Anger Management Education

CA Board of Corrections Approves AJ Novick Group and Century Anger Management

2008-06-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

For the 4th straight year, the California State Board of Corrections (CSBC) approves the AJ Novick Group and Century Anger Management as an approved provider for the training of probation, parole, correctional officers and management. This approval can be verified by visiting their website at STC.

We are one of the few STC training providers in the field of anger management granted this approval. The California State Board of Corrections also referred to as the Corrections Standards Authority is one of the leading state level organizations that monitors training providers of all correctional officers in California.

The Century Anger Management model of intervention is regarded as one of the best training organizations for prospective anger management organizations in the nation. The AJ Novick Group is proud to be the co-founder of Century Anger Management and will continue to offer and deliver quality programs in the field of anger management.

Ari Novick, Ph.D.
AJ Novick Group, Inc.- Anger Management Classes
Anger Class Online - Online Anger Management Classes
Century Anger Management- Professional Training for Anger Management Providers

Dr. Novick Selected as Keynote Speaker for Law Enforcement Conference 2008

2008-06-03T16:22:00.001-07:00

BREAKING NEWS: The California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) has selected Dr. Ari Novick, Ph.D as their keynote speaker and presenter for the 28th Annual Conference in October 2008.

Dr. Ari Novick has been selected as the keynote speaker to present to employees of the Department of Justice, Investigations, Law Enforcement, Park and Recreations, and several other related agencies. The California Statewide Law Enforcement Association represents more than 7,000 public safety professionals within 19 affiliate groups — dedicated, highly trained state workers who make up California’s safety net.

Dr. Novick was selected because of his expertise working with law enforcement personnel and his specialization in anger and stress management. Dr. Novick has published two highly acclaimed workbooks in anger and stress management and is a continuing education provider for the California State Board of Corrections. He has been working closely with law enforcement for over 8 years and is highly sought out presenter on the topics of anger and stress management nationwide.

Dr. Novick will be providing a 4 hour seminar on stress management, improving impulse control, empathy and emotional awareness, anger management, and assertive communication. The conference will be held at Dorsel Desert Princess Resort in Palm Springs, CA October 8th-11th. For more information, please visit their website at http://www.cslea.com/.

Ari Novick, Ph.D., LMFT
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management
333 3rd Street, Suite, 4
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-2694

The Truth about Anger Management Classes

2008-05-30T12:56:00.000-07:00

There is a common misconception that anger management is only for people out of control or who are being “punished” for a crime and must complete a class as part of a disciplinary action. This fallacy could not be farther from the truth. Anger management is an umbrella term for a much larger category of education and training. While the media has commonly portrayed anger management as “dirty” or “punitive” it is actually a course that anyone could take to improve relationship skills.

Unfortunately, few people proactively take advance of the growth of anger management providers available and the skills which can be gained by completing a quality anger management class. Wouldn’t you want to improve communication skills, manage stress more effectively, improve judgment and impulse control and become more empathic towards others? Who wouldn’t? Anger management classes are aimed at teaching important skills to help improve interpersonal relationships. Anger can have lasting and long-term damaging effects on those around you who you care about. Anger can destroy a meaningful relationship over time. Don’t allow this to happen.

Our programs utilize the highly acclaimed Century Anger Management (CAM) model of intervention, which this author is the co-founder. CAM utilizes 8 core tools of anger control which include:

Stress management
Empathy Development
Learning to respond instead of react
Improving self-talk
Assertive Communication
Expectation Management
Forgiveness
Retreat and think things over

All anger management classes are structured and each participant will use our client workbook, “Anger Management in the Twenty-First Century”. Participants will also receive pre and post assessments at the beginning and completion of our programs. Anger management classes are ideal for individuals, couples, and families as well as business professionals and court ordered clients. For more information on our Anger Management Classes or our Online Anger Management Classes please click on these links or contact our office directly.

Ari Novick, Ph.D.
AJ Novick Group, Inc. - Anger Management

Is Your Company Ignoring Workplace Stress?

2008-05-22T16:56:00.001-07:00

Dr. Novick was recently featured in the leading story of HR Wire Magazine titled, “Is Your Company Ignoring Workplace Stress” by Paula Santonocito. This publication is the premier resource for H.R. personal worldwide.

Is Your Company Ignoring Workplace Stress?

Paula Santonocito

If so, it isn’t alone. Research shows that although many companies recognize workplace stress is an issue, few do anything about it.

What surveys find

Two studies from Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a leading global consulting firm, find stress has significant impact on the workplace.

Nearly half of all surveyed U.S. employers, 48 percent, say stress caused by working long hours and doing more with less is affecting business performance. Yet, only 5 percent are addressing this concern, according to Watson Wyatt’s 2007/2008 Staying@Work report.

By the same token, more than one-quarter of employers, 29 percent, indicate widespread use of technology that expands availability, such as cell phones and personal digital assistants, is a cause of employee stress that impacts business performance. However, only 6 percent are taking strong action.

In addition, managers’ inability to recognize stress comes into play. Twenty-four (24) percent of employers indicate this is an issue at their organizations. But only 7 percent are doing anything about it.

Watson Wyatt points out that one of the ways stress affects business performance is through employee retention. And work-related stress does indeed motivate people to look for alternative employment.

Stress is the most frequently cited reason U.S. workers give for why they would leave a company, according to Watson Wyatt’s 2007/2008 Global Strategic Rewards report. Forty (40) percent of respondents say it is one of their top three reasons.

Nevertheless, the same report shows employers don’t see the correlation between stress and retention. Employers fail to list stress among the top reasons they think workers leave their jobs. Instead, employers cite insufficient pay, lack of career development, and poor supervisor relationships.

Employer inaction

So what is it about workplace stress that keeps it off the employer radar screen?

“Oftentimes employers won’t address issues until it becomes a liability for them,” says Ari Novick, Ph.D., a licensed psychotherapist and owner of AJ Novick Group, a leading national provider of anger and stress management training.

There’s another factor that makes stress difficult to address. “Stress is an intangible,” Novick says. An employee may say, “I feel stressed,” but unless that stress affects the workplace in a tangible way employers tend to overlook it.

“Employers don’t start addressing the issue until it becomes a problem. They’re not as proactive as they should be,” Novick tells HRWire.

Inaction on the part of employers can lead to psychological and/or physical problems for employees, which in turn can impact business results.

Contributing factors

Today, there are more potential work-related stressors. As Watson Wyatt study findings show, availability is a big one.

“When you’re accessible literally 24 hours a day that can be nerve-wracking,” Novick says.

Yet, in a lot of companies, ongoing availability has become part of the culture.

For employees, the issue is difficult to address. If an employee says s/he doesn’t want to be reached, it may lead to a negative perception.

“The employer needs to create better boundaries. It’s not up to the employee to create them,” Novick says.

Constant availability doesn’t allow a person to have a balanced life, which in turn can lead to stress. Novick cites the movie, “The Devil Wears Prada” as an example. “In that movie we saw exactly how stress can erode the human spirit,” he tells HRWire.

Corporate culture plays a major role in workplace stress, but so does American culture. If you look at other countries and the way they value time off and time with family, and you compare vacation time and time away from work, the United States, for all its greatness, is clearly lacking, Novick says.

Still another factor that contributes to workplace stress is something simple that’s overlooked: everyone’s coping skills for managing stress are different.

Stress is a disconnect between the demands in life and resources to meet those demands, Novick explains. And a stressor for one person isn’t necessarily a stressor for another.

That’s why some people can maintain these high-stress environments, he says; their coping skills for stress are different. Therefore, employers shouldn’t expect that everyone can manage the same amount of stress.

In addition, Novick points out, “Everyone has different variables that employers aren’t aware of.”

When stressed

Still, whether or not employees have a high tolerance for stress, Novick says everyone has a breaking point.

How will employers know when that point has been reached? “Look for employees who are vocalizing their discontent or their stress,” Novick advises. “Most people will verbalize it.”

However, there are some employees who will internalize stress, and Novick cautions that this can be especially problematic. If an employee internalizes stress and gets to a breaking point and lashes out, it can lead to another liability issue. “You can create a dangerous work environment,” he says.

Although stress isn’t contagious per se, it can have an adverse effect on morale and infect the workplace.

“Typically when people are stressed out they may be short-tempered, sleep-deprived, agitated or anxious. They can be very difficult to be around,” Novick says.

Because stress is a person’s perception of his/her environment, stressed out co-workers can essentially contribute to the stress of other staff members.

Becoming proactive

Morale, health care costs, productivity. They’re all bottom-line issues and still employers often look the other way when it comes to stress.

“Stress is a feeling that is hard to prove,” Novick says.

Physiologically and psychologically stress can take a toll. But unless an employee is diagnosed with stress-related high blood pressure or other illness employers tend not to react to stress.

Still, stress in the workplace is an issue, and it appears to be widespread, as Watson Wyatt’s studies show. The majority of referrals Novick gets from employers also typically have something to do with stress.

Novick finds it is only the more progressive companies that are addressing stress on a proactive basis. Interestingly, a lot of the companies that do so are smaller employers. Novick says he believes that in smaller companies it’s easier to see when there is an issue.

Regardless of company size, Novick recommends a proactive approach to stress management, whether it’s a stress management workshop or executive coaching.

“You’ve now given your executive or employee some incredible coping skills. And the cost is nothing compared to lost productivity or losing the employee altogether,” Novick says.

Contact: Ari Novick, Ph.D., licensed psychotherapist and owner AJ Novick Group, ari@ajnovickgroup.com.

Online: Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Staying@Work report, http://www.watsonwyatt.com/research/resrender.asp?id=2007-US-0216&page=1; Watson Wyatt Worldwide, 2007/2008 Global Strategic Rewards report, http://www.watsonwyatt.com/research/resrender.asp?id=2007-US-0164&page=1; AJ Novick Group, stress management information, training, and coaching, http://www.ajnovickgroup.com.

Anger Management Expert to Appear on Radio Talk Show

2008-04-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Dr. Ari Novick, president of the AJ Novick Group will be appearing on a popular east coast radio show in the coming weeks. Dr. Novick was selected after the host of the show actually participated in one of his anger management programs. After completing the program, he was so impressed that he asked if Dr. Novick would be willing to discuss the Century Anger Management model, which Dr. Novick is the co-founder of as well as discuss how anger management classes work. The general public is often misinformed about what is involved in taking an anger management class and what one should expect to learn. Dr. Novick will explain the "8 Tools of Anger Control" in detail as well as answer questions from callers.

More on this exciting interview will be posted in the coming weeks.

For information on anger management classes contact Dr. Ari Novick at 949 715-2694

Eight Practical Tips for Reducing Stress Triggers

2008-04-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

Eight Practical Tips for Reducing Stress Triggers:

By Ari Novick, Ph.D.

(1) Take time off – Take a vacation or a long weekend. During the work day, take a short break to stretch. Walk, breathe slowly, and take a day off and go to the beach, and relax.

(2) Manage your time – Set realistic goals and deadlines. Plan projects accordingly. Do “must do” tasks first. Schedule difficult tasks for the time of day when you are most productive. Tackle easy tasks when you feel low on energy or motivation.

(3) Set limits – When necessary, learn to say “no” in a friendly, but firm manner.

(4) Choose your battles wisely – Don’t rush to argue every time someone disagrees with you. Keep a cool head and avoid pointless arguments altogether.

(5) Use calming skills – Learn not to act on your first impulse. Give your anger time to subside. Anger needs to be expressed, but it is often wise to do something that takes your mind off the situation. The break allows you to compose yourself and respond to the anger in a more effective manner.

(6) If appropriate, look for less stressful job options – But first, ask yourself whether you have given your job a fair chance.

(7) Take control of what you can – For example, if you’re working too many hours and you can’t study enough, ask your boss if you can cut back.

( 8) Don’t commit yourself to things you can’t or don’t want to do- – If you’re already too busy, don’t promise to decorate for the school dance. If you’re tired and don’t want to go out, tell your friends you’ll go.

Ari Novick, Ph.D. is Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a certified anger management provider for both adults and adolescents. Dr. Novick is also an adjunct professor of psychology at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology. His corporate website is www.ajnovickgroup.com and his innovative online anger management class is available at www.angerclassonline.com

On-site Anger Management Training and Classes for Employees

2008-04-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

The AJ Novick Group has been a recognized leader in the field of anger management since 2003. We have provided on-site trainings in anger and stress management to numerous corporations and agencies over the last 5 years. Often times human resource staff or decision makers at companies do not know when it might be appropriate to bring on an expert to provide an on-site anger management training. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when trying to figure this important question out:

1. Has there been a history of inappropriate behavior by an employee(s)?
2. Has your company ever provided an educational training in anger management for risk prevention?
3. Do you have just one or two employees that need anger management, but you do not want to single them out?
4. Are you worried about a lawsuit or legal action from a victimized employee?
5. Will an on-site anger management training be helpful?

Anger management training provided at your company should be an educational experience for all who attend. These trainings are aimed at teaching skills in a variety of areas with the goal of improving relationships among employees, increasing moral, and improving the growth of ones company or workforce. Here are some common skills taught by the AJ Novick Group's on-site trainings:

1. Skills in effective communication and listening
2. Empathy and social awareness training
3. Introduction of ways to handle volatile people and/or situations
4. Introduction of ways to diffuse hostile people
5. Anger management and conflict resolution training
6. Skills in improving impulse control and judgment
7. Stress management training
8. Expectation management
9. Use of EAP programs and adjudicative resources
10. Basic crisis skills training
11. Learning to identify hostile situations and people (warning signs)
12. Introduction to calming techniques, cool down's and time-outs

Our on-site anger management training and classes can be offered in a variety of formats and range from 4 hours to 2 full days of training. All participants will be assessed prior to participating as well as at the end of the training. This assessment will help identify areas to improve as well as strengths and weaknesses as group or team.

For those that would rather have their employees take a corporate online anger management class as either a preventative measure or as part of a disciplinary action, we also offer this option.

For more information on any of our on-site anger management training or programs please contact:

Ari Novick, Ph.D., LMFT
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management
949 715-2694

Broadcasting Company HIres Anger Management Expert for Key Staff

2008-04-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

The AJ Novick Group was recently hired by Trinity Broadcasting Company to provide anger management coaching and training to key staff and personnel. TheAJ Novick Group was selected because of their outstanding reputation and world class service. The AJ Novick Group teaches skills to help improve employees communicate more effectively, resolve conflicts, manage stress and increase empathy, improve judgment and impulse control as well as better manage expectations of self and others.

All corporate coaching uses our acclaimed Century Anger Management model, assessments, and instructional materials. We have also begun video taping role play exercises so participants can visually see what they are doing well and what skills still need to be worked on. Similar to the NFL reply videos, this approach has been highly effective in teaching participants how they are perceived by others by watching their own behaviors and mannerisms.

The AJ Novick Group also offers on-site training in anger and stress management for both small and large corporations. For more information, please contact:

Ari Novick, Ph.D., LMFT
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management

Assertive Communication - An Anger Management Technique

2008-04-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

Our client, Aaron, told us that in his family they typically yell at one another to get the point across. Aaron recently got in a relationship with a woman who told him that his anger “scares” her when he gets upset. Aaron’s reply was that he was not upset, this was “just the way I am used to expressing myself when I get upset, this is normal for me”. The reality is that what might be “normal” for you and your family of origin may not be the “norm” is terms of communicating effectively with others. Aaron’s style of communication is aggressive, but he didn’t realize the impact it had on his girlfriend. Aaron had to learn about his style of communication as well as other styles of communication to understand the kind of changes he needed to make. By learning to become more assertive, Aaron felt better, his needs got met more of the time, and his girlfriend no longer feared him when he did get upset.

The way we communicate or the style we use to communicate is often learned from much earlier experiences in our lives when our language skills were newly formed. Think about your family’s style of communication for a moment. Is your style similar to any of theirs? Most of us tend to communicate in a way that was adaptive in the environment we grew up, but problematic in our lives today. For many of us, our style of communication can leave us with unmet needs, unexpressed emotion, and damaging effects on those around us. It is important to understand that there are many different communication styles, yet only one that tends to yield the results we are seeking. Learning to express your primary feelings and needs, clearly, calmly, with good eye contact is what assertive communication is all about.

Good communication skills are an essential ingredient to anger management because poor communication causes untold emotional hurt, misunderstandings and conflict. Words are powerful, but the message we convey to others is even more powerful and often determines how people respond to us – and how we feel toward them.

Because communication is a two-way process, people with good communication skills are good at “receiving” messages from others as well as delivering them.

If you look at people in your life and we also look at your own behavior, you may discover certain patterns of communication. Some patterns are negative and harmful while others are positive and productive.

Frequently persons who have anger problems use harmful ways of communicating to others – harmful in the sense that it disrupts relationships and usually does not accomplish the goals that you intended.

Assertive communication, on the other hand, is a much more effective way to get what you want and what you need without the negative consequences. In short, the development of assertive communication skills will works for you by making you a more effective and less stressed person.

What is assertive communication? Is is a way to communicate so that you convey your rights in a good way. Assertive communication helps people clearly explain their wants, needs, and feelings to other people. It is a way of getting things that you want without violating or offending others’ rights or having to walk away without getting what you want.

Assertive people tell others what they want and need clearly; they have a knack of saying the correct thing at the correct time.

Assertive communication skills are the antidote to harmful and destructive communication patterns.

To learn more about improving your communication skills visit the AJ Novick Group- Anger Management Classes

Ari Novick, Ph.D., LMFT
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management
Anger Class Online- Online Anger Management Classes

Online Anger Management Classes Exclusively for Corporations

2008-04-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

The AJ Novick Group launched one of the most innovative online anger management class programs of its kind in early 2006 (www.angerclassonline.com). Since its launch, requests from corporate America has been surging.

“For many employers and human resource professionals, finding an anger management program for an employee can be difficult, time consuming, and problematic for the employee,” says Dr. Ari Novick, founder of AJ Novick Group and Anger Class Online. “Employers need an effective, affordable, and efficient way to train employees without having to massive time away from work,” says Dr. Novick. “We have created an online anger management class specifically for employees that can be monitored by the employer or company representative to ensure successful completion an comprehension,” explains Dr. Novick.

These specialized online anger management classes for employees are timed and every employee is required to pass short quizzes before they are able to move to the next lesson. Each employee is also monitored with an employee “log”. This log will show their progress though the course including which quizzes were passed and how much time was spent on each lesson. It will also show the time they logged in and out of the program. Once the employee finishes the course, a Certificate of Completion will be mailed to the employer. Dr. Novick says, “The employer has the ability to purchase the courses in bundles and assign them to any employee who needs to take a class”.

Corporate online anger management classes are ideal for employees who need an anger management class as part of a preventative skills training or as a requirement of a disciplinary action. “We are pleased to be able to bring to market an innovative product such as this one, and continue to strive to deliver high quality and comprehensive programs to the public”, explains Dr. Novick. For more information visit http://www.angerclassonline.com/Corporate.aspx

Ari Novick, Ph.D.
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management

Want to Learn A Stress Management Technique?

2008-04-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

The Freeze-frame Technique for self-soothing

The Institute of HeartMath has developed an excellent exercise called “freeze-frame” which is ideal for self-soothing during your retreat time. The best part is while it only takes a couple of minutes to do it, the results can be quite astounding. The technique is based on the idea that, like movies, our conscious life is made up of up of a series of incidents – or frames- strung together over time. When flooded and overwhelmed, it helps to stop the movie—or freeze just one frame. This frame can be the conflict you had with your partner before leaving to regroup and marshal your emotional resources.

Once you freeze this frame in your mind (you can close your eyes, or not, depending on what makes you feel comfortable), put your hand on your heart and pretend your heart is “breathing” as you inhale and exhale. Make a sincere effort to shift your focus away from you racing mind or disturbed emotions to the area around your heart.

As you relax and calm down, try recalling the feeling of a positive time or experience you’ve had in your life-or a good or fun time you have had.

Now, using your intuition, common sense and sincerity ask your heart what would be a better response to the situation, one that would repair the damage to your relationship. Then, listen to what your heart answers to your question.

Don’t worry if you have trouble recalling that positive time or experience – the technique will help you even if you just feel neutral – instead of positive- during this step.

Believe it or not, recent scientific research is showing that the heart (and also your gut) actually may be able to do some of what your brain does in terms of giving you answers; it may be that your heart actually can function like a little satellite of the brain – and hence may be able to give you some answers – just like your brain does.

The AJ Novick Group is a leading provider of Anger and Stress Management training, classes, workplace programs and products. Dr. Novick is an expert in the field of Anger Management and has written numerous articles for magazines and Internet sites. He is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. He is the co-author of “Anger Management for the Twenty-first Century”, a newly developed model for Anger Management intervention. For more information on Ari Novick, Ph.D., or the AJ Novick Group please visit http://www.ajnovickgroup.com or http://www.angerclassonline.com

8 Tips for Dealing with Exposive People

2008-04-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

Eight tips to communication with aggressive or explosive people:

1. Do not respond in kind. Hostility often begets more hostility. Respond instead with a non-hostile message to defuse people who are behaving in a hostile manner toward you. The classic example of this is in when simple inconsiderate driving or even aggressive driving suddenly escalates into road rage due to two drivers ratcheting up hostility in response to the other's hostile acts, words, or gestures. Please remember that in these and other hostile situations, you contribute somewhat to the outcome by your decision to return hostility or not.

2. Take their upset seriously and validate their feelings. Listen to what they have to say and hear them out; ignoring them or minimizing their feelings will tend to escalate their anger further. There have been untold numbers of workplace violence incidents that could have been averted had supervisors or managers listened with empathy to disgruntled employees rather than responding in an insensitive, or uncaring manner.

3. Never argue with someone when they are intoxicated or on drugs. When someone is drinking or intoxicated, this is no time to try to solve a business, personal or other related problems (especially if you too have had a few drinks). Drinking often impairs judgment, decreases inhibitions (resulting in saying things we don't mean), and distorts your normally astute reasoning ability.

4. Respond to the feelings they are having not the content of what they are saying. Try to hear and respond to the underlying hurt or pain the person is experiencing underneath the angry words. Use statements such as "I can appreciate why you feel that way," or "It sounds like you are very angry right now, many people feel the way you do."

5. On roadway, don't make eye contact with an aggressive driver. This is the secret signal in the animal world to engage in combat and will frequently escalate things, sometimes into "road rage." Just ignore aggressive drivers and stay out of their way.

6. Allow angry people to physically escape the situation Don't block their way or prevent access, or you may be putting yourself in a dangerous situation. Take off the heat rather than increasing the pressure! Don't insist on solving the problem "now" when the other person is in an agitated state.

7. Don't defend yourself by attacking back at them or their character flaws. Defensiveness often escalates anger in the other person and, in fact, is one of the predictors of divorce, according to recent marital research. There is a time to present your side, but not when your partner is unable to hear it due to his or her anger.

8. Don't try to solve an emotional issue with logical arguments. Trying to diffuse an angry person with overwhelming evidence of their thinking errors or mistakes in logic, or facts to the contrary, or reasons for why they shouldn't feel the way they do, or why they should feel differently - usually makes the situation worse.

Ari Novick, Ph.D.
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management Classes
Anger Class Online- Online Anger Management Classes

AJ Novick Group- Anger Management Classes Receive Praise

2008-04-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

The AJ Novick Group, a premier provider of anger management classes and coaching, receives praise after reviewing a survey from hundreds of clients. A survey was administered to several hundred participants of the AJ Novick Group's anger management classes over a six month period. During this time, the AJ Novick Group received praise for its comprehensive program, professional staff, and world class anger management model.

The survey was provided to participants of their weekly anger management classes as well as weekend workshops from June 2007-December 2007. While the results were not surprising, it reinforces the continued success of this organization.

For more information on their anger management classes, visit www.ajnovickgroup.com or www.angerclassonline.com.

AJ Novick Group, Inc.
333 3rd Street, Suite 4
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
www.ajnovickgroup.com
949 715-2694

About the Author: Ari Novick, Ph.D. is founder of the AJ Novick Group. He is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and expert in the field of anger and stress management. Dr. Novick is also a corporate consultant and educator who has presented on-site corporate workshops and trainings to thousands of employees. He is the co-author of "Anger Management for the Twenty-first Century", a highly acclaimed client workbook in the field of anger management. Dr. Novick has been featured in numerous magazine articles and has been a consultant for both the Discovery Channel and Fox television. He is also an adjunct Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University. For information about his anger management classes, corporate trainings or other related services please visit www.ajnovickgroup.com. To view his online anger management website visit www.angerclassonline.com

Can Anger Management Classes Help?

2008-04-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

Anger Management Classes- Can they help?

By Ari Novick, Ph.D.

Anger management has become a huge buzz over the last few years. While the term was coined back in 1975 by researcher and University of California at Irvine professor Raymond Novaco, the interventions have been hard to define. So what is anger management anyway? More importantly, what is managing anger so important?

I have made several observations about anger management classes and anger management coaching over the last few years. One of the first observations I’ve made is the change in view towards anger management from punitive to purposeful. That is to say, I’ve seen a shift in the public view from anger management having a negative connection to it; to anger management becoming accepted as a worthwhile and meaningful educational intervention to help improve ones interpersonal relationships and quality of life.

When I first started seeing clients, especially those that were court ordered, it was viewed as if they were taking a traffic school class. After about two sessions, they quickly realized how amazing anger management classes were to them. First, they got exposed to skills that really were going to help them improve their relationships. Second, many agreed that if they really knew what anger management was all about; they would have taken a class a long time ago. The public perception is changing and it’s about time.

Another observation I have made is that anger management coaching is a wonderful way to teach these skills to those that do not want to participate in a group. While there are advantages to participating in a group, many prefer a one on one format. I have seen a steady increase in requests for anger management coaching and I believe it is party due to business and industry also opening their eyes to alternate ways of helping employees. Many self-referred individual clients also like the “coaching” aspect of learning anger management skills because they leave each session with a new tool; a concrete tangible skill to try and practice at home, work, and with loved ones.

Anger management classes in general tend to teach skills in variety of areas. These skills include assertive communication; empathy and social awareness; how to have better judgment and impulse control; challenge automatic thinking; expectation management; forgiveness; stress management, and skills for staying calm.

Anger management classes and coaching is meant to be short term. Classes are usually 10 sessions but can be customized for more or less classes as needed. Most self-referred clients tend to benefit most from about 10 classes. Those that are referred through the court will usually have their requirement set by the Judge issuing the classes.

Is anger ruining your relationships and quality of life? Are you asking yourself if anger management is right for you? I guess it’s like asking if you should see a doctor for a compound fracture. Most people would not hesitate to see a doctor for a broken arm, a toothache, or a bad back. Why would you want to prolong your ability to learn skills to better your relationships at home or work? Taking an anger management class might save one of your most prized assets from tragedy, you.

For more information on our anger management classes, please contact Dr. Ari Novick at 949 715-2694 or at AJ Novick Group- Anger Management

About the author:

The AJ Novick Group is a leading provider of Anger Management training, classes, anger management coaching, workplace programs and products. Ari Novick, Ph.D. is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an expert in the field of Anger Management. He has written numerous articles for magazines and Internet sites. Dr. Novick is the co-author of “Anger Management for the Twenty-first Century”, a highly sought after model for Anger Management intervention. For more information on Dr. Novick or the AJ Novick Group please visit www.ajnovickgroup.com or for online anger management classes visit www.angerclassonline.com

Online Anger Management Classes

2008-04-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

Online Anger Management Classes can be a valuable alternative to in person classes. This is partially due to the fact that anger management is a relatively new field, and as a result, there are not enough resources. The other issue that many people do not have schedules that permit them to attend a live weekly class because most classes are held in evenings.

In well saturated cities/states such as Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and Houston for example, finding a provider is much easier because the population is large and anger management as a specialty is more well known and recognized.

As an alternative, online classes can help meet the needs of those seeking anger management because they do not have to travel long distances to find a provider and they have access to a quality program from the leisure of their home or office computer.

Quality Online classes should include a didactic learning experience through the use of videos, quizzes, and smartly written content that is user friendly and applicable. Online classes should also be based on a well known curriculum as well as be offered by a provider who also has more traditional brick and mortar classes as well. Skills taught in these classes should include:

* Stress management

* Empathy Development

* Learning to respond instead of react

* Improving self-talk

* Assertive Communication

* Expectation Management

* Forgiveness

* Retreat and think things over

Unlike many traditional classes, which essentially require participants to simply show up, online anger management classes typically require comprehension of the materials in order to progress through the program. Comprehension is based on passing quizzes and exams which require adequate knowledge of the materials presented.

Online classes should be viewed as an alternative to more traditional classes for anger management. It should also be noted that anger management classes are not a substitute for psychotherapy for medical advice. Anger management intervention should be educational in nature aimed at teaching concrete skills.

Ari Novick, Ph.D., LMFT
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management
http://www.ajnovickgroup.com

Ari Novick, Ph.D. is Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a certified anger management professional for both adults and adolescents. Dr. Novick is also an adjunct professor of psychology at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology.

His corporate website is http://www.ajnovickgroup.com and his innovative online anger management class is available at http://www.angerclassonline.com

Forgiveness: A Key to Anger Management

2008-04-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

Forgiving does not mean that you forget the offense
You may never forget (and probably shouldn't) what happened to you, but after forgiveness you can remember it without the emotional pain connected to it.

Forgiving does not mean that you are saying what they did was O.K.
Quite the opposite. We can forgive but still see what happened to you as horrific or unjust.

You don't need to even tell people that you forgive them.
The forgiveness occurs in your heart - not in conversation with them, although in some circumstances you may want to have a dialogue about it. It often backfires if you go up to someone (especially a relative) and say "I forgive you."

This occurs because the offending person often doesn't see himself or herself as the problem. Better to do the forgiveness in your own mind and heart. One exception to this is if you are the victim of a violent crime. Some studies show that it helps your healing if you forgive your assailant face to face.

Forgiving doesn't mean you will automatically trust them again. Forgiveness and trust are two separate issues. Even after forgiveness, it may take a long time to re-build trust, if ever. To instantly trust someone again after they have violated you in some way is not a sign of good mental health or strong self-esteem.

Forgiving doesn't necessary mean you like or love the offender, or even want to be in future relationship with them.
Absence of angry feelings doesn't necessarily create warm, positive, or loving feelings in you for the offender. At best, forgiving may bring you up to neutral in your feelings toward them. It I possible to say to yourself, for instance, "OK. I forgive her but I don' want to have anything further to do with her...ever."

You don't need to forgive all at once.
This is a concept that especially applies to forgiving an unfaithful partner. Dr. Abrams-Spring suggests, "To start, maybe you can only forgive 10%," just open the door and then see how your unfaithful partner behaves.

After a period of time, you might want to open the door a little wider and forgive maybe another 20%, and so on.

Ari Novick, Ph.D., LMFT
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management Classes and training
Anger Class Online- Online Anger Management Classes

Top 10 Reasons to Get Anger Management

2008-03-31T17:41:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Reasons to take an Anger Management class:

10. A loved one has requested that you take a class because your behavior is out of control or scary

9. Your employer has requested it due to some inappropriate behavior exhibited at work

8. The court has asked that you take a class and you have no choice.

7. You realize that if you don't learn how to better control your anger and aggression you may end up losing an important relationship(s).

6. You don't want your children to model the way you do things when you get angry.

5. Friends and family have commented on your temper and lack of ability to communicate your feeling and needs appropriately.

4. You have already lost an important relationship or job because of your temper.

3. You feel like your anger is out of control and nothing you do on your own to correct it seems to be working

2. You have a hard time expressing how you feel and what you need, and as a result feel irritated at your self and others much of the time.

1. You want to learn how to better communicate, empathize, manage stress, learn to forgive, and improve your judgment and impulse control.

Click the link to learn more about anger management classes

Ari Novick, Ph.D.
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management
Anger Class Online

New Provider to Join Century Anger Managment

2008-03-31T17:39:00.001-07:00

Drew Child Development Corporation (Drew CDC), a private, nonprofit organization located in South Central Los Angeles, is dedicated to the education and well being of at-risk children in the metropolitan Los Angeles, area. Services for children and families were initially developed and administered by the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.

This amazing organization which helps underprivileged youth has recently joined Century Anger Management in providing anger management services to their vast client population. We would like to welcome Drew CDC to our prestigious list of certified anger management professionals.

For more information on finding an anger management professional trained through Century Anger Management please visit www.centuryangermanagement.com.

Ari Novick, Ph.D., LMFT
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management

Client Motivation and Anger Management

2007-10-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

One of the most common questions asked of me when people sign up for anger management classes is "will taking an anger management class work?". The answer to that question is complex. Anger management is educational in nature and is aimed at teaching skills in changing thinking and behavior. There are many ways to change behavior, and I do not want to attempt to explain behavior modificaton in this blog entry. Motivation to change is critical to learn almost any new skill. If ones motivation is low or even adverse to learning, the liklyhood of gaining that skill is severely limited, regardless of how good the information is or how it is presented. When I was around 9 years old, my parents forced me to take violin lessons. When I say "forced", I simply mean, I wanted to take guitar lessons and violin was about as exciting to me and counting hay in a barn. My violin teacher had been trained at Julliard and was a concert violinist. After several months of lessons, and a failed violin recital, my parents were convinced that there must be a problem with the way I was being taught. I knew, deep down, that I just didn't want to learn and had no interest in playing violin. Years later, I did take up the guitar, and without lessons became a fairly accomplished guitar player on my own. Highly motivated, and passionate about becoming a great guitar player, I practiced, and gained new skills. Learning skills in anger management is fairly similar. You must first be motivated to change. You must be able to recognize that there are things you are doing that aren't working well and have a desire to want to learn a new and hopefully improved way to approaching people and situations. Anger management is a skill. Attending classes will not, in of itself, create change. You must be motivated to change and practice what you are learning. Anger management classes can help, if a couple of key elements exist. The is not an exclusive list, but some of the most important in my 4 years of experience teaching: 1. The content is quality, and the interventions are proven to be effective 2. The information is presented by a trained professional in anger management 3. There is a client workbook and a set curriculum and agenda for each class 4. The participant is coming because they want to learn and make positive changes in their life. An unmotivated client is less apt to change. 5. The client practices the skills being taught. Passive attendance and passive participation does not lend itself to change. 6. Client trust with the facilitator. While motivation to change is key, I have also found that participants who actually trust and enjoy who is teaching find themselves more apt to participate and change 7. Encouragement from loved ones, family members, co-workers and others who see the changes happening before their eyes. As change occurs, others will notice. Anger management is not magic. Learning skills in anger management takes motivation, practice and patience. If you come with an open mind and a willingness to change, you will learn skills to improve you relationships. Ari Novick, Ph.D., LMFT Founder, AJ Novick Group- Anger Management www.ajnovickgroup.com

7 Tips to Deal with People Angry at You

2007-09-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

How to deal with people in your life who are chronically angry toward you
1. Consider changing your behavior that triggers their anger. Sometimes the most practical thing to do is to change whatever it is that triggers anger in people close to you. Not that you should go overboard on this, but simple changes can do a lot, especially if they don’t lower your self-esteem or don’t “cost” you a lot to change.

2. Think about terminating the relationship Truth is, some relationships we get involved in are so “toxic” that it is self-abusive to continue in them or to try and repair them. At times, you need to protect yourself from people in your life who create an atmosphere that is not good for your well-being.

3. Limit your time spent with them If terminating the relationship is too drastic of a step, consider simply limiting the time you spend with toxic people in your life. Decide you can put up with the person several times a year at the family Christmas party, for instance, or that you will be tolerant toward your angry ex-spouse once a week for the sake of your children.

4. Ask them directly why they are often appear angry toward you A straight line is the shortest distance between two points. Sometimes the quickest way to ﬁnd out why someone appears constantly angry with you is to simply ask them. They may not even realize they were communicating angrily toward you, so your inquiry may open up a great opportunity for dialogue.

5. Communicate clearly how their negativity affects you Honestly letting people know how their behavior is affecting you emotionally is often an “eye-opener” to the other person. Start with “I feel” statements rather than “you” or “you should” statements.

6. Adjust your expectations of them People may be chronically angry toward you because you communicate that they are disappointing you in some way and they are perceiving you as overly critical. Adjusting those expectations you have toward others may result in their being less angry toward you!

7. Stop trying to solve unsolvable problems in a relationship According to some marital researchers, up to 60% of issues in a relationship are unsolvable due to the couple’s being “gridlocked” around it. Trying to solve unsolvable problems creates much anger. Instead, ﬁnd a way to dialogue about the issues and live with each other around them, rather than trying to fix them.

Ari Novick, Ph.D.
Founder, AJ Novick Group- Anger Management

Eight tips to deal with explosive persons

2007-09-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

Eight tips to deal with explosive persons who confront you: defusing potentially dangerous situations:

1. Do not respond in kind. Hostility often begets more hostility.
Respond instead with a non-hostile message to defuse people who are behaving in a hostile manner toward you. The classic example of this is in when simple inconsiderate driving or even aggressive driving suddenly escalates into road rage due to two drivers ratcheting up hostility in response to the other’s hostile acts, words, or gestures. Please remember that in these and other hostile situations, you contribute somewhat to the outcome by your decision to return hostility or not.

2. Take their upset seriously and validate their feelings Listen to what they have to say and hear them out; ignoring them or minimizing their feelings will tend to escalate their anger further. There have been untold numbers of workplace violence incidents that could have been averted had supervisors or managers listened with empathy to disgruntled employees rather than responding in an insensitive or uncaring manner.

3. Never argue with someone when they are intoxicated When someone is drinking or intoxicated, this is no time to try to solve relationship or other problems (especially if you too have had a few drinks). A high percentage of angry confrontations as well spousal abuse arrests occur when drinking is involved by one or both partners. Drinking often impairs judgment, decreases inhibitions (resulting in saying things we don’t mean), and distorts your normally astute reasoning ability.

4. Respond to the feelings they are having – not the content of what they are saying Try to hear and respond to the underlying hurt or pain the person is experiencing underneath the angry words. Use statements such as “I can appreciate why you feel that way,” It sounds like you are very angry right now,” Many people feel the way you do.”

5. On roadway, don’t make eye contact with an aggressive driver
This is the secret signal in the animal world to engage in combat and will frequently escalate things, sometimes into “road rage.” Just ignore aggressive drivers and stay out of their way.

6. Allow angry people to physically escape the situation Don’t block their way or prevent access, or you may be putting yourself in a dangerous situation. Take off the heat rather than increasing the pressure! Don’t insist on solving the problem “now” when the other person is in an agitated state.

7. Don’t defend yourself by attacking back at them or their character ﬂaws
Defensiveness often escalates anger in the other person and, in fact, is one of the predictors of divorce, according to recent marital research. There is a time to present your side, but not when your partner is unable to hear it due to his or her anger.

8. Don’t try to solve an emotional issue with logical arguments. Trying to diffuse an angry person with overwhelming evidence of their thinking errors or mistakes in logic, or facts to the contrary, or reasons for why they shouldn’t feel the way they do, or why they should feel differently - usually makes the situation worse.

Ari Novick, Ph.D.
AJ Novick Group- Anger Management

Try Alternate Behaviors- An Anger Management Skill

2007-09-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

Behaving differently is one of the most effective ways to show response flexibility— and get different results in your life. But doing things differently is not easy because we are creatures of habit and we tend to behave in ways that we are familiar and comfortable with. While it often feels risky or uncomfortable to try different approaches to deal with things that make us angry, it is worth the effort because, as the saying goes, “If you keep doing what you do, you will keep getting what you’ve got.”

One of the challenges in behaving differently is, of course, coming up with ideas on how else we can behave in a situation since there is a strong tendency to repeat our past and do things as we have learned to do them —often starting in our childhood — without questioning or challenging what we do.

Take, for instance, the woman who learned to break dishes every time she was angry at her husband. She hasn’t figured out yet how to move from reaction to response. In truth, when she gets angry she doesn’t have to break the dishes. There are many other things she could do in response to her angry feelings—take a brisk walk, assertively communicate with her husband, take a time-out, or listen to soothing music—for starters.

Once we understand that a feeling does not necessarily led to any particular behavior, we can give ourselves permission to feel angry. Many people find this concept liberating—to discover that specific actions and feelings are not necessarily connected.

Our feelings constantly shift with the flow of outside events. When the baby is screaming at 4AM, your boss is in a surly mood, your best friend insults you, or your car has a flat tire, it is natural to have negative feelings associated with these things. The flexible person notices these feelings, accepts them and then chooses what to do next. We can attend to the screaming infant, knowing that we can feel sleepy and still attend to business tomorrow morning. Instead of complaining about what a jerk the boss is, we can look for the underlying problem that sparked her anger and find a way to solve it. You can talk to your friend about the insult-maybe he didn’t mean what he said the way you heard it – or- you can elect to laugh it off. And the flat tire? You can accept that this is one of those things that happens that is beyond your control, and proceed to get it fixed.

Becoming more flexible is a choice, and the more “flex-able” you become, the better you will feel and the possibilities for positive change are endless.

Ari Novick, Ph.D.
www.ajnovickgroup.com

Judgment, Curiosity and Anger Management

2007-07-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

One of the concepts we teach in our model of anger management is to learn to not pass judgment so quickly and become more curious. While judgment tends to lead us in only one direction with one conclusion, curiosity opens up all different possibilities for the potential outcome or reason for why something happened or why a person behaved a certain way.

This concept is borrowed from Narrative Therapy pioneer Michael White, but has dramatic uses for anger management. This concept will help better manage expectations as well as come to conclusions that are based on good reasoning rather than a hasty judgments.

Judgments are usually made when we are either misinformed by others or we have a belief about something or someone that is not based on facts, but guided by emotions or irrational thoughts. When we pass judgment, it can often have damaging effects on the recipient as well as the relationship. Things are not always as they appear to seem, and a hasty judgment can ruin a potentially good situation or outcome.

Curiosity on the other hand, opens up many possibilities for why something or someone behaved. When we are more curious and ask questions of curiosity, we are often surprised by the answers. This surprise or change in thinking can often lead to an improved view and a more fact based, realistic interpretation. Curiosity opens up unlimited possibilities for unique outcomes.

Why make a judgment before learning more about that person or their behavior? This judgment is part of a reflex response. We simply get in the habit of passing judgment too quickly or hear bad information and believe it to be true and pass the same judgment before attempting to learn more on our own.

So, give it a try next time you find yourself passing judgment on someone. Ask them some questions about why they did what they did or how they came to the conclusion they did. You might actually learn something unique and different that would otherwise contradict your initial judgment. This will not only reduce your anger, but it will also deepen your relationship.

Ari Novick, Ph.D.
Dr. Novick is the founder of the AJ Novick Group.
For information on his anger management classes, workshops and coaching visit www.ajnovickgroup.com

Weekend Anger Management Workshops

2006-02-22T08:04:00.001-08:00

Many of our clients like to attend our 4-hour Saturday morning or afternoon anger management classes. We offer two separate classes for both adults and teenagers. These workshops are ideal for those who would like to be exposed to basic skills in anger management, assertive communication, empathy, forgiveness, improving self-talk, expectation managment, stress management, and learning how to have better judgement and impulse control.

These classes can be used as a first time exposure to anger management, as a gift for a loved one, for those with busy schedules who can not attend a weekly class or for those that simply would like to learn a more effective way to improve their relationships with loved ones, co-workers, or classmates. These classes are perfect for employees, students, individuals, couples, and those seeking to better understand how to manage and control their anger and aggression towards others.

These workshops are offered every third Saturday of the month. Space is limited to 10 participants per class and they do fill up. To register online, visit http://www.ajnovickgroup.com/AcceleratedClasses/tabid/54/Default.aspx or call (949) 715-2694.

What is Forgiveness?

2006-02-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

This months Anger Control Tip is: Forgiveness

Deciding if you should forgive or not may be easier after reviewing exactly what forgives is – and what it is not.

· Forgiving does not mean that you forget the offenseYou may never forget (and probably shouldn’t) what happened to you, but after forgiveness you can remember it without the emotional pain connected to it.

· Forgiving does not mean that you are saying what they did was O.K.Quite the opposite. We can forgive but still see what happened to you as horrific or unjust.

· You don’t need to even tell people that you forgive them; the forgiveness occurs in your heart – not in conversation with them, although in some circumstances you may want to have a dialogue about itIt often backfires if you go up to someone (especially a relative) and say “I forgive you.” This occurs because the offending person often doesn’t see himself or herself as the problem. Better to do the forgiveness in your own mind and heart. One exception to this is if you are the victim of a violent crime. Some studies show that it helps your healing if you forgive your assailant face to face.

· Forgiving doesn’t mean you will automatically trust them againForgiveness and trust are two separate issues. Even after forgiveness, it may take a long time to re-build trust, if ever. To instantly trust someone again after they have violated you in some way is not a sign of good mental health or strong self-esteem.

· Forgiving doesn’t necessary mean you like or love the offender, or even want to be in future relationship with themAbsence of angry feelings doesn’t necessarily create warm, positive, or loving feelings in you for the offender-at best forgiving may bring you up to neutral in your feelings toward them. It I possible to say to yourself, for instance, “OK. I forgive her but I don’ want to have anything further to do with her-ever.”

· You don’t need to forgive all at once.This is a concept that especially applies to forgiving an unfaithful partner. Dr. Abrams-Spring suggests that to start maybe you can only forgive 10%—just open the door—and then see how your unfaithful partner behaves. After a period of time, you might want to open the door a little wider and forgive maybe another 20%, and so on.

This exerpt was taken from "Anger Management for the Twenty-first Century". A client workbook for anger management. For more information, please visit www.ajnovickgroup.com