Anger Management:

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Prince George’s School Mental Health Initiative
Cynthia Cook, LCSW-C, Clinician
Ethel Johnson, Celso Santizo, Parent Liaisons
Kettering Middle School
Parents Assisting Teachers

May 7, 2009

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

 Prince George’s County Board of Education

Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq., Chair

Ron L. Watson, Jr., Ph.D., Vice Chair
Donna Hathaway Beck
Pat J. Fletcher
Heather Iliff
R. Owen Johnson, Jr.
Rosalind A. Johnson
Linda Thornton Thomas
Amber P. Waller
Haywood L. Perry, III, Student Member
WILLIAM R. HITE, JR., ED.D. Interim Superintendent

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 Objectives

• To identify the three myths of anger and

ways to combat those myths
• To identify physical indicators of anger
• To identify different intensities of anger
• To identify triggers for anger
• To identify positive coping strategies

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 Anger Management

• Purpose: Provide information to parents in

collaboration with the parent liaisons and
PGSMHI.

• Process: Presentation will be delivered to

parents on May 7, 2009.

• Payoff: Family, school, business, and

community relationships will be strengthened
to support student achievement.

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 Three Myths of Anger: True and False

1. You are born with your anger and you can’t

change the way you deal with it.

2. Aggression/fighting is the only way to deal

with anger.

3. You have to be aggressive to get what you

need or want
Adapted from: Reilly PM, Shopshine MS, Durazzo TC, and Cambell TA, Anger
Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients; Participant
Workbook, DHHS Pub. No (SMA) 02-3622.

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 Three Myths of Anger: True and False

1. True. You have learned how to show your anger over time.
You can learn other healthier ways to express anger.

2. True. There are other ways to deal with anger like:

• Learning how to control how much anger you have
• Learning how to talk about what angers you
• Learning to think about things differently and check
your thoughts to see if they are right
• Learn tools to handle and express your anger

3. True. You can get people to hear what you want or need
without harming others or acting in a way you will feel
bad about later. This is called being assertive.

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 Physical Indicators of Anger

• Physical indicators are different for each

individual.
• Identifying physical indicators can help an
individual know that its time to do something to
calm down.
• Identifying physical indicators can help an
individual see how anger and stress can be
unhealthy.

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 Physical Indicators of Anger

• Flushed face
• Increased heart rate
• Higher blood pressure
• Dilated pupils
• Heavy breathing
• Sweaty hands/feeling hot
• Clenched fists/tightened muscles
• Stomach aches
• Headaches
• Increased adrenaline flow
• Numbness
• Difficulty thinking
• Shaking or trembling

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 Intensity of Anger:
Using the Anger Meter

• Anger has different levels of intensity

• Identifying the level of intensity of anger is
used to help promote self awareness and
determine when calming strategies need
to begin.
• It is helpful to identify how an individual
would feel at each intensity level.

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 Intensity of Anger:
Using the Anger Meter

• 10._____________________________
• 9.______________________________
8.______________________________
• 7.______________________________
• 6.______________________________
• 5._______________________________
• 4.______________________________
• 3._______________________________
• 2._______________________________
• 1._______________________________
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 What triggers the anger?

• Each individual has different people, places,

things or events which trigger anger.

• Knowing triggers can help an individual prepare a

plan to feel better, think better, and choose more
healthy actions to deal with anger.

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 My Triggers

1. ________________________

2. ________________________

3. ________________________

4. ________________________

5. ________________________

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 Positive Coping Strategies

• Deal with it!

• Deep breathing
• Muscle relaxation
• Imagery
• Positive self-talk

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 Deal With It!

• What are some positive things you can do to help

you deal with your anger?

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 Deep Breathing

• Take a really deep breath.

• Bring the air all the way into the bottom of your
lungs near your stomach
• Breathe in through your nose.
• Hold for 2 seconds.
• Breathe out through your mouth for 4 seconds.
• Practice!

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 Muscle Relaxation

• Starting with toes, tighten muscles and hold for a

count of 5.
• Relax
• Continue to tighten and relax progressively with
lower legs, thighs, rear, arms, shoulders, face.
• Tighten all muscles and relax.
• Notice the difference!

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 Imagery

• Imagine a place you enjoy being – beach, quiet

spot, special room.
• Picture sights, sounds, smells, temperature.
• Helps to get thoughts away from what is getting
you angry.
• Helps to remind yourself that you are in control of
what you think and imagine.

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 Positive Self-Talk

• Talk to yourself!
• Think: My problem will not be as bad
tomorrow/next week.
• Think: I will get through this.
• Think: I can make it.
• Think of advice you would give your best friend in
this situation.
• Think of something happy/laugh.

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 Let’s Make a Choice!

What Happened?
Now Later

Aggressive Behavior + +

- -

Alternative Positive + +
Behavior

- -

Choice: Why?

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 Resources

• www.schoolmentalhealth.org
• www.healthofchildren.com/A/Aggressive-
Behavior
• www.bettermyworld.org/videos
• www.mayoclinic.com/health/anger-
management/MH00073
• www.apa.org/topics/controlanger

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