Anger Management for Everyone: Ten Proven Strategies to Help You Control Anger and Live a Happier Life

by Raymond Chip Tafrate PhD, Howard Kassinove PhD, ABPP, Matthew McKay PhD (Foreword by)

Overview

“A practical, easy-to-follow guide to getting control of your anger so that you can live a more productive life today. … Rather than get angry, get this book.”
—Robert L. Leahy, PhD, director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy

We all get angry sometimes. But if you feel angry all of time—and if your anger makes others uncomfortable, creates distance in your relationships, disrupts your ability to think clearly and make good decisions, or otherwise results in behaviors that you regret or find embarrassing later—it’s time to make a change.

Written by two clinical psychologists with decades of experience using cognitive behavioral interventions to treat anger, Anger Management for Everyone provides a comprehensive, research-based program to keep anger in its place. This revised and updated second edition includes new information on the environmental effects on anger, such as hunger and sleep; new progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness exercises; and new strategies and tips for improving social and interpersonal skills.

With the authors’ enhanced “Anger Episode Model,” and the ten proven-effective skills for anger management in this helpful guide, you’ll come to better understand and control your problem anger, learn how to cope with everyday disappointments and frustrations, and experience more happiness, success, and vitality in all areas of your life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684032266
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	01/02/2019
Edition description:	Second Edition, Revised
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	1,123,233
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Raymond Chip Tafrate, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and professor in the criminology and criminal justice department at Central Connecticut State University. He is a fellow and supervisor at the Albert Ellis Institute in New York City, NY, and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. He frequently consults with criminal justice agencies and programs regarding difficult-to-change problems such as anger dysregulation and criminal behavior. He has coauthored numerous books, and has presented his research throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Howard Kassinove, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical psychologist, former chairperson of the psychology department at Hofstra University, and past director of their PhD program in clinical and school psychology. Kassinove is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, the Albert Ellis Institute, and the Behavior Therapy and Research Society. The editor of Anger Disorders, he has published more than sixty papers, and has lectured widely in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Foreword writer Matthew McKay, PhD, is a professor at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. He has authored and coauthored numerous books, including The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, Self-Esteem, Thoughts and Feelings, and more. McKay received his PhD in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, and specializes in the cognitive behavioral treatment of anxiety and depression. He lives and works in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Table of Contents

Foreword v

Preface and Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1

Part 1 Anger Basics

1 Common Anger Questions and Answers 8

2 Understanding Your Anger Episodes 24

3 Are You Ready to Change? 54

Part 2 Changing Anger Triggers

4 Strategy One; Manage Your Lifestyle 74

5 Strategy Two: Sidestep Provocations 89

6 Strategy Three: Find New Solutions to Social Problems 99

Part 3 Changing Thoughts That Lead to Anger

7 Strategy Four: Change the Way You Think About Your Life 118

8 Strategy Five: Let It Go! 133

9 Strategy Six: Forgive 140

Part 4 Changing Internal Anger Experiences

10 Strategy Seven: Calm Your Angry Urges with Relaxation, Mindfulness, and Meditation 166

11 Strategy Eight: Practice Exposure Techniques and Healthier Reactions 177

Part 5 Changing Anger Expression

12 Strategy Nine: Improve Your Social and Interpersonal Skills 192

13 Strategy Ten: Express Your Anger in an Assertive, Productive Way 212

Suggested Readings by Chapter Topic 227

Appendix A Recommended Readings for Anger-Related Problems 231

Appendix B Resources for Finding a Therapist 233

Endnotes 235

Interviews

Tafrate resides in West Hartford, CT; Kassinove resides in Rancho Mirage, CA; McKay resides in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Editorial Reviews

Tafrate and Kassinove’s Anger Management for Everyone is an engaging, practical, educational, accessible, and inspirational resource for everyday people who struggle with anger issues, or health professionals working in this area. With years of clinical wisdom and evidence-informed interventions distilled within this second expanded edition, readers will learn to better understand the nature and dynamics of their own anger, and how to effectively harness and manage it through a suite of practical interventions to move on to more satisfying, and less angry, lives. Compelling, compassionate, and relatable, the book’s generous use of case anecdotes illustrates core concepts while a suite of practice exercises helps readers put these into action.”
—Mark E. Olver, PhD, registered doctoral psychologist, professor in the department of psychology at the University of Saskatchewan, and associate editor of Sexual Abuse and Criminal Justice and Behavior

Mark E. Olver

Few people on the planet have a better understanding of anger and how to manage it than Raymond Chip Tafrate and Howard Kassinove. In this wonderfully written second edition of Anger Management for Everyone, they guide readers to a deep understanding of their anger, and provide a treasure trove of strategies for working with it. This second edition incorporates new strategies based upon our growing understanding of anger and how best to treat it. Highly recommended for anyone who struggles with anger, as well as anyone who seeks to understand and help them.”
—Russell Kolts, PhD, professor in the department of psychology at Eastern Washington University, author of The Compassionate-Mind Guide to Managing Your Anger, and coauthor of Experiencing Compassion-Focused Therapy from the Inside Out

Russell Kolts

I always say that there are two kinds of people in the world: people with issues, and dead people. In other words, as long as you’re alive, you have issues, and anger is certainly one of them. Anger Management for Everyone is a book you definitely need, because it shows you specifically how to handle the anger that inevitably comes your way. Howard Kassinove and Raymond Chip Tafrate are pioneers in the field of anger management, and when you follow the very practical advice they offer here, you will handle the inescapable anger in your life in a much better way.”
—Christian Conte, PhD, level V anger management specialist, host of the radio show Emotional Management with Dr. Christian Conte, and coauthor of Anger Management Workbook

Christian Conte

Intense anger is among the most destructive of human emotions. Opposite of what most people believe, there are psychological treatments that can control, reduce, and even eliminate it completely. In this amazing self-help book, professors Tafrate and Kassinove—leaders in this field—will teach you the best strategies and techniques to overcome anger. This type of therapy is empirically supported by the most recent research, while at the same time being effectively delivered to you step by step, with truly clear language. Not only will you overcome anger, but you will enjoy reading this book too.”
—Juan Sevillá and Carmen Pastor, clinical psychologists and directors at the Center of Behavior Therapy of Valencia (Spain), and coauthors of Taming the Dragon

Juan Sevillá and Carmen Pastor

Anger is a problem that people face on a regular basis, and learning how to recognize, talk back to your anger, and use skills to cope with frustration can save your job, your relationship, or even your life. This second edition of Anger Management for Everyone by Raymond Chip Tafrate and Howard Kassinove is an excellent, clear, and practical guide to each step in recognizing your anger, developing the motivation to change, and how to immediately use a wide range of techniques to turn down the heat. Each chapter has a summary of the main points, and there are online resources that enhance the value of this important book. I will recommend this to my clients and colleagues.”
—Robert L. Leahy, PhD, director at the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, and author of The Worry Cure and The Jealousy Cure

Robert L. Leahy

Great book on anger from two leading experts in the field! The best resource for anyone looking to better manage their anger and frustration, and live a happier, more fulfilling life.”
—Denis G. Sukhodolsky, PhD, ABPP, associate professor in the department of psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine, director of the Evidence-Based Practice Unit at the Yale Child Study Center, and coauthor of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anger and Aggression in Children

Denis G. Sukhodolsky

This second addition from Tafrate and Kassinove is a superb self-help guidebook for folks interested in learning strategies for reducing their anger and maximizing the positive outcomes of challenging situations. The reader is easily engaged in rethinking their anger triggers and better understanding their own anger responses. Based on sound cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) theory, the authors provide numerous everyday examples of anger triggers and multiple options for being “SMART”: Selection Menu for Anger Reduction Training. This edition includes an emphasis of mindfulness and meditation for relaxation, and methods for letting go of previously held anger. Delivered as a self-help workbook with numerous exercises that facilitate an individualized plan for anger management, there are also downloadable chapters for additional resources. This is a book that I will most certainly suggest to many of my own clients who would benefit from practical and effective intervention ideas.”
—Eva L. Feindler, PhD, professor in the department of psychology at Long Island University, and program director for clinical psychology of the Long Island University doctoral program. She is author, coauthor, and editor of numerous books, including Adolescent Anger Control, Adolescent Behavior Therapy Handbook, Assessment of Family Violence, and Anger-Related Disorders

Eva L. Feindler

Tafrate and Kassinove, world leaders in treatment and research for anger, have done the public a tremendous service with this book. Whether you have found that you have serious anger problems, or just experience ordinary levels of irritability, Anger Management for Everyone covers strategies to help people address the core problems that lead to anger, leading to more fulfilling lives and interpersonal experiences. Practical and highly accessible, the book integrates the latest research findings with direct methods that can be applied immediately after reading the book. I recommend it highly to everyone.”
—Dean McKay, PhD, ABPP, professor in the department of psychology at Fordham University, past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and past president of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology

Dean McKay