As an emotion that is associated with many DSM5 diagnoses, anger has long been considered a target for reduction in counseling.  Many times, clients struggle with cultural implications related to anger and can benefit from specific processing of that emotion within an inter-theoretical model.  Counselors who work with angry clients are always looking for new ways to approach this emotion and this presentation will offer specific interventions for that purpose.  

This interactive presentation will engage participants in self-awareness of anger that often brings energy and the opportunity for change in the counseling environment.  Counselors often move toward de-escalation or subordination of anger as a way to promote positive behaviors versus attending to this emotion head-on with interactive measurement, cultural evaluation, and processing that can lead to effective change and resolution strategies. The idea of assessing functional anger is a new consideration relative to positive psychology and the measurement of optimal mental health.  This presentation challenges the premise that all anger is bad and offers a unique perspective on how functional anger may be positively reinforced toward a healthier client, community, and world.

Carol ZA McGinnis is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and state-approved supervisor in the State of Maryland and works full time as Associate Professor and Clinical Mental Health Track Coordinator at Messiah University in the CACREP accredited Graduate Counseling Program.  She is one of only 24 trainers for the new ACPE Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapist (SIP) credential and has years of experience using video-conferencing to provide Telemental health.  Her research interests have focused on religious and spiritual implications of anger and online Xbox video gaming for more than a decade which has led to many conference presentations and publications in the counseling field.

Please bring an object or stuffed animal that can be used to represent anger for the small group-work.