Goals / Objectives

This module contains information that will help participants better understand how their respective TBI is related to their experience of anger.

The primary goals of this week will be for participants to:

  • Be better able to identify their anger and the triggers of their anger
  • Learn and practice socially acceptable coping options, and better understand how their anger effects themselves and others
  • Provide psycho-education on how anger is related to TBI—why this anger feels extreme, the causes of anger, the fact that anger issues are a common side effect of TBI, etc.
  • Facilitate discussion with the participants about what their own anger looks like
  • Practice skills for coping with anger, using visual aids to better understand anger (e.g. the anger volcano or dam)
  • Assign homework regarding practicing the identification of anger

TIME: Allow 1.5 hours for the session.

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: A minimum of four participants is recommended.

Activities / Content

Activities (PDF)

Content (PDF)

  • Introduce Anger and Goals for this Module (5-10 min)
  • Current Ability to Identify Anger (5-10 min)
  • Identification of Triggers and Physiological Reponses (10 min)
  • Options for Coping with Anger (5-10 min)

Group Activity (PDF)

  • Understanding Anger Mangement (10 min)

Reflection / Homework (10 min) (PDF)

 

PRINT HANDOUTS

These handouts can be found in the handout section for this week, the facilitator’s guide will indicate when these should be referenced.

For further background on this topic, the facilitator is encouraged to visit the following links: https://www.brainline.org/article/anger-following-brain-injury
http://www.msktc.org/tbi/factsheets/Emotional-Problems-After-Traumatic-Brain-Injury

 

WRITE ON BOARD

Write the following group rules on the white board for reference for participants throughout the
treatment group:

  • Confidentiality: The information we discuss in this group is private, and members are expected to keep it that way.
  • Respect: Give your attention and consideration to participants, and they will do the same for you. Examples include:
    • No talking over each other,
    • Pay attention to the person talking (listen, don’t just wait for your turn to talk)
    • Encourage each other, etc.
  • Participation: You are expected to take part in the discussion and contribute to this group. The pace of this group, however, may limit some participation. Let’s briefly discuss one way that the group leader(s) can signal you when we need to wrap up discussion and move on.

Write the following learning objectives on the white board for reference throughout the treatment group:

  • Structure and topic
  • Homework review
  • Education about the relationship of anger/aggression and TBI
  • Ability to identify anger, and how a history of TBI effects experienced anger
  • Trigger identification
  • Break
  • Coping with anger
  • Group Activity
  • Reflection/Homework

Note: If additional rules were agreed upon, be sure to include each additional rule during this review.