Common Questions About Court-Ordered Anger Management Classes
If you experience legal problems due to your temper’s intensity, you may be required to take court ordered anger management classes. If you are wondering what these classes entail, here is an overview.
Where Can I Find a Class?
It is possible to take anger management classes in-person or online. Both formats are court-approved.
Who is the Instructor?
Classes must be taught and supervised by certified anger management instructors, including social workers, psychologists, nurses and clergy. Certified individuals must have a BA plus further course training and fieldwork experience.
What are the Goals?
Courses teach individuals strategies to cope with anger through a multi-step process including
- Problem-solving
Most classes focus on teaching participants how to identify problematic situations and weigh the consequences of potential responses.
- Trigger recognition
Classes teach individuals to recognize situations that lead to anger by analyzing their concurrent emotions.
- Empathy
By seeing things through the eyes of someone to whom their anger is directed, participants can understand their anger’s detrimental effects. Role-play exercises and imaginary scenarios allow participants to express or contemplate their feelings by making them the target of angry outbursts.
- Forgiveness
Forgiving is a powerful tool for releasing anger. Teaching participants the difference between forgiving and forgetting fosters healthy responses to triggers that provoke angry reactions.
What are the Techniques?
Most individuals that experience uncontrollable anger have difficulty coping with stressful situations constructively. Instructors use various methods to teach individuals to manage stress, including cognitive behavior therapy, to recognize negative thinking patterns and meditation to promote calmness.
What is the Duration?
Most anger management programs last a minimum of four weeks, and online course providers often allow participants to complete them within six months.
Is Anger Always Bad?
Individuals sentenced to anger management classes often believe that they must eliminate anger from their lives, but this is not the case. Anger is a natural and normal human response to various situations. Anger is a problem only when it is disproportionate to the trigger or when it becomes destructive. Courses teach individuals to replace excess anger with an assertive behavior that communicates their perspective or message clearly but calmly.
How is the Court Notified?
Every court-approved anger management course provides graduates with a certificate to present to the court as proof of successful class completion. Participants must know what the court requires for their circumstances.
If the court determines that you must take an anger management course, you have several convenient options to ensure your success.