Articles, Opinions, and News
As a new feature, we will bring you articles, opinions, and news dealing with many aspects of anger, anger management, and business issues related to the practice, development, and management of anger management organizations. If you have something to share on any of the above topics, please submit your article to George Anderson. We will run articles we believe are helpful and suitable for this site.
The American Association of Anger Management Providers is not committed to any one model of anger management intervention. We strongly believe that the current state of our knowledge is limited and, therefore, we encourage our providers to expose their models to evidence based research when feasible.
If you would like to publish or redistribute any article, please contact George Anderson. All articles need their author's permission for reproduction.
Anger Management Makes Unprecedented Inroads in Health Care, Criminal Justice and Business
Health Care
The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations is requiring new standards for “disruptive behavior” among professional healthcare staff. Disruptive physician behavior has been determined to increase medical errors and risk patient safety. These new requirements have created a Cottage Industry for specialized anger management facilitators nationwide. Resources designed to address this issue are now available on-site as well as locations in a number of major cities.
The dramatic rise in the incidence in “traumatic stress disorder” among returning Iraq veterans has increased the need for Clinical Social Workers, Psychologists and Psychiatrists to seek certification training in anger management since person directed aggression is a chronic problem for veterans with this diagnosis. As experts in the treatment of post- traumatic stress disorder, VA Hospitals and Veterans Resource Centers are aware of the need for specialized intervention for PTSD.
Criminal Justice
The state of New York joins California and Texas in offering anger management in jails and prisons for inmates whose original offense included person or property directed violence. Research conducted by the Bureau of Prisons in Canada and Australia have demonstrated the value of anger management in the reduction of recidivism in violent prison inmates. California now requires anger management for inmates as well as parolees prior to completion of their parole status.
Business And Industry
The average cost of litigation in alleged cases of a “hostile work environment” is $720.000 per case. Businesses small and large have quickly discovered that offering anger management for interpersonal conflicts at work is a saving rather than a cost.
Organizational anger management can be offered by Certified Anger Management Facilitators to small groups of 10 to twenty participants. These courses are between two and four hours. The are proactive and are designed for prevention. Prevention is far less costly than crises intervention following a violent incident at work.
For many years, “going postal” was used to describe employees whose workplace violence led to injury or death. Eight years ago, the U.S. Postal Service began offering anger management on the clock, without cost to any postal employee. In addition, employees who appeared to be experiencing stress or anger at work were mandated to take anger management classes. This approach was so successful, one rarely hears of violence in the Postal Service.
Pre-employment anger assessments are excellent in weeding out potentially aggressive employees. Pre and Post Tests are routinely used for employees mandated by their HR Managers for aggressive/inappropriate behavior at work.
In Summary
Anger management is one of the most rapidly growing interventions in human services. Anger management is a course offered in an individual coaching format for physicians and executives or in small groups for referrals from a wide range of organizations including Health Care, Criminal Justice and Business. All anger management courses must begin with a non-psychiatric evaluation that is designed to determine the clients level of function in recognizing anger, stress, assertive communication and emotional intelligence.
For anger management resources, visit the website of The American Association of Anger Management Providers at www.aaamp.org
George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoanderson
www.anger-management-resources.org
Bullying And Being Bullied Linked To Suicide In Children, Review Of Studies Suggests
ScienceDaily (July 19, 2008) — Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found signs of an apparent connection between bullying, being bullied and suicide in children, according to a new review of studies from 13 countries.
“While there is no definitive evidence that bullying makes kids more likely to kill themselves, now that we see there’s a likely association, we can act on it and try to prevent it,” said review lead author Young-Shin Kim, M.D., assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine’s Child Study Center.
In the review, Kim and colleague Bennett Leventhal, M.D., analyzed 37 studies that examined bullying and suicide among children and adolescents. The studies took place in the United States, Canada, several European countries (including the United Kingdom and Germany), South Korea, Japan and South Africa.
Almost all of the studies found connections between being bullied and suicidal thoughts among children. Five reported that bullying victims were two to nine times more likely to report suicidal thoughts than other children were.
Adapted from materials provided by Yale University.
Need to cite this story in your essay, paper, or report? Use one of the following formats:
APA
MLA
Yale University (2008, July 19).
Ten Reasons to Pursue Anger Management Certification
One of the best kept secrets in the Small Business Arena is how lucrative anger management classes can be. With forty hours of training and less than a two thousand dollar investment, it is possible to begin offering classes to clients referred from Human Resource Managers, Courts, and self-referred individuals.
Here are some reasons why you should consider pursuing the Anderson & Anderson® Anger Management Facilitator Certification Training now:
1.) The demand for anger management services far exceed the supply of certified providers
2.) Residents of small and large communities need anger management providers in each locale
3.) Services can be provided on Saturdays and Sundays, thereby making anger management a lucrative part-time venture
4.) The Anderson & Anderson® anger management model is the most widely recoginized anger management curriculum in the world
5.) Providers who market their services and are listed on the Anderson & Anderson® web site can earn an average of $4,000 per month by teaching classes on Saturdays and Sundays
6.) With additional training and experience, Certified Anger Management Providers can earn an average of $1,000 per day by providing Organizational Training to businesses and governmental agencies
7.) Certified Anger Management Providers are able to receive gratification from the fact that they are offering a much needed intervention to their communities
8.) Those who become certified in anger management at this time can essentially influence the development of this new and emerging area of specialization
9.) By teaching others the needed skills to manage anger, stress and increase emotional intelligence and effective communication, you are playing an active role in reducing all aspects of person-directed violence.
10.) You may become one of the first providers to provide anger management to organized sports from little league to major leagues.
To enroll in our next Anger Management Facilitator Certification training, visit our website at www.andersonservices.com and sign up today, or call our office at 310-207-3591 for more information.
George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoanderson
www.anger-management-resources.org
The American Association of Anger Management Providers
Presents
George Anderson,BCD, LCSW, CAMF
Three Days Of Anger Management Certification Training
October 8th, 9th, & 10th, 2008
8:30am until 4:30pm
12301 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 418
Los Angeles, CA 90025
The Anderson & Anderson model of anger management is the most effective and widely recognized curriculum in the world. This model, which has been featured in Los Angeles Times Magazine, focuses on enhancing emotional intelligence and assertive communication while introducing behavior strategies for identifying and managing anger and stress. Our certification training and approved provider list are the industry standards and dominate the internet.
The First day of training will focus on Adolescent Anger Management and will use the Anderson workbook “Controlling Ourselves” as the text. A demonstration and discussion of the Conover Assessment Component will be conducted. This one-day training is designed for Nurses, School Counselors/Psychologists, Substance Abuse Counselors, Case Managers, HR Managers, Clinicians, Probation Officers, as well as staff from group homes, and agencies serving families and youth. This curriculum is currently being used in school districts in Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, Concord and San Diego, as well as school districts in Texas and Louisiana. In addition, probation departments in Arizona, Kansas, California and Texas use this model.
On the Second day, Adult Anger Management will be examined. A demonstration of the Conover Assessment will be conducted with a discussion of its usefulness. “Gaining Control of Ourselves,” in conjunction with experiential exercises and videos, will be used to initiate the participants to this intervention. Most major corporations have accepted this model for use by H.R. and EAP Managers.
The Third day of Training is Advanced Anger Management. An overview of the adult & adolescent trainings will include discussions on branding, marketing, Emotional Intelligence Training, and the process of capitalizing on your anger management practice. Those who attend all three days will receive a copy of the Motivational Interviewing Component on CD-ROM.
Cost: $500.00 per day includes client workbook, facilitator guide, and certification. *Those attending all three days will receive a 30% discount on all Anderson & Anderson DVDs and CD-ROMs purchased on the training days.
Approved for 8 CEU’s by CAADAC (#2n96-341-0805), BBS (#PCE60),
CAADE (#CP40-793-C-1009), TCBAP, and the CA. Board of Corrections
This training is also available on interactive CD’s. Please visit www.AndersonServices.com for more information, or call our office at 310-207-3591.
Losing It - Griff Rhys Jones On Anger on BBC Two this autumn
Category: Factual & Arts TV
BBC Two Date: 10.07.2008
Printable version
Losing it can, of course, be funny. It’s a loss of control and it’s particularly funny when it happens to other people. But anger can also be embarrassing and shameful. People in positions of responsibility are not supposed to lose their rag. But there are times when we just can’t help it. The pressure builds up, the tension mounts and we search for a means of release.” Griff Rhys Jones talks about anger in his new two-part series Losing It – Griff Rhys Jones On Anger on BBC Two this autumn.”
"About a year ago, I made a film for the BBC about a sailing race and, during the course of it, I got into a filthy temper," says Griff. "I started shouting at the blameless people who were racing with me. I flew into a rage about something which was completely beyond my control. It was actually nothing new for me. I do get… cross. This is a film about being angry; I’m going to talk to other people about their propensity to fly into a rage, to throw a wobbler, to… lose it." Griff wanted to make these programmes to explore his own anger and to work out where it comes from. He also wanted to examine how anger affects us all in every day life from road rage to anger in families, and looks at potential solutions. He tries to release his frustration by boxing, meditating and taking part in an anger management course in Los Angeles.
"In a survey by the Mental Health Foundation released in March 2008, more than 1 in 10 of those polled said they had trouble with their tempers," says Griff. "Thirty-two per cent said they were worried by anger in the family. In these programmes, I’m going to look at what makes people angry, whether there’s more of it about, and what, if anything, can be done about it." Griff says his workload makes him lose his temper: "I’m an actor, I’m a writer, I run a production company. I’m successful with a lot of work – perhaps a bit too much – which I insist on doing myself… and I have to admit, when it all builds up there are times when it gets too much."
Griff reveals that he comes from quite a cross family and, as he gets older, he finds himself becoming more like his dad. In the first programme, his family, friends and people who’ve worked for Griff talk about his anger and how it has affected them. But it is not just Griff who admits to losing his temper. Journalist Rosie Millard, chef Heston Blumenthal, writer Muriel Gray and comedian Rory McGrath also talk about their anger and give examples of instances when they have lost it and what the triggers have been.
"Losing It – Griff Rhys Jones On Anger" is a fascinating exploration of a subject which affects us all, yet is rarely explored as it is in these two programmes. The films are also a journey of self-discovery; an honest and revealing account of Griff’s experience with which many viewers will identify. They will be shown on BBC Two this autumn. Much of the filming for these documentaries were done in the Brentwood Office of Anderson & Anderson, as well as the home of George and Nancy Anderson. It is the Anderson & Anderson anger management model which is demonstrated in the assessment and intervention of Mr. Jones.
Costs of Coworker Bullying
Posted by Molly DiBianca On August 18, 2008 In: Jerks & Bullies at Work
Workplace bullying has been a hot topic since the release of the 2007 Zogby survey, which showed that 49% of American workers report that they've been the target of a bully's bad behavior. Employers have begun instituting tolerance training and implementing respectful-workplace policies. Awareness is key in preventing this prevalent workplace disease. One way to make top management place value on eliminating jerks at work is to talk dollars.
Bullying costs companies big money. Here are some of the ways that your bottom line is directly affected if you fail to eradicate bullying at work:
1. Targeted employees have higher absenteeism rates. Wouldn't you? When the workplace becomes increasingly intolerable and unpleasant, people stop coming to work.
2. Decreased productivity. Those who do manage to get themselves into work are less productive. They're nursing emotional wounds, meaning they're more likely to hide in their office than dare engage with others at the risk of being put on the firing range. Stress-related illness is not conducive to high productivity, either. If you don't feel well, you're not putting your best efforts into your work.
3. High turnover. Replacing an employee can cost a business up to 3 times that employee's yearly salary. And dedicated, enthusiastic employees are not easy to find. Yet, employees who are bullied at work will almost certainly leave. Some leave because of their health. Others leave because the bully has succeeded in sabotaging their reputation.
4. Unhealthy Employees Are Expensive. Employers have campaigned to rid the workplace of smokers, who are more costly to insure. Obese employees may be next on the list. But what about bullied employees? Targets are affected with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, which is especially common with male targets, and other stress-related illnesses. Physiological illnesses, such as headaches and backaches.
5. Infected-Workplace Syndrome. As devastating as these effects can be, they can, and likely will, get worse. Bullies are infectious and contagious. Other employees who witness bullying behavior feel sympathy for their coworkers and guilt for doing nothing about it. They shrivel up, just like the target, in the fear that the bully will turn his or her anger towards them next.
E-Rage: the new cause of office stress
August 20, 2008 by twentzphd
If you see one of your colleagues hitting, kicking or throwing their computer, they might be suffering from what Eclipse Internet calls E-rage.
Eclipse recently carried out a survey into the effects of email downtime on business owners and workers. They found that for some, the frustration of not having access to email can see them resort to extreme measures in an attempt to ‘fix’ the problem.
In Newcastle upon Tyne, a whopping 77% of office workers and company owners agree that e-mail downtime causes major stress at work. But it would seem that office workers in this city are less prone to E-rage than in other parts of the UK. Only 6% of workers in Newcastle would take out their frustration by kicking their PC compared to 18.5% in what appears to be a very angry Glasgow.
Mark Thomas from Eclipse Internet said: “We wanted to understand the impact of email downtime on small business owners. We know that in at least 40% of small companies email is set up and maintained by unqualified personnel. As a result, these companies are more susceptible to suffering the consequences of E-rage. For those companies that do outsource their email, levels of E-rage are much lower.”
Coincidentally, Eclipse Internet provides businesses with a service designed to reduce email downtime. Who’d have thought it?
T.L. Wentz, PhD, CAMF, CEC, Diplomate, Faculty Member
Anderson & Anderson
Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
www.anger-management-resources.org
Yacine Bell, CAMF Will Help Lead AAAMP to National Success
Yacine Bell is an Oakland, California based anger management provider and executive coach with considerable experience providing anger management assessments and intervention to business and industry in Northern California. Ms. Bell is a popular lecturer, speaker, writer and visionary.
AAAMP (American Association of Anger Management Providers) appointed Ms. Bell to head up this organization in part because of her exceptional leadership skills and clear vision and desire to increase the visibility and credibility of the organization.
"As our society becomes more stressed and our natural support systems are lost, our ability to manage anger is reduced. Anger management is by far the most promising intervention available to address the issues of incivility, anger, stress, miscommunications and lack of emotional intelligence" stated Ms. Bell.
AAAMP was organized in 2003 to become the leading voice to express the concerns of Certified Anger Management Facilitators (CAMF) nationwide. Today, there are thousands of certified anger management facilitators nationwide representing the most highly trained individuals in anger management in the world.
While Anger Management as a specialized practice is in its infancy, AAAMP continues to advocate for excellence on the part of practitioners and scholars in the field. Practice based research will be imperative to further develop evidenced based solutions to inappropriate expressions of anger and person-directed violence.
Like her predecessor, she will work to achieve the following major objectives: 1) To increase the visibility of the Association 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 establish state standards nationwide for all professional anger management providers; 5) To ensure that AAAMP becomes the single most respected voice on anger management issues nationwide.
Through greater visibility in the print, television media and over the Internet she will make the voice of the American Association of Anger Management Providers known nationwide on emerging social issues.
Complete and full details on the American Association of Anger Management Providers can be found by visiting www.aaamp.org. To reach Ms. Bell directly, please call to 510-393-0250 or email her at aminstitute@gmail.com.
# # #
George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoanderson
www.anger-management-resources.org
Executive Coaching/Anger Management for Physicians
In response to the need for a one on one individual and sensitive intervention model for physicians, Anderson & Anderson is now offering a twelve-hour coaching class with 6 months of aftercare for doctors. This class is available at our Brentwood office or on-site anywhere in the United States. The Anderson & Anderson® Executive Coaching/Anger Management program is listed in the Directory of Physician Assessment And Remedial Education Programs, and Federation of State Medical Boards. No other anger management provider is authorized to use this model.
Components of the class include:
-One day, on-site observation (optional)
-Assessment at intake focusing on the participant’s level of functioning in managing stress, anger, communication and emotional intelligence. We do not provide psychological testing nor is our intervention considered counseling or psychotherapy.
-Two client workbooks which includes didactic information and exercises focusing on enhancing emotional intelligence, improving assertive communication, as well as behavioral strategies for recognizing and managing anger and stress. Therefore, there are no stigmas attached.
-Complimentary “Gaining Control of Ourselves DVD” along with follow-up kit.
-“Styles of Communication” and “A Day Without Stress” are two power DVDs that are also complimentary.
-Post-test at termination designed to determine the level of change during the course.
-Bi monthly follow-up sessions are provided for a six-month period.
-Our services are provided with the utmost in confidentiality for all participants.
-Anderson & Anderson is the Preferred Provider for Kaiser Permanente of Southern California.
For more information, call our office at 310-207-3591 now.
George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoanderson
www.anger-management-resources.org
Doctors Behaving Badly
Behaving badly A survey of more than 4,500 physicians, nurses and other health professionals at about 100 community hospitals suggests that disruptive behavior may affect patients and staff. Respondents who believe disruptive behavior is linked to: Staff dissatisfaction 75% Detrimental effects on quality 72% Medical errors 71% Adverse events 66% Compromises in patient safety 53% Patient mortality 25% Respondents who said they witnessed disruptive behavior by: General surgeons 31% Cardiovascular surgeons 21% Neurosurgeons 15% Orthopedic surgeons 7% Cardiologists 7% Ob-gyns 6% Gastroenterologist s 4% Neurologists 4%
George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoanderson
www.anger-management-resources.org
Work Bullies
Work bullies can ruin a culture, destroy productivity and make your life -- and those of everyone else they target -- miserable.
And it's not just bullying bosses who are the problem. Co-workers and employees also use bullying behavior, which creates a hostile workplace.
Excluding lethal weapons, here are the top dozen techniques bullies use to ruin a workplace.
-Yelling, physical threats and throwing things. This in-your-face method makes targets think actual physical attacks will follow.
-Verbal abuse, emotional intimidation and personal insults in private and public. This includes put-downs and demeaning, rude or cruel comments.
-Harassment based on race, religion, gender and physical attributes. Sexual contact, lewd suggestions, name-calling, teasing and overtly nasty personal jokes. Stealthy bullies often follow their put-downs or threats by laughing and saying "I was just kidding" to make it hard for their targets to fight back.
-Backstabbing, spreading rumors, manipulating, lying, distorting, hypocrisy and exposing your personal problems and performance mistakes. Repeated character assassination is another favorite technique.
-Taking the credit for the work of others. Never accepting blame, but instead spreading the blame to blameless employees. Withholding information and then cutting targets down for failing in a task because they didn't know the crucial information.
-Anonymous attacks and cyber-bullying -- flaming e-mails, personal innuendos, threats and porn. Invading the personal space and privacy of targets by rummaging through desks, listening to phone calls, asking personal questions and eating their food.
-Hypersensitive over-reactions, throwing tantrums. Bullies want to train others to walk on eggshells, back off in order to avoid a scene or beg forgiveness as if they really did something wrong.
-Dishonest evaluations, through praising and promoting favorites and destroying the careers of targets.
-Demeaning meetings: yelling, pointing fingers, interrupting, ignoring, derisive laughter or snorts, and nonverbal comments behind targets' backs, such as rude noises, facial gestures, answering a phone or text messaging, or working on a computer.
-Forming cliques and ganging up to harass and demean. Perpetuating turf wars about budgets, hiring, etc.
-Micromanaging everything. Bullies make it clear they believe other people are so stupid and incompetent that the bully has to do everything to make sure it's done right.
-Managing in a panic. Waiting until the last minute so everyone moves from crisis to crisis. Making every task a matter of life or death, so people are continually pressured.
Most bullies use combinations of these methods. The relentless application of these techniques reinforces humiliation, pain and fear. It can make the targets feel helpless and that the situation is hopeless.
We've all seen the effects of bullies and the hostile workplaces they create. Teamwork, productivity, responsibility, efficiency, creativity and reasonable risk-taking decrease. Promotions are based on sucking up to difficult people, not on merit. The best people leave as soon as they can.
Your operational system may look wonderful on paper, but the wrong people in the wrong culture always can find ways to thwart it. Your pipeline leaks money and profits plummet. It's possible to turn these terrible situations around. But it takes time, perseverance and processes tailored for each specific situation. You also need a leader dedicated to wiping out these behaviors.
A common mistake in dealing with bullies is trying to educate, explain, understand, accept, forgive, beg, bribe, ignore, reason with or appease them. These approaches won't convert dedicated bullies into reasonable, civil and professional people. These approaches only stop people who aren't really bullies, but have behaved badly one time.
Determined bullies don't take your understanding and acquiescing as kindness. They take your giving in as weakness and an invitation to abuse you more. Bullies bully repeatedly and without real remorse. They might appear to apologize sincerely, but you should accept only behavioral change, not good acting.
The best way to stop a bully is to stand up to them. Expose and isolate them. Or catch them doing something outrageous or illegal in front of witnesses.
LEICHTLING is a Denver-based leadership adviser. Contact him at Ben@LeichtlingAssoc.com.