Managing your Anger - Exercise
Exercises 1 and 2 are to be completed by everyone.
Complete exercise 3 if you feel angry about any specific event(s) from your
past.
Exercise 1 – Anger Diary
Use the Anger Diary provided (in the Diary section of the programme) to record your angry thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and behaviour. In the last column record what the outcome would have been if you had not become angry (if you’d thought about the situation differently) or if you’d behaved differently. Discovering whether or not there is a pattern to your anger will help when developing strategies to manage it.
1. After you have filled in the Anger Diary for a few days, take a piece of paper and answer the following questions:
2. Do you get angry at the same time of day? Why do you think this is? Can you do anything to change it?
3. Do the same people or situations make you angry? Why do you think this
is? Can you do
anything to change it?
4. Do you always behave in the same way when you get angry? Do you think
this is the best way to behave?
Exercise 2 - Print out or write down the 10 techniques for Managing Your Anger in a notepad or on some cards. Which do you think might be useful to you?
Use the techniques when you feel your anger rising. Make a note of when you use the technique in your Diary. Note whether or not the technique helped.
Exercise 3 - If
you feel anger about something that happened in your past, we recommend you try
writing an ANGRY LETTER.
Take a piece
of paper and think about the event or events that anger you. Is there a
particular person, group of people or organisation you hold to blame? Imagine
you were to write to this person, group of people or organisation, telling them
exactly how they have made you feel. This letter will not be sent. The aim is
for you to express your feelings and reduce your anger.
Write your angry letter now. You may wish to go back and re-read and add to it over the coming days. When you have finished writing the letter, keep it with your Diary to discuss with your therapist during your next session.
