Jeffrey Bernstein – Child and Adolescent Anger Management Certification Course: Fast Acting Strategies to Prevent and Overcome Oppositional and Aggressive Behavior

Outline

Neuroscience-based Nuances of Anger in Children and TeensNeuroscience-based Nuances of Anger in Children and Teens

• How anger is experienced and processed differently in the child and teen brainHow anger is experienced and processed differently in the child and teen brain
• The fight-flight-freeze response and manifestation of anger in children and teensThe fight-flight-freeze response and manifestation of anger in children and teens
• The neuroscience of the body-mind cycle of angerThe neuroscience of the body-mind cycle of anger
• The threat response and perceived lack of emotional safetyThe threat response and perceived lack of emotional safety

Anger’s Connection to Learning Differences, ADHD, ODD, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and MoreAnger’s Connection to Learning Differences, ADHD, ODD, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and More

• The obvious & nonobvious connection between learning differences, ADHD, and ODDThe obvious & nonobvious connection between learning differences, ADHD, and ODD
• The mechanisms of anxiety underlying angerThe mechanisms of anxiety underlying anger
• The link of depression to angerThe link of depression to anger
• Role of trauma in suppressed and expressed anger OCD and angerRole of trauma in suppressed and expressed anger OCD and anger
• Addictions and angerAddictions and anger

How to Create Emotional Safety to Engage Children and Teens About Sensitive SubjectsHow to Create Emotional Safety to Engage Children and Teens About Sensitive Subjects

• Anger, fear, guilt, resentment and shameAnger, fear, guilt, resentment and shame
• Successful anger management and awareness of underlying thoughts and emotionsSuccessful anger management and awareness of underlying thoughts and emotions
• Behaviors at school, peer struggles, body image concerns, and family stressors sparked by underlying negative thoughts and emotionsBehaviors at school, peer struggles, body image concerns, and family stressors sparked by underlying negative thoughts and emotions
• Why empathy uncovers and diffuses the underlying thoughts and feelings that drive angerWhy empathy uncovers and diffuses the underlying thoughts and feelings that drive anger

Myths About Anger and The Mistakes That Come with ThemMyths About Anger and The Mistakes That Come with Them

• The “measure up myth” and other societal pressures that drive underlying negative emotionsThe “measure up myth” and other societal pressures that drive underlying negative emotions
• Why and how oppositional children and teens want to be equal to adultsWhy and how oppositional children and teens want to be equal to adults
• How perceived violations of fairness become embedded rigid distortionsHow perceived violations of fairness become embedded rigid distortions
• How positive emotions are incompatible with forming and holding on to angerHow positive emotions are incompatible with forming and holding on to anger
• Self-reflection activity: What have you seen in angry children and teens?Self-reflection activity: What have you seen in angry children and teens?

Anger Triggers: Teaching Children and Teens to Tune into What Sets Them OffAnger Triggers: Teaching Children and Teens to Tune into What Sets Them Off

• Throwing spaghetti on non-talk kids’ refrigerators and seeing what sticksThrowing spaghetti on non-talk kids’ refrigerators and seeing what sticks
• Drawing out the short fuse and long fuseDrawing out the short fuse and long fuse
• Cooking up and digesting an anger triggers pizzaCooking up and digesting an anger triggers pizza
• How to use anger logs and thermometers with childrenHow to use anger logs and thermometers with children
• Deescalate anger in specific circumstancesDeescalate anger in specific circumstances
• Transitioning off video gamesTransitioning off video games
• HomeworkHomework
• SiblingsSiblings
• Hearing “no” from parentsHearing “no” from parents

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques to Let Go of Anger in the MomentMindfulness and Relaxation Techniques to Let Go of Anger in the Moment

• Reset anger with belly breathingReset anger with belly breathing
• Guided imagery to put children and teens in charge of angerGuided imagery to put children and teens in charge of anger
• Squeezing the lemon and other progressive muscle relaxation techniques to maintain controlSqueezing the lemon and other progressive muscle relaxation techniques to maintain control
• Body scan strategies to promote mindful awarenessBody scan strategies to promote mindful awareness
• Mindful walking with “silly strides” for younger childrenMindful walking with “silly strides” for younger children

Challenge the Dysfunctional Thoughts Behind Anger with Cognitive ApproachesChallenge the Dysfunctional Thoughts Behind Anger with Cognitive Approaches

• CBT exercises to help the thinking brain identify, challenge, and reduce negative self-talkCBT exercises to help the thinking brain identify, challenge, and reduce negative self-talk
• Putting cognitive restructuring into easy-to-grasp and effective languagePutting cognitive restructuring into easy-to-grasp and effective language
• “Talk” and “non-talk” kids – how to get each type to buy into sharing angry thoughts“Talk” and “non-talk” kids – how to get each type to buy into sharing angry thoughts
• Finding acceptance and letting go with “whatever”Finding acceptance and letting go with “whatever”
• Distraction, the pink giraffe, and other disengagement strategiesDistraction, the pink giraffe, and other disengagement strategies

Build Optimism, Gratitude, Grit and More with Positive Psychology Approaches to Managing AngerBuild Optimism, Gratitude, Grit and More with Positive Psychology Approaches to Managing Anger

• Seeing strengthsSeeing strengths
• Opening up to optimismOpening up to optimism
• Grabbing some gratitudeGrabbing some gratitude
• Finding flowFinding flow
• Gathering hidden grit and gaining it for the futureGathering hidden grit and gaining it for the future
• Creating an anger success catch bookCreating an anger success catch book

Assertiveness, Communication and Conflict Resolution Skill Building: Empowering Children and Teens to Problem-Solve AngerAssertiveness, Communication and Conflict Resolution Skill Building: Empowering Children and Teens to Problem-Solve Anger

• Assertiveness training techniquesAssertiveness training techniques
• Communicate anger effectively with “I” statementsCommunicate anger effectively with “I” statements
• Putting “whatever” to workPutting “whatever” to work
• Overcoming the “I Don’t Knows” that silently fuel angerOvercoming the “I Don’t Knows” that silently fuel anger
• Mindful listening, speaking, and messagingMindful listening, speaking, and messaging
• Social media influence inoculation strategiesSocial media influence inoculation strategies
• Defuse anger with humor and other conflict resolution strategiesDefuse anger with humor and other conflict resolution strategies

Coaching Parents and Caregivers to Avoid Being Adversarial by Becoming CollaborativeCoaching Parents and Caregivers to Avoid Being Adversarial by Becoming Collaborative

• Looking out for negative labelsLooking out for negative labels
• The Pace Car, Chunky Soup, and other metaphors that help teachers and parentsThe Pace Car, Chunky Soup, and other metaphors that help teachers and parents
• Why understanding struggling children and teens is just as important as respecting and loving themWhy understanding struggling children and teens is just as important as respecting and loving them
• The “Struggle With” Vs “Choose Not” dilemma regarding impulse controlThe “Struggle With” Vs “Choose Not” dilemma regarding impulse control
• Self-reflection exercise for participants to use with parentsSelf-reflection exercise for participants to use with parents

Strategies for Online Anger Counseling and EducatingStrategies for Online Anger Counseling and Educating

• Belly breathing in the houseBelly breathing in the house
• Expanding counseling role to teacher, puppeteer, entertainer, and comicExpanding counseling role to teacher, puppeteer, entertainer, and comic
• Using therapeutic card decks and online whiteboards for collaborative drawing and writingUsing therapeutic card decks and online whiteboards for collaborative drawing and writing
• Balancing parents and siblings popping into viewBalancing parents and siblings popping into view
• Apps, videos, and workbooks to promote home-based anger managementApps, videos, and workbooks to promote home-based anger management

Case Conceptualization and Treatment PlanningCase Conceptualization and Treatment Planning

• Case study reviewsCase study reviews
• Establish short-term and long-term goals to measure successEstablish short-term and long-term goals to measure success
• Strategies for working with groupsStrategies for working with groups
• Self-harm and other harm considerationsSelf-harm and other harm considerations
• Risks and limitations of anger management approaches for children and teensRisks and limitations of anger management approaches for children and teens