St. Albert & Sturgeon Primary Care Network

Anger Management

Anger is a natural emotion that everyone feels. Often people view anger as a "bad" emotion when in fact anger can be a useful emotion when it is expressed in a healthy way.

Signs that you may not be experiencing anger in a healthy way:

  • You never express your anger to anyone
  • When you express anger it’s a EXPLOSION effect
  • You become violent with anger
  • You feel angry or irritable all the time
  • Being angry makes you feel depressed or guilty
  • You use drugs or alcohol to soothe your anger

What do I do about anger problems?

Anger Management training can teach you to:

  • Know what triggers your anger
  • Recognize when you are first getting angry
  • What types of thoughts increase your anger
  • How to express your anger in a positive way
  • How to calm yourself down

Where do I go for Anger Management training?

  • Many agencies offers anger management courses, as well as individual anger counselling
  • You can also learn anger management techniques from books at your local bookstore/library

Local Resources for Individualized Anger Counselling

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
    • Check with your benefits department to see if you have this benefit
    • Service will usually cover 6-10 sessions and is totally confidential from your work
  • Psychology Association of Alberta(780) 428-TALK
    • Offers free referral service
    • Website
  • Alberta College of Social Workers(780) 421-1167
    • Can provide list of clinical social workers in client’s area

Anger Management Courses

  • Parent’s Place(780) 459-7377
    • There’s a Volcano in my Tummy - 7 - 9 years old
    • Get Calm About Anger - adults
  • The Family Centre(780) 917-8222
    • Managing Anger for Positive Results (Co-Ed-Adults) 14 week course
    • Dealing with Anger – Adolescent Males – 10 week course
    • Women and Anger – 2 day course
    • Sliding fee scale
  • Catholic Social Services(780) 420-6081
    • Handling Anger - 10 week course
    • Handling Anger for Parents & Children - 8 - 12 years old and parents
    • Limited subsidies available

Self-Help Workbooks– Available at Local Bookstores/Libraries

  • The Anger Control Workbook - Peter McKay
  • The Dance of Anger (For Women) - Harriet Lerner
  • Angry All the Time - An Emergency Guide to Anger Control - R. Potter-Efron

If Alcohol or Drugs Have Become a Problem

  • Contact AADAC or try a 12 step meeting in combination with anger management training
  • See patient education handout on Addictions

Primary health care is the first point of contact with the health care system, where people receive care from family physicians, and from nurses, pharmacists, therapists and others for most of their everyday health care needs.