Anger Management | RelatedMinds.com

About Anger Management Training (AMT)
As a Registered Psychologist I provide Anger Management training to individuals, groups and as part of corporate or organizational training. Anger management training is often part of any relationship problem, work problem, often an issue for individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and as part of legal agreements.

What is anger management?
Anger management is a procedure of acquiring the skills to 1) recognize signs that you are becoming angry, 2) taking action to deal with the situation in a positive way, and 3) learning appropriate assertiveness skills so you don’t use anger to get what you need.

While many people think that anger management is about holding anger in, or learning to ignore things that bother you, that is NOT what it is. Anger is a normal and healthy emotion. We are only concerned when your levels of anger, the times and places or ways you express anger are self destructive, or when your anger hurts others or damages relationships.

While it is possible to change how you experience and express anger on your own, as a psychologist I provide you with a formal program aimed at your specific needs. We will work together to help you learn both the cognitive skills and behavioural (physical/emotional) controls you need to be successful in relationships, at work and in the world.

One component of anger management is teaching you to recognize frustrations early on and settle them in a way that allows you to express your needs, while remaining calm and in control. Some of this is simple behavioural training, some is part of assertiveness training we practice, some is part of the cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) we practice. It may seem odd, but the truth is, angry people are often angry because they don’t have appropriate assertive skills to get their needs met. Anger management doesn’t mean giving up on what you want, it means learning to get what you want or need appropriately, as well as learning what to do about your emotions when you can’t get what you want.

In anger management we learn some coping skills which involve unlearning some of the bad behaviors that result from previous experiences with frustration. Anger management also helps you identify what triggers your emotions, and how to respond so that things work in your favor, instead of against you.

How do I know I need anger management training?
We all feel angry sometimes, and may say or do things we later regret. This is a normal part of life, and may not necessarily mean you need anger management help. How do you know you need anger management training? When your anger is having a detrimental effect on relationships, on your job or at school, is making you unhappy, or is leading to violent or dangerous behaviour.

What are the components of an anger management program?
Usually individuals see me for a 6-8 week series of individual sessions focused on one of the workbooks we use as a primary text. During this time we stress the following issues:

Setting up an emergency anger plan (what to do when you are having trouble controlling your anger)
Psychoeducation: About the costs of anger and understanding the anger process
Relaxation skills: You are taught a simple relaxation procedure that helps you grab a moment of time to make good choices and step out of situations that are possibly explosive
Trigger thoughts and thought distortion: Using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy we learn to understand our trigger thoughts and how to change them
Anger Inoculation: A behavioural technique that helps you change your automatic responses to prompts, cues and situations in the environment that have led you to anger problems in the past
Problem solving communication
Developing a short term, medium term and long term plan to avoid future anger problems
Reviewing what to do when real life makes anger management harder than in the book
Taking care of yourself: Positive plans for relaxation, stress management, appropriate assertiveness and positive self-esteem

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Psychological services (including assessment, testing and therapy) provided in my offices include (covered by most extended health care insurance):
ADHD (click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/adhd-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/)
Anxiety and Stress (click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/anxiety-stress/ )
Autism and Asperger’s Disorder (Click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/autism/)
Individual Counselling (click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/individual-therapy/)
Child Counselling / Therapy (click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/child-therapy/)
Testing and Assessments and Learning Disabilities (Click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/testing/)
Couples Counselling / Therapy (click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/couples-therapy/)
Depression
The Angry Child (click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/dealing-with-angry-aggressive-and-explosive-children/)
Anger Management (Click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/anger-management/)
Pain Management and PTSD (Click here: http://www.relatedminds.com/pain/ )
Forensic Services (Independent Medical Examinations or IME)

About Dr. Roche
I am a Registered Psychologist and a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist (RMFT) in British Columbia. In addition to my doctorate in clinical Psychology (The Union of Experimenting Universities), I hold a master’s degree in family therapy from Goddard college, a certificate of advanced graduate studies (CAGS) in school and educational psychology from Norwich University, and have completed two years of post doctoral studies in neuro-psychology at The Fielding Institute in Santa Barbara, California. I am also a certified school psychologist, certified teacher of special education (New York and California), and a Clinical Member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT). Finally, I hold a doctoral degree in law (JD) with an emphasis in medical malpractice and education law. Beyond my academic credentials, I have completed two years of supervised clinical experience in both hospital and community based clinics and two years of post doctoral training in neuropsychology. I have served as director of behaviour programming for several school districts, as a consultant on autism for the province, and have held numerous academic positions including Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry at New York University and Bellevue Hospital in New York as well as being a faculty member at NYU, Brooklyn College, SUNY New Paltz, and Norwich University.

My offices in Burnaby and Vancouver serve Burnaby, Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, New Westminster and Maple Ridge. Clients often come to my Vancouver office from North Vancouver, West Vancouver and even as far as the Sunshine Coast. For more information on the location of my Burnaby and Vancouver offices, please see my “Office Location” page, which contains a Google map.