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Adolescent Anger Management Treatment
After the assessment process is completed the individual will begin group treatment if indicated. Avenues' group size is small (no more than eight teenagers from ages 13-18) to ensure individualized care.
Involvement in the adolescent anger management treatment program requires group participation at Avenues for 1 ½ hours of each week for a total of 17 weeks. Avenues' adolescent anger management treatment meets during afternoon hours. Anger management groups will be "open," with new members joining as space permits. Upon completion of the 17 sessions, assuming all treatment goals have been met, clients will be presented with a certificate of completion.
The core structure of the anger management group includes:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Element
Teaches adolescents that our thoughts influence and drive our feelings and behaviors, as opposed to external things, like people, situations, and events. Patients benefit from learning that we can change the way we think in order to feel / act better, even if the situation does not change.
Psychoeducational Element
Assists teens in accomplishing the following:
Reducing frequency of occurrence of angry thoughts, feelings and behaviors
Obtaining and implementing specific assertiveness skills to assist in problem solving and appropriate expression of anger
Decreasing patient identification with "victim" role
Learning to accept responsibility for feelings and choices
Distinguishing between anger and aggressive action
Obtaining and implementing relaxation techniques to stop anger escalation
Establishing a pro-active plan to avoid situations that are likely to trigger a rage response
Understanding that anger is a secondary emotion
Process Element
This less structured element of the program provides a place for members to work on interpersonal issues. Here teenagers explore the root causes of their anger and learn skills to tolerate dissatisfaction and disappointment without engaging in destructive action. Adolescents begin to become conscious of what is going on in themselves, how they are interacting with the group, and how the group is functioning as a whole.
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