Why Anger Management Doesn't Work: Pulling Back the Curtain to Really Prevent Violence (on-demand)
Tracking # 20-1363955
$72.00
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Learn moreCourse overview
On-demand (recorded) Traditional anger management programs have long been promoted as a primary strategy for reducing aggression and violence. However, despite decades of implementation across courts, schools, workplaces, and treatment settings, violence rates have not meaningfully declined. One reason for this failure is that many approaches are built on a fundamental misunderstanding of anger itself. Anger is a normal emotional response to perceived provocation or injustice and is not inherently pathological. In fact, problems arise not from the experience of anger but from how individuals interpret, regulate, and act upon it. This presentation challenges the simplistic notion that anger must be suppressed or eliminated. Instead, it examines how physiological arousal, cognitive distortions, and hostile attribution biases contribute to reactive aggression and violent behavior. Participants will learn how to differentiate between anger, aggression, hostility, and violence, and to recognize how distorted perceptions of threat and limited problem-solving skills can escalate ordinary conflict into harmful outcomes. Drawing on principles from cognitive, behavioral, and forensic psychology and emotion regulation, the workshop introduces practical strategies for identifying riggers, managing arousal, and improving decision-making during emotionally charged situations. Emphasis is placed on helping individuals regain control over their emotional "flame" rather than attempting to extinguish it. By reframing anger as a manageable and potentially productive emotion, this program offers a more effective framework for preventing violence. Attendees will gain tools to help clients move beyond outdated anger management models toward approaches that improve emotional regulation, problem-solving, and behavioral outcomes in everyday life.
Subject areas
This course counts toward the state boards and subject areas below.
North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners
Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Licensed Master Social Worker
North Dakota State Board of Addiction Counseling Examiners
Licensed Addiction Counselor
Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor
Licensed Master Addiction Counselor
Disclosure statements
DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS: co-sponsored with Haugen Performance Consulting (HPC).
**NO partial credit is given. You must view 100% of the webinar to receive credit, and attendance is monitored. You must also receive a passing score (75%) on the post-test within 3 attempts. If you do not pass in 3 attempts, you must repurchase the course for additional attempts.**
Investment:
- Early registration = $72 (rate good through April 21, 2026 at 11:59pm CT)
- Rate increases to $99 thereafter
Objectives:
- Differentiate between anger, aggression, hostility, and violence, and explain how misunderstandings of these concepts contribute to ineffective anger management interventions.
- Identify how physiological arousal, cognitive distortions, and hostile attribution bias contribute to reactive aggression and violent behavior.
- Apply evidence-informed strategies to help individuals regulate emotional arousal, identify triggers, and improve decision-making in high-emotion situations to reduce the risk of violence.
Non-Discrimination:
HPC and ATAGF do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, military status, sexual orientation, or age.
Conflict of Interest Statements:
Dr. Abrams receives an honorarium for instructing this course and royalties from his book sales. There is no known commercial support for this program, nor are there any relationships between the CE sponsor, presenting organization, presenter, program content, research, grants, or other funding that could be construed as conflicts of interests. There is also no commercial support or benefits for endorsement of products (e.g., books, training, drugs). The presenters will inform participants of the utility and validity of content discussed (including the basis for statements about utility/validity), as well as limitations of the approach and the most common and severe risks, if any, associated with program content.
Requests for Accomodations:
HPC and ATAGF are committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in all aspects of its continuing education activities. Participants with special needs should contact program organizers so reasonable accommodations can be made. To request accommodations, contact the Vice Chair of ATAGF Continuing Education and Training, Christine Boulton-Olson, PhD, LP, at training@grandforkstherapy.com