"The Healthy Expressions of Anger" 

An Anger Education workbook - by Mike Speakman, LISAC

"A problem well defined is a problem half-solved." -John Dewey

About the author: Mike has lived in Phoenix, Arizona since the age of two. He’s married, with 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren. Mike is a licensed substance abuse counselor, and a Recovery Life-Coach helping the addicted population, and their families, both in his private practice and in Rehab Facilities since 1988. He has been successful in his own recovery from alcoholism and other addictions since 1978.

How this Workbook came to be: Anger plays an essential role in the addiction lifestyle. As one author put it, "Anger empowers addiction." While working at the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center in Phoenix, Mike developed an effective anger management program for the inpatient clients. He felt families could benefit from a scaled-down version, so he developed his self-study workbook for the family and discovered that it was a good, non-threatening first step for those with anger problems as well.

What the Book is about: Not everyone needs Anger Management, but most people could benefit from “Anger Education.” It's not about eliminating anger. Anger provides energy. It's about learning how best to use anger’s energy in healthy ways rather than harmful ways. The purpose of the book is education, so that anger’s energy can be “tamed” and used to accomplish positive goals. The energy in dynamite can be used to destroy a church, but it can also be used to build a road.

How it’s Structured: The 88-page workbook has 8 chapters. People can choose to complete the book by four different methods. 1) Simply read the book. 2) Read the book and complete the educational exercises. 3) Read the book and complete the exercises along with a “study partner”, who completes the workbook with you (there are two of each exercise in the book for that purpose). 4) Complete the workbook in a six-session group training.

What it provides: The workbook identifies 3 main causes of anger: Day to day frustrations, on-going conflicts with other people, and stored up resentments. Practical tools and strategies are provided to help resolve all three. In addition, a strategy for better decision-making, and for self-calming, are both included.

Why now? Mike wrote this workbook believing that anger problems in our society are increasing at a rapid and destructive rate. People need to understand their anger better, realize they cannot always completely eliminate anger, but with new knowledge and practical tools, gain a measure of control over its intensity. Then, anger’s energy can used in healthier ways.

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  2 Minute Video on Anger.     2 Minute Video on Anger Management

For more information, call Mike at: 602-284-1411