Anger, anxiety, depression, frustration, fear, and other intense emotions can easily hijack one’s ability to think clearly, make executive decisions, problem-solve, and communicate one’s needs. Traditional anger management programs focus on physical behaviour strategies to mitigate immediate reflexive responses; however, these strategies most often fail to result in lasting regulation of emotion. Applying the principles of Choice Theory and a Solution-Focused approach, subjects learn to communicate with self, then to communicate with others with a view to solving the problems that triggered the emotional disturbance, rather than fixing the immediate feeling. Through the lens of various case studies, we will explore the application of these communication strategies (how they are conceptualized, taught, and embedded), and examine the outcomes of applying said tools in various settings. Consistently, subjects report a decrease in emotional dysregulation, an increase in autonomy and agency, a noted development of their ability to problem-solve even in emotionally intense situations, and to effect, through more informed choices and better communication, more positive outcomes.

Speaker: Julie Christiansen

Published in: Canada International Conference on Education, 2022

• Date of Conference: 21-23 June, 2022
• DOI: 10.20533/CICE.2022.0011
• Electronic ISBN: 978-1-913572-49-5
• Conference Location: Virtual (Mississauga, Canada)