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Trainer Notes – Anger Management

Introduction, Objectives, and Expectations

Welcome participants to the workshop and introduce yourself.

Set the scene.

Anger is a normal human emotion. We’ve all been angry at one time or another.

Some of us handle our anger better than others. While one person might be a bit unhappy when someone cuts him off in traffic, another is so angry that he shouts and swears, and starts driving aggressively himself. How can the same event cause such different reactions? And how can you make sure that your reaction is the calm one, instead of the wild one?

What we really want to do is to understand our anger more deeply and to create a new type of relationship with our emotions, a relationship where we manage them rather than letting them manage us.

Many of us are alarmed at how anger is controlling our lives. However, anger is a learned response, and the anger response can, with commitment and effort, be unlearned.

Show Slide – Objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

Understand the physiology of anger and identify triggers Use cognitive restructuring and self-talk to help manage anger Develop better lifestyle choices Practice relaxation techniques Complete a thought record

Talk participants through the objectives and ask if they have any questions.

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Exercise – 5 minutes

Objective: To identify personal objectives.

Ask individuals to identify the additional skills and knowledge they would like to gain, and record these in their workbooks on the page, ‘Introductions, Objectives and Expectations’.


Objective: For individuals to know how and when to use their action plan.

Refer participants to the learning log and action plan in their workbooks. Advise them that, throughout the workshop, they should note any actions that they are going to take, as well as the key learning points. You will also prompt them at key points to add items to their action plans (you will do this prior to every break in the workshop).

Show Slide – Expectations

Activity – 10 minutes

Objective: For the group to agree on house rules and clarify expectations.

Note to Trainer: Draw the following matrix on the flipchart before starting the activity. Sample answers are provided.

From the Workshop

KnowledgeSkills

From the Trainer

ExpertiseDirection

From Others

ConfidentialityHonesty

From Myself

ParticipationKnowledge sharing

ASK: What are your expectations of the workshop, me, your fellow participants, and yourself?

Fill in the matrix with answers from the group.




Objective: For participants to introduce themselves.

Show Slide – Introductions

Let’s get to know each other a bit better. I’m going to ask each of you a few questions.

Guide the group to the page, ‘Getting to Know You’ in their workbook where they can write their answers. Then, go around the group and ask each participant to introduce themselves and share their answers to the questions in their workbook:

1. How would you define anger?

2. What is one thing that is guaranteed to make you feel angry?

3. How often does this happen?

4. Have you ever taken any action to prevent it happening again? What did you do?

Let’s take a look at some other definitions of anger to make sure we all have a shared understanding.

Show Slide – Defining Anger

Anger can be defined as:

1. ‘An emotional state that may range in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage.’

2. ‘A strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.’

3. ‘An emotion characterised by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong.’

To further understand anger, let’s examine its physiology.



The Physiology of Anger

Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems; problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life. It can also make you feel as though you're at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion.

Like other emotions, it is accompanied by physiological and biological changes; when you get angry, your heart rate and blood pressure go up, as do the levels of your energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.

Show Slide – The Physiology of Anger

As you become angry your body's muscles tense up. Inside your brain, neurotransmitter chemicals known as catecholamines are released causing you to experience a burst of energy lasting up to several minutes.

This burst of energy is behind the common angry desire to take immediate protective action. At the same time, your heart rate accelerates, your blood pressure rises, and your rate of breathing increases. Your face may flush as increased blood flow enters your limbs and extremities in preparation for physical action. Your attention narrows and becomes locked onto the target of your anger. Soon, you can pay attention to nothing else. In quick succession, additional brain neurotransmitters and hormones (among them adrenaline and noradrenaline) are released which trigger a lasting state of energy. You're now ready to fight.

Although it is possible for your emotions to rage out of control, the prefrontal cortex of your brain, which is located just behind your forehead, can keep your emotions in proportion. If the amygdala handles emotion, the prefrontal cortex handles judgement. The left prefrontal cortex can switch off your emotions. It serves in an executive role to keep things under control. Getting control over your anger means learning ways to help your prefrontal cortex get the upper hand over your amygdala so that you have control over how you react to anger feelings. Among the many ways to make this happen are breathing and relaxation techniques (which reduce your built-up energy and decrease your amygdala activity) and the use of cognitive control techniques which help you practice using your judgement to override your emotional reactions.

If anger has a physiological preparation phase during which our resources are mobilised for a fight, it also has a wind-down phase as well. We start to relax back towards our resting state when the target of our anger is no longer accessible or an immediate threat.




Objective: To summarise the brain functions during anger.

Show Slide – Video – Anger and Loss of Control

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYasBBMR10U

Show the short video clip which summarises what happens in the brain during anger.

Individuals can take notes in their workbooks on the page, ‘Anger and Loss of Control’.

ASK: Would someone like to summarise what we have just watched?

Anger is sometimes referred to as the ‘umbrella’ emotion because it can cover numerous feelings.

Show Slide – The Anger Umbrella


Objective: For individuals to identify the emotions under their umbrella.

Individuals complete the exercise in their workbooks on the page, ‘Anger and Loss of Control’.

ASK: What feelings does your anger cover? Write them in the umbrella.So, what do you think triggers this emotion in you?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYasBBMR10U


Internal and External Triggers

Show Slide – Triggers

Internal triggers include our brain functions and thought processes.External triggers come from the attitudes and behaviours of others, and the situations we encounter.

You could be angry at a specific person (such as a co-worker or supervisor) or an event (a traffic jam, a cancelled flight). Or, your anger could be caused by worrying or ruminating about your personal problems and memories of traumatic or enraging events. Feelings of anger arise due to how we interpret and react to certain situations.

Everyone has their own triggers for what makes them angry, but some common triggers include situations in which we feel:

Threatened or attacked Frustrated or powerless Like we’re being treated unfairly

People can interpret situations differently, so a situation that makes you feel very angry may not make someone else feel angry at all (for example, other reactions could include annoyance, hurt or amusement). But just because we can interpret things differently, it doesn’t mean that you’re interpreting things incorrectly. How you interpret and react to a situation can depend on lots of factors in your life, including your childhood and upbringing, past experiences, and current circumstances.

Being able to recognise your triggers is the first step to successful anger management.

ASK: What things tend to trigger your anger?


Objective: To identify what triggers your anger.

Individuals complete the simple questionnaire in their workbooks to identify their personal triggers and whether they are internal or external. The list contains common examples. Encourage participants to add their own triggers to the list, if they can.

Read this list of triggers and tick the ones that make you angry. Then identify if the trigger is internal or external.





Event/ Situation Applies to Me?

Internal or

External?You weren’t included in a decision about your team ISomeone says you did something wrong EYou feel tense and stressed IYour boss belittles you in public EYou get stuck in heavy traffic EYou worry about the future everyday IYou hear that someone has been spreading rumours about you

E

You take things too seriously IYou get caught doing something you shouldn't have been doing

E

You actively avoid conflict IYou feel left out at work IAn employee doesn't respect your authority EYou get angry with yourself when you make a small mistake

I

You are told that you can't do something EYou let people ‘walk over you’ ISomeone doesn't agree with you EYou suffer from illness or pain ISomeone doesn't do what you tell him to do EYour boss takes over a situation you were managing EYou compare yourself unfavourably with others IOthers:

ASK: Looking at your triggers, are they mostly internal or external?

You can use a technique called ABC Belief Monitoring to help identify triggers and their consequences. In this three-step model, you assess a situation after it has happened.

Show Slide – ABC

1. Antecedent

What was the situation?

2. Belief

What thoughts or beliefs did you have about the situation? How true did that belief seem (where 0% is not true at all and 100% is absolutely true)?



3. Consequences

How did you feel when the situation happened? How did you act? How did others react?


Objective: To use the ABC technique.

Ask participants to individually complete the exercise on ABC Belief Monitoring in their workbook on the page, ‘ABC Belief Monitoring’.

They do not have to share this experience unless they want to.



Thinking Errors

We have seen that thoughts (internal triggers) can make us feel angry, but often people who have a problem with anger may not notice these angry thoughts. It is important, when trying to manage anger, that we begin to recognise and challenge those thoughts. This skill forms part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

Show Slide – Thinking Errors

Thinking errors are irrational patterns of thinking that can both cause anger, and be caused by anger: the angrier you feel, the more you are annoyed by thinking errors, and the more they annoy you, the angrier you feel.

To break this vicious circle, you need to identify your thinking errors and successfully challenge them. Some common thinking errors include:

1. 'Hot' thoughts 'Hot' thoughts are angry thoughts that flash into your mind and make you feel worse. People tend to have similar thoughts happening again and again, for example: "He is so lazy", "You’re so selfish.", "I hate this job."

2. Taking things personally People who are angry often take things personally and feel hurt by it. They look for, and expect, criticism from other people. If, for example, someone doesn’t speak to them at a meeting, they may feel that person dislikes them, when in fact it may be that he or she is just focused on the agenda.

3. Ignoring the positive People who get angry tend to focus their thinking on negative or bad events and ignore positive or good events.

4. Perfectionism

People who become angry often expect too much from themselves or those around them. If these standards are not met, then they feel badly let down and hurt. This hurt becomes anger.


Objective: To correct thinking errors.



Organise the group into pairs and ask them to complete the table in their workbooks on the page, ‘Thinking Errors’ by changing angry thoughts to balanced thoughts. Ask them to add their own thoughts at the end of the table.

Angry (Hot) Thought Balanced Thought

He is looking at me and thinks I'm stupid

He is looking over here but I don't know what he is really thinking

They always let me down They sometimes behave badly but at times they are really OK

She just doesn't care about me, she is selfish

I know she let me down, but she does care, she usually tries to be kind

Invite pairs to share their suggestions.



The Effects of Anger

We now know that anger is a natural response to feeling attacked, deceived, frustrated or treated unfairly. Everyone gets angry sometimes – it’s part of being human. And it isn’t always a ‘bad’ emotion; in fact, it can sometimes be useful.


Objective: To identify the positive and negative effects of anger.

Equipment needed: One sheet of flipchart paper and coloured markers for each team.

Organise the group into teams of 3 or 4. Distribute the resources to each team. Ask them to draw a table with two columns headed ‘positive’ and ‘negative’. Ask them to brainstorm all the positive and negatives effects that anger may have. They can make notes in their workbook on the page, ‘The Effects of Anger’.

Invite teams to give a short presentation on their findings.

Show Slide – Effects of Anger

Here are some ideas that I have come up with. If they are not on your list, you can add them now.

On the plus side, anger can:

Signal there is a problem Help us identify problems Motivate us to change Create empowerment Energise us

On the negative side, anger can:

Cause health problems Make it difficult to think clearly Lead to aggression Lead to regret and depression Cause problems in relationships

Of course, it is because of the damaging nature of the negative effects, that anger needs to be managed in a careful and proactive way.

We are going to take a look at a case study now.






Objective: To identify causes and effects of anger.

Guide participants to the case study in their workbooks on the page, ‘Case Study’.

Read the case study aloud and break the group into teams of 2 or 3 for discussion of the questions in their workbooks.

Case Study – Hot Under the Collar

“What is it with you, Rita?” asked Karl, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, of his National Sales Manager. “Can’t you ever do anything right? No wonder I’m going crazy checking and rechecking your department’s work!”

Just ten minutes earlier Karl had finished being reprimanded by his boss, the Senior Vice President. Based on what his boss had said, Karl understood that an important report had been prepared with all the wrong data.

“Look, Rita,” continued Karl, “the bottom line is that you messed up. Now who prepared that report? What’s the name of the culprit? I’m going to give that person a piece of my mind.”“Karl, hold on, will you?” interrupted Rita.“The name,” demanded Karl.“It’s Ebins, the new guy I recently brought on board,” explained Rita. “Please let me call him in and find out for myself what happened.”“No way, I’ll do it myself,” replied Karl. “It seems I have to do everything around here myself anyway."

While Karl was getting Ebins on the phone, Rita was trying to compose herself. She was totally shocked at Karl’s behavior and wanted to resolve the problem herself. After all, Ebins was a member of her staff. Rita could only see her relationship with Ebins being destroyed by Karl’s bad temper and interference.

Once on the phone, Karl proceeded to attack Ebins. “You ruined everything. Nothing was done right!”

As Karl slammed the phone down, he remarked, “Now let him stew for a while.”



1) What do you see are the problems here?

Karl should not have lost his cool. Instead he should have explained the problem to Rita, as it was presented to him, and sought her explanation, input and solutions.

It is easy to buckle under to pressure by attacking and condemning others. Keeping one’s cool under fire and stress and making an effort to understand a problem require both strength and professionalism.

By his action, Karl has hurt his credibility, not only with his national sales manager, but with a new employee.

Karl’s negative communication with the employee undermined Rita’s management authority and hurt her effectiveness in developing her staff.

2) What might have been a more effective approach for Karl to take?

Be more aware of his own anger triggers and used some techniques for defusing his own emotions after he was chewed out by his boss.

Given himself some time to calm down and think more rationally before raising the issue of the report with either Rita or Ebins.

Asked clarifying questions to check out the situation, rather than immediately jumping to conclusions about an employee’s guilt.

Speak to those involved in the problem to see if there are things to be learned from the errors, and if there are other problems that need to be addressed.

3) What would you have said to Rita, if you were in Karl’s place? If you were Rita, how would you feel now? What would you do?

For Rita, she might wish to speak with Karl after he has had some time to calm down. She may say something like, “When you become angry and accuse me of incompetence, I feel humiliated and concerned about my effectiveness as national sales manager. I would appreciate it if we could sit down and discuss my performance and that of my staff in a calm and forthright manner. Can you see some merit in that?”

If Karl were in agreement, Rita might suggest they meet again to clarify Karl’s expectations and her performance.

The next section of this workshop will examine the different strategies you can use, for yourself and for others, like Karl and Rita.



Anger Management Techniques

There are many techniques that can be used to manage anger. Not everyone is comfortable with all of them. What is important is to try the techniques and find the ones that you feel are most effective.

Show Slide – Anger Management Techniques

We will look at each of these techniques during the workshop.

1. Self-awareness2. Cognitive Restructuring3. Assertive Communication4. Self-talk5. Lifestyle Choices 6. Relaxation

Self-awareness

Show Slide – Self-awareness

Self-awareness demands an accurate knowledge of yourself and your emotions. It also requires understanding and predicting your emotional reactions to situations. Self-awareness involves recognising and understanding your moods and emotions and their effect on others.

When we examined our triggers earlier today, we were increasing our self-awareness by recognising our moods and emotions.


Objective: To develop an awareness of the effect our actions have on others.

Equipment needed: One copy of the ‘Handout - Comic Strip’ per person, colouring pens/ pencils, tape.

Tell the group they are going to be comic writers for the next 10 minutes. Ask each participant to draw a comic strip in which they got angry. Ask the individual to think about how each person acted and behaved, what was said and done. How did they feel during the exchange? How did the other person feel/ react?

Ask each person to tape their comic strip on the wall and share their situation with the group.



Cognitive Restructuring


Objective: To change the way we think about things.

Equipment needed: One set of laminated ‘Handout – Charades’ cards, timer.

Ask how many people in the group are familiar with the game ‘Charades’.

1. Organise the group into 2 or 4 or 6 teams.

2. Choose a participant to start the game. The participant should choose a card from the deck. On the card may be a book title, a famous person's name, or a movie title. If participants want to choose their own book, person, or film that is absolutely fine!

3. The participant then has two minutes to act out the word or phrase on the card to the other participants.

4. Here are some common clues used in charades: To indicate a book, pretend to read a book. To indicate a song, pretend to sing. To indicate a movie, pretend to crank an old movie camera. To indicate the number of words, hold up that many fingers (then hold

up one finger before acting out the first word, two fingers before the second, and so on.)

To act out a word that rhymes with the word you want players to guess, first tug on your ear to say "sounds like."

5. The first person to guess the word or phrase gets a point for their team.

6. The next actor will be from the winning team.

7. Keep track of the points earned by each team.

8. The one with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Debrief questions:

ASK: How did you feel trying to act out these words and phrases?Did anyone get frustrated or annoyed when people kept guessing the wrong answer?

What were you thinking during this task? Did you talk to yourself internally?



Did you make any adjustments/ changes to how you approached the task?

Show Slide – Cognitive Restructuring

Cognitive Restructuring means changing the way you think; replacing emotionally charged thoughts with more rational ones; and using positive words. Remember earlier, we completed an exercise to turn ‘hot’ thoughts into balanced ones? That was one example of Cognitive Restructuring. Playing charades was another example of a situation that may cause stress, frustration, and mild anger.

Angry people tend to curse, swear, or speak in highly provocative terms that reflect their feelings. When you're angry, your thinking can get very exaggerated and overly dramatic. Try replacing these emotionally charged thoughts with more rational ones. For example, instead of saying to yourself, "Oh, this is terrible, everything is ruined!" tell yourself, "I'm upset about this, but it's not the end of the world and getting angry is not going to fix it."

Remind yourself that getting angry is not going to fix anything, that it won't make you feel better (and may actually make you feel worse).

Logic defeats anger, because anger, even when it's justified, can quickly become irrational. So, be logical and rational. Remind yourself that the world is not out to get you, you're just experiencing some of the rough spots of daily life. Remind yourself that anger is a normal emotion that can be managed.

If you’re feeling upset or angry, you might find yourself automatically thinking or saying things like:

“This is all their fault.” “They never listen.” “This always happens to me.” “Other people should behave better.”

But often there are lots of different ways we could interpret a situation. It can make you feel worse if you think in terms of ‘always’, ‘never’ and ‘should’, because in reality things are rarely so black and white. Making an effort to replace these words with softer terms like ‘sometimes’ or ‘could’ when thinking about your situation might help you to break up negative thought patterns, reflect more calmly on your situation and find new ways through conflicts. This form of communication is called assertive communication.



Assertive Communication

Part of Cognitive Restructuring is using assertive communication.

Often people who are most angry are people who haven’t developed their communication skills to the level they would like, and as a result they feel frustrated and misunderstood.

Sometimes we have certain issues that get in the way of a good relationship with an individual and we are reluctant to deal with this concern. We are most likely to retain the goodwill of the person we're standing up to if we stick with our own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, and avoid direct or implied criticism of the other person. However, this approach will not result in effective or positive communication. It may, in fact, cause anger to build up.

Show Slide – Assertive Communication

Assertive communication means:

You express your feelings and your rights clearly You listen and negotiate You act in your best interest, though you still consider the rights and

needs of others You develop equality and trust in all your relationships You ask for help when you need it

Assertive communication can be demonstrated through verbal and non-verbal signals, and the perception of others will be influenced by this.

Verbal Non-verbal Perception by Others

A style in which you stand up for your rights while maintaining respect for the rights of others

Expresses honest feelings comfortably

Responds to violation of his or others rights

Speaks clearly in a firm voice

Will use ‘I’ easily

Maintains easy eye contact

A relaxed, upright posture, smooth, relaxed movements

Smiles freely

Each of our opinions matter

All others are considered important

We have equality




Objective: To rephrase emotionally charged words with balanced words.

Equipment needed: One set of laminated ‘Handout - Assertive Communication Cards’ per team.

Organise the group into teams of 3 or 4. Give each team a set of cards. Each participant should have 2 or 3 cards, depending on the size of the team.

Tell the group they will work in their teams to rephrase emotionally charged comments.

The team can decide who is to go first. This person should read out the statement on one of their cards and then rephrase it. They will then ask the other members of the group to each think of their own balanced alternative for the statement.

Then the second participant will read out their statement, rephrase it, and ask the other team members to do the same.

The game continues until all the statements on the cards have been rephrased by each person.

This can be a fun and energised game if things keep moving quickly!



Self-talk

Show Slide – Self-talk

Self-talk has a huge influence on your feelings and can make you feel better or worse about any given situation. If your self-talk tends to be negative, you probably spend a lot more time feeling angry (at yourself, or at others) than someone whose self-talk is positive. For example: You’re in your manager’s office for your annual pay review. Your manager focuses 80% of the conversation on what you failed to achieve over the past 12 months.

ASK: What would you be thinking/ feeling if you were in this situation?

Negative self-talk: ‘That is so unfair. I met all but one of my targets. And I told him ages ago I needed help from Sales. I feel so demotivated. Think I’ll go home early. I don’t need this right now.’

Positive self-talk: ‘It’s OK. My team and I know that we worked as hard as we could, and that the results we achieved were far beyond expectation. Think I’ll get doughnuts for everyone.’


Objective: To recognise when we use self-talk.

Equipment needed: One inflatable beach ball.

Ask participants to stand and form a circle. Using an inflatable beach ball, they must toss the ball in the air to each other, keeping the ball ‘alive’ for 100 tosses. If the ball falls to the ground, they must start again. All participants must remain in the circle for the duration of the activity.

ASK: What was your self-talk during this activity? How did self-talk influence your performance, motivation etc.? What does this tell you about the importance of self-talk in managing your behaviour?

Some examples of positive self-talk:

‘I can do it.’ ‘I’m good enough.’ ‘If I want to, I can.’ ‘It doesn’t matter if I make a mistake.’ ‘I can make it happen.’ ‘If I try hard, I’ll get there.’ ‘This is good fun, even if I’m hopeless.’




Objective: To create self-talk phrases.

Individuals complete the exercise in their workbooks on the page, ‘Self-talk’ to write some self-talk phrases that they can use to manage/ prevent anger. One suggestion is ‘Shut up, move on’ from Paul McGee’s book of the same name.

Using self-talk is a conscious choice. It enables you to keep your emotions, and therefore your anger, in check. Other choices we make also impact our ability to manage our anger.



Lifestyle Choices

Looking after your wellbeing more generally could help you feel calmer and more in control when things happen that make you feel angry. We can’t always control the anger that builds up from external triggers, but we can find ways to reduce the pressure we put on ourselves through making the right lifestyle choices.

Show Slide – Lifestyle Choices

Try to:

Be more active. Being active can help let out any tension you’re feeling, and benefit your self-esteem. Even gentle exercise like going for a walk can make a difference.

Get a good night’s sleep. Not sleeping well can have a huge impact on how we’re feeling, and how well we cope with things that happen to us.

Be aware of your diet and nutrition.

Learn to deal with pressure. We can feel pressured or stressed for lots of different reasons, but taking some time to learn how to deal with pressure can help us feel more in control of difficult situations.

Develop your emotional resilience. Emotional resilience helps us feel more able to handle difficult emotions.

Identify your triggers.

Make sure you have time for things you enjoy.

Learn to relax.


Objective: To list lifestyle changes that you will make.

Organise the group into pairs. Guide them to the page, ‘Lifestyle Choices’ in their workbook. This asks them to discuss with their partner, and identify positive lifestyle changes they will make.



Relaxation Techniques

A relaxation technique is any method, process, procedure, or activity that helps you to relax, remain calm, and reduce feelings of anger. There are many techniques to choose from, depending on what suits you and what is convenient at the time you are angry.

Show Slide – Relaxation Techniques

Exercise – a long walk, run, yoga, judo or any other sport can help to release the stress that is causing the anger

Breathing patterns – try to breathe out for longer than you breathe in and focus on each breath as you take it

Progressive muscle relaxation – if you can feel your body getting tense, try focusing on each part of your body in turn to tense, and then relax your muscles

Do something to distract yourself – anything that completely changes your situation, thoughts or patterns can help stop your anger escalating. For example, you could try putting on upbeat music and dancing, or doing some colouring!

We can’t really exercise in a training room, but we can practice our breathing, muscle relaxation, and distraction. Let’s start by using our breathing as a form of relaxation.


Objective: To practice breathing patterns as a relaxation technique.

Technique 1 – Simple Breathing Technique

1. Start by taking several slow and deep breaths in a row, each time taking care to exhale for twice as long as you inhale.

2. As you do this, notice where the air in your lungs is going. Open your lungs and breathe deeply across your lung's full range.

3. Your breath should enter your belly first, then your chest, and finally your upper chest just below your shoulders.

4. Continue this breathing pattern for several minutes, returning immediately to normal breathing if at any time you feel odd or out of breath.

ASK: How do you feel now? Is this something you will practice regularly?



Technique 2 – The 4-7-8 Technique

1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.

2. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.

3. Hold your breath for a count of seven.

4. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.

5. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

ASK: How do you feel now? Is this something you will practice on a regular basis?

Let’s now look at how we can use our muscles to relax.


Objective: To practice a progressive muscle relaxation technique.

Equipment needed: Relaxing music.

Put the music on.

1. The first step is applying muscle tension to a specific part of the body. First, focus on the target muscle group, for example, your left hand. Next, take a slow, deep breath and squeeze the muscles as hard as you can for about 5 seconds. It is important to really feel the tension in the muscles, which may even cause a bit of discomfort or shaking. It is easy to accidentally tense other surrounding muscles (for example, the shoulder or arm), so try to ONLY tense the muscles you are targeting. Isolating muscle groups gets easier with practice.

2. This step involves quickly relaxing the tensed muscles. After about 5 seconds, let all the tightness flow out of the tensed muscles. Exhale as you do this step. You should feel the muscles become loose and limp, as the tension flows out. It is important to very deliberately focus on and notice the difference between the tension and relaxation. This is the most important part of the whole exercise.




And finally, let’s see how distraction can be used to help us though times of stress or anger.

Activity – 10 minutes each

Objective: To practice distraction as a relaxation technique.

Equipment needed: Colouring pencils/pens, one drawing ‘from Handout - Colouring for Mindfulness’ for each participant.

Leave the music playing in the background. Tell the group that colouring for mindfulness is a relatively new relaxation technique that helps to distract you mind from worries and anger triggers.

Give each person an A5 picture and distribute the coloured pencils around the group. Ask them to start colouring their picture, taking their time to enjoy the experience.




Thought Records

A Thought Record is a tool that can be used to record events and situations that cause you to feel angry, stressed, or anxious. The seven-part thought record can be used to:

Identify negative thoughts Help you understand the links between thoughts and emotions Examine the evidence for and against a selected trigger/ emotion Challenge a thought/ emotion Generate more realistic alternatives for thoughts and behaviours

Show Slide – Thought Records

1. Situation

Describe what was happening: Who, what, when where?

2. Emotion/ Feeling

Emotions can be described with one word: e.g. angry, sad, scared Rate 0-100%

3. Negative thought

What thoughts were going through your mind?

4. Evidence that supports the thought

What facts support the truthfulness of this thought or image?

5. Evidence that does not support the thought

What experiences indicate that this thought is not completely true?

6. Alternative thought

Write a new thought which accounting for the evidence for and against the original thought

7. Emotion/ Feeling

How do you feel about the situation now? Rate 0 - 100%




Objective: To complete a thought record.

Individuals complete the exercise in their workbook on the page, ‘Thought Record – Exercise’.

ASK: Did you find that task useful? Would you use it regularly?

Summary, Action Planning and Close


Objective: To review the course content and reinforce the learning.

Equipment: Sheets of flipchart paper, art materials e.g. coloured pens, magazines, scissors, tape, string, coloured paper, glue etc.

Organise the group into teams of 3 or 4. Give each team a sheet of flipchart paper and distribute the art materials around the room.

Ask each team to create a poster illustrating all the topics covered in the workshop.

Ask each team for a short presentation and encourage the rest of the group to ask questions and give feedback,

Show Slide – Objectives

Review objectives and ensure that all points have been covered.


Objective: To create an action plan.

Remember, anger is a learned response, and the anger response can be unlearned, with commitment and effort.

Ask participants to refer to their learning logs and action plans. They should spend 10 minutes completing these.

Complete the workshop evaluations and close.





Documents

Effective Communication Skills - trainerbubble.com · Web view'Hot' thoughts are angry thoughts that flash into your mind and ... minutes to act out the word or phrase on the card