Anger Management

Anger is bad for the body, increasing heart disease, disrupting digestion and sleep, and creating distance in relationships. Learn to be centered, in the moment, calm, and strategic in both everyday and difficult circumstances with this solution-focused anger management class.

You will learn 10 techniques in 11 weeks!

The standard class takes place in a small group of up to 8 persons. Alternately, the curriculum can be taught on an individual basis.

The course is approved by the Department of Juvenile Justice for adolescents, and is suitable for ages 13 and up. Separate groups are held for adults and adolescents. No court intervention is necessary, however, and self-referral is welcome.

Do you know someone who could benefit from working through situations with more calm and rational responsivity? Refer them or send them this link to refer themselves.

Autumn Hahn is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing at Clear Mind Group in Weston, Florida. Call 954-612-9553 for a consultation. Follow Autumn on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on the right under Follow by Email for the weekly blog delivered directly to you.

Verbal Deescalation

Oftentimes, we encounter someone who is upset in the course of our week, be it at work or in the community. The person gets angrier and the situation starts to come to a head. What the end result may be  depends on the person bringing potential violence or simply making those in earshot uncomfortable. How do you calm a person like this? Perhaps you are the customer service representative, a police officer, or a concerned citizen.

Here are some simple and basic techniques for deescalation:

• Talk in a calm manner that does not demean or belittle the person. 
• Keep your voice even and speak a little softer than you usually would.
• Use their first name; this keeps them grounded to you and the moment. 
• Choose words that are short and simple. 
• Nod and be agreeable, but not pandering.
• Be vague instead of saying "no." Think of the movie The Negotiator. 
• Work with the person, as best you can, and offer to help find a satisfying resolution. 
• Stay until the problem is resolved. 
• Be aware until the person has fully left the vicinity.

If the person you are dealing with has mental health issues (and there is no way you would know), these things may potentially deescalate a very bad situation and may help to stabilize the individual so they can be further processed by an authority figure.

Some states are requesting that police officers go through a 40-hour deescalation training, but it is not mandatory. Read an article on how this may have saved the life of a mentally ill man in Pennsylvania recently in the San Francisco Chronicler.

If you know someone often on the verge of angry outbursts, consider referring them for anger management. I counsel anger management for teens and adults, individually and in groups through a 10-week curriculum. Call for a consultation 954-612-9553.