that address the heavy cost of anger, through an evidenced based program that is proven to work. Don't let anger ruin one more day in your life, or the life of a loved one. At North Valley Anger Management Consultants,in Mission Hills, CA., we understand the heavy cost of anger and are available to help. Call us today for a free consultation, at 888-992-6479, or visit our website at www.nvamc.com.

Anger Management 101: Five Great Tips to Regain Control

 

Excessive out of control anger can cause both you and your family, friends, & co-workers extra stress. If your angry outbursts are negatively affecting your relationships it's time to learn some anger management skills. Anger management techniques are an effective method to help change the way you communicate your anger from negative to positive.

                 Five Positive Tips To Help Manage Anger      

1. Take a 'breather': It may seem overly simple, but counting to 10 before reacting really can help you slow down and think before you act.
2. Once you're feeling calmer, use your words to express your anger. It's healthy to express your frustration in a nonconfrontational way. Holding onto whatever the problem was can make the situation worse.
3. Exercise: Physical activity can provide an outlet for your emotions, especially if you're about to erupt. Going for a walk can make all the difference
4. Think before you speak! Grandma was right, think before you speak or may say something you'll later regret.
5. Problem Solve: Instead of concentrating on the problem,take a pro-active stance and trouble shoot the issue with the person who triggered your anger and prevent the situation from reoccuring. For more information and helpful resources, please visit our website at http://www.nvamc.com/.