ANGER MANAGEMENT GROUP FOR YOUNG CHILDREN 

Basic Facts: The Anger Management Group for Young Children (ages 8-12) is a four week group which meets one hour per week (see "group schedules" for current dates and times). The group is designed to help young children explore appropriate ways to express their anger and gain self control and emotional awareness, thus enhancing their feelings of self worth. The group combines education and experiential approaches. This combination facilitates learning for the young child. Information is presented about anger being a feeling vs. how anger is often expressed inappropriately. Then games, art, or movement may be utilized to reinforce the concepts.

Appropriate Referrals: This group is appropriate for individuals who are expressing their anger in ways that are causing harm, physically and/or emotionally, to themselves and others. Often children have internalized that anger is a "bad" thing, instead of realizing that anger is the emotion and how they act out their anger is what causes problems for them and others. The group is also appropriate for those who are not currently having problems, but who can benefit from learning anger management techniques for everyday use.  

Group Rationale: Group therapy for young children is often an excellent adjunct to individual and/or family therapy. These children learn from their peers and help their peers. Because peers are willing to attempt new skills, often the child is more willing to take a risk to try something new more quickly than they would if the skill were presented by an adult. Group also offers a safe environment for the child to discuss a problem that may be causing him or her difficulty and receive feedback about better ways to handle the situation. The children then receive a sense of empowerment in being able to use their personal strengths to help others.