Angry Mom, Angry Dad, Confused Kid: Understanding Anger, Preventing Abuse, and Raising Emotionally Healthy Children (on-deman
Tracking # 20-1383972
$35.00
There are no ratings for this course
Learn moreCourse overview
On-demand (recorded). Parents are often told to "manage" their anger, but traditional anger management approaches frequently miss the mark. By focusing on suppression rather than understanding, many interventions unintentionally increase the very emotional pressure they seek to reduce. When anger is ignored, shamed, or pushed underground, it often coils like a spring--building tension until it emerges in yelling, intimidation, harsh discipline, or in some cases, physical abuse. This workshop challenges common myths about anger and offers a practical framework for helping parents harness, rather than fear, one of the most misunderstood human emotions. Drawing upon research in emotion regulation, social learning, hostile attribution bias, frustration-aggression theory, and performance psychology (Abrams, 2010, 2025; Berkowitz, 1989; Dodge, 1980; Dollard et al., 1939; Yerkes & Dodson, 1908), participants will explore the distinctions among anger, aggression, hostility, and violence. Special attention will be given to the role of corporal punishment, parental modeling, and the ways children learn emotional responses by observing caregivers. Using Dr. Mitch Abrams' "Adjust the Flame" model, attendees will learn why the goal is not to extinguish anger but to regulate it. Through practical strategies including emotional labeling, intentional self-regulation, problem-solving, communication skills, and the "yell versus whisper" metaphor, participants will develop tools to help people reduce escalation, strengthen parent-child relationships, and create homes where emotions are understood rather than feared. The result is healthier parenting, safer families, and less confused children.
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
Co-sponsored with Haugen Performance Consulting (HPC).
**NO partial credit is given. You must be present/view the entire 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 = $35 (rate good through June 24, 2026)
- Registration rate = $55
Objectives:
- Differentiate between anger, aggression, hostility, and violence, and explain why anger itself is a normal and often adaptive emotion that should be regulated rather than suppressed
- Identify the pathways through which parental anger can escalate into ineffective discipline, corporal punishment, and emotional or physical abuse, including the roles of emotional suppression, hostile attribution bias, frustration, and modeling
- Apply evidence-based emotion regulation and communication strategies, including the "Adjust the Flame" framework and the "yell versus whisper" metaphor, to reduce escalation, improve parent-child interactions, and promote healthier behavioral outcomes for children.
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 other products. 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 Accommodations:
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.