Anger management using neuroplasticity
Neuroscience is providing new information which allows us to see how the brain changes. In the last few years the brain has been shown to have both a comparative system and a predictive system, in response to an outside trigger. The predictive system can be taught how to attach two unrelated habits, one negative [the old habit] the other positive [the new habit], if given a specific command by the conscious brain to do so, when the trigger presents itself.
Anger Management
My speciality is Anger Management. There are 15 different types of anger and there are many types of courses available. Group courses are best if you already are in counselling and your individual needs are covered. Otherwise individual counselling is best, because anger is one of the four basic emotions, the others being fear, sad and happy and they respond to something which needs to be addressed, if a problem behavior is being displayed.
The main area of difference in the Cognitive Principle Matrix course is that it is focused on creating new habits, not trying to change old habits. A new habit can be created in 2 days and attached to the old habit and a change can happen in one week. Where clients want to change, and some don't if they are forced through intervention orders to come to counselling, then 80% of my clients show a reduction in anger after one week of counselling.
Most courses are based around behavior, being aware of the triggers that cause behavior, the tools to deal with the triggers, including being assertive and setting rules, boundaries and consequences.
With the Cognitive Principle Matrix, the focus is on principles, rather than behavior. For example, 90% of anger is due to lack of respect or lack of trust [related to jealousy}. It is based on the following:
The Anger Cycle
• Activating event [the trigger] • Underlying lack of control [based on lack of respect] • Lack of control [feels inadequate] • Tries to force control by arguing [to force respect] • Feels frustrated [no respect felt] • Feels angry [no respect felt] • Becomes abusive [tries to force respect] I teach the client how to create a new habit called “calm” and attach that to the old habit of “anger” using a specialized technique. After four sessions of creating new habits and teaching about the principles, 80% of clients find that their anger has automatically reduced, without thinking about it.
A typical reduction is from an anger scale of 8 out of 10 to 2 out of 10.
