Who Benefits From Anger Management?

When we think about anger management, we often think about how it would benefit the person who struggles with their anger. But the reality is, anger management classes have a positive ripple effect on so many people in the individual's life. Learning to manage your anger and express it in a healthy way is so vital for improving relationships in your life including: 

- Family relationships
- Romantic relationships
- Relationships with case workers, social workers, or mental health professionals
- Work relationships

According to Fifth Street Counseling Center IV, five of the most notable benefits of participating in anger management include:

1. Improved Empathy
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Want to have better relationships? Understanding where another person is coming from can be really helpful for understanding the situation, and responding in a way that takes the other person's feelings into account as well as your own.
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2. New Insights and Better Judgment
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Understanding where your anger is coming from (sometimes called "understanding your triggers") gives you the ability to pause before you act out in anger. Cultivating a practice of curiosity for exploring your emotional reactions can be helpful to make decisions according to your values, not reacting to what you feel in the moment.
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3. Lower Stress Levels
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Managing your anger can lower your stress. One of the main coping strategies we teach at ACCC are breathing techniques. Focusing on your breath can lower your anxiety and stress levels. 
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4. Acknowledging Responsibility
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Taking responsibility for our actions is something we all need to do in life. This is an important part of anger management. The reality is, sometimes our anger can hurt people we care about, so in order to heal our relationships, we need to acknowledge when we are in the wrong.
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5. Better Health
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​It's no secret that having lower stress means having a healthier lifestyle! Anger management classes can be so important for managing stress.
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​If you have been required to take an anger management class, please remember you're not alone. All of us need a little help sometimes managing our anger in a productive way - it's not something we're often taught in school! The truth is, anger management classes can be helpful for anyone. That being said, our anger management classes at ACCC may be particularly useful to parents or individuals who have been court-ordered by DCFS or Probation. 
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​For those of you interested in signing up for anger management classes at ACCC, please email acccbsm@gmail.com. For the anger management intake form, head here. Thank you for being part of the ACCC community!
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Unsplash photo via Omar Lopez