The Anger Control Workbook: Simple, Innovative Techniques for Managing Anger

I love using self-help books as therapy: they are reasonably cheap and they mobilize you sometimes even better than a therapist - as you know you can't become passive or rely on someone else for your progress. Over the years, I've seen quite a few good self-help books, and God knows, I've been duped by a few unhelpful ones in glossy covers. It always puzzles me to see how some of these real duds can manage to make it to the best seller's lists and stay there. I know it's human to seek simplistic answers, only to find out, that the solution to a long-term problem is never as easy and quick as the book promises. A while back, I was lucky to get a hold of a book called The Authoritative Guide to Self-Help Books. The book is a result of a well-respected study that rates hundreds of self-help books/films/websites for various disorders such as depression, anger, obesity, anxiety, low self-esteem and so on. In the anger category, the only book found to be highly effective (5 stars) was the book I am reviewing. This is the most concise book I've seen on this complex subject about 150 pages), but it's the essence of all I needed. In my opinion, a self help book is good if: 1. It's simple, clear and free of psychobabble with a minimum of stories of non-existant humans; 2. It doesn't dwell exessively on the past no matter how sad, but rather enourages action to change; 3. The issues feel relevant and you see the application to your unique situation immediately; 4. It is scientifically proven to work. It does not promise you easy and quick results but realistic and common-sense; The Anger Control Workbook is such self-help book. It starts by teaching you how to relax on demand. Try to be angry when you are completely relaxed-it's impossible. Relaxation is a skill that you perfect with 20-minute daily practice. You use this skill to temporarily calm yourself and buy time so that you can plead and reason with yourself not to act impulsively and cause an unrepairable damage. Then, the book addresses your thought and belief system and helps to correct some of the distortions that are surely lurking there. Automatic and unnoticed distortions provide fertile ground for anger. They help sustain and justify its philosophical existance by painting all sort of seemingly inevitable catastrophes. Authors say, testing and correcting your silent dialog is the most important step in gaining control in any mood change, a.k.a. cognitive therapy. Finally, the book teaches you how to inoculate yourself against various situations that make you angry by preventing any outbursts in the future. You compile the description of the situations that tick you off and deal with them on your own terms-at home while you are totally relaxed and safe by imagining yourself in the hot situation, and desensitizing yourself, until you get in control. Often times, I actually found myself memorizing some of the books sentences, and reciting them to myself like mantra. For

I've enjoyed Matthew McKay's other anger management books "When Anger Hurts" and especially "Being a Man: A Guide to the New Maculinity." -- the latter book changed the tenor of my life for which I am truly grateful. "Being a Man" was an excellent book, and a precursor to this book "The Anger Control Workbook." And as the title says, it is a WORKBOOK. It incorporates ALL the suggestions made in the earlier books, provides an immediate set of exercises to use, and simplifies the process without having to "read" a lot of background material as you had to do with the earlier books. I suggest this book to individuals needing IMMEDIATE relief from anger arousal. I keep many copies on hand and give to friends seeking help. I think it works only for people seeking help and wanting change; and wouldn't apply to those in trouble and not willing to make personal changes. The book comes with many photocopy-ready pages, with easy methods to handle the next 24-hours, and then a few days, and then a week, progressing up to a month and more. The work is structured in such a way that real change happens. If you want a change in yourself, or in someone close to you (e.g., a partner, a therapy client, a coaching client, etc.) this book is an a must read and own! I consider Matthew McKay PhD as one of the few gifted experts in this field. He is able to write in a way that is easy to understand and easy to incorporate.

This workbook provides comprehensive and practical information for one of the greatest issues in our society today. It includes an explanation of the costs of anger, undertanding your anger, and a myriad of techniques to effectively control your anger including relaxation skills, Cognitive Behavioral skills, problem solving and much more. this book is a great resource for clinicinas working with anegr in theoir careers as well as those who desire a resource to help them explore and handle the anger that resides within them. Highly recommended.

This is an excellent book, especially for the person who is NOT a batterer and is dealing with anger issues. In reality, putting the suggestions in place is harder than it reads in the book. However, there are a lot of suggestions, with repeated practice, that are totally workable. This is a different approach that I've read in other books. As a Substance Abuse Counseler, and personally, I found this book a great resource referrence. It is also easily read, therefore it will be understandable by almost anyone who reads it.

As a therapist and a clinician on the local psychicatric crisis team, I found this workbook to be extremely useful. It is laid out in a very easy to understand format that anyone can understand. I particularly liked the way it began with the "emergency control" section at the begining - recognizing that someone who is buying this type of book is seriously having a problem! The forms are easily reproducable, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to read this book - it's common sense through and through - but it's not just "take a deep breath and count to ten". I loved it!