The 12 Days of Psychotherapy

In my random wanderings through the internet this holiday season, I came across this new take on classic popular Christmas carol written by By Tina Gilbertson, author of Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings by Letting Yourself Have Them:

The 12 Days of Psychotherapy

A new Christmas carol for our time

Verse 1

On the first day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 2

On the second day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 3

On the third day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 4

On the fourth day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Four treatment goals,

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 5

On the fifth day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD,

Four treatment goals,

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 6

On the sixth day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Six good reflections,

UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD,

Four treatment goals,

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 7

On the seventh day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Seven short assessments,

Six good reflections,

UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD,

Four treatment goals,

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 8

On the eighth day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Eight million Kleenex,

Seven short assessments,

Six good reflections,

UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD,

Four treatment goals,

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 9

On the ninth day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Nine labeled feelings,

Eight million Kleenex,

Seven short assessments,

Six good reflections,

UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD,

Four treatment goals,

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 10

On the tenth day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Ten new perspectives,

Nine labeled feelings,

Eight million Kleenex,

Seven short assessments,

Six good reflections,

UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD,

Four treatment goals,

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 11

On the eleventh day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Eleven ways of coping,

Ten new perspectives,

Nine labelled feelings,

Eight million Kleenex,

Seven short assessments,

Six good reflections,

UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD,

Four treatment goals,

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Verse 12

On the twelfth day of therapy, my therapist gave to me

Twelve probing questions,

Eleven ways of coping,

Ten new perspectives,

Nine labeled feelings,

Eight million Kleenex,

Seven short assessments,

Six good reflections,

UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD,

Four treatment goals,

Three mm-hm’s,

Two cups of tea,

And some insight in-to my psyche.

Bonus verse

On the thirteenth day of Christmas, my therapist gave to me

an invoice for the preceding 12 sessions, with a polite request to remit payment upon receipt.

Peter Mabbutt FBSCH 

www.lcch.co.uk

Getting Angry About the Numbers: Anger Stats and Beyond

As we come the end of of Anger Awareness Week, you may be wondering why we need an one. It’s a blessing for anyone who isn’t affected by anger, but where it exists – and it does exist widely around the world – it has a significant impact on people’s lives. From the simply irritating to abusive behaviour and murder, the extremes of anger should not be ignored. If left unchecked, even the simply irritating can escalate into something more concerning.

It is salutary to think that in the UK there are not many NHS funded anger management programmes that individuals can subscribe to. Where one is offered, there is usually a waiting list. The majority must therefore seek more immediate help through private individuals and organisations.

Do anger management programmes work? That is the question on many people’s lips. The simple answer is yes. The Mental Health Organisation published a report in 2008 called “Boiling Point” in which it reviewed 50 studies looking at anger management programmes in adults and 40 focussed on children and adolescents. It thankfully concluded that they are effective when applied to all age ranges.

So how widespread is anger? The report answered that question too and took a look at the prevalence of anger in the community, coming up with some salutary statistics:

• 32% of people polled said they had a close friend or family member who had trouble controlling their anger.
• 12% said that they had trouble controlling their own anger.
• 28% said that they worried about how angry they sometimes felt.
• 20% said that they had ended a relationship or friendship with someone because of how they behaved when they were angry. 
• 64% felt that people in general are getting angrier.
• 84% believed that people should be encouraged to seek help if they have problems with anger. 
• However, 58% of people stated that they didn’t know where to seek help if they needed help with an anger problem.
• The above might explain why only 13% of those who said they had trouble controlling their anger sought help for their anger problems.
• There are striking generational differences. Older people had fewer friends or family members with anger-related problems than younger people.

The British Anger Management Association added to the statistics, showing that:

• 45% of UK adults regularly lose their temper at work.
• 33% of Britons are not on speaking terms with their neighbours.
• 1 in 20 have had a fight with the person living next door.
• UK airlines reported 1,486 significant or serious acts of air rage in a year a 59% increase over the previous year.
• More than 80% of UK drivers say they have been involved in road rage incidents.
• When facing computer problems, 50% of Britons have reacted by hitting their PC, hurling parts of it, screaming or abusing their colleagues.

Anger can be effectively managed. It takes time and effort, but it is worth it in the end. For more information on how you or your company can effectively manage anger, call us on 0800 999 8353, info@lcch.co.uk

Or to talk to someone in your area:

Scotland: +44 141 333 0878

Southwest England: +44 7761 773563

Midlands and Southeast England: +44 203 603 8535

Northern England: +44 7812 196 798

Southeast Asia: + 603 7960 6439

Portugal: +351 933 713 223

www.lcch.co.uk

Stress and Anger

In times of great stress or adversity, it's always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.

Lee Iacocca

We have repeatedly been taught that ‘stress’ is a healthy emotion, and so is ‘anger’.  So, what then is the link between stress and anger?  And why do both these terms have negative connotations?

Studies suggest that there is increasing evidence of the rise in the levels of stress people experience – work, relationships and finances being the main contributors.  Other studies suggest that anger too is on the increase – road rage, trolley rage, schools, workplace and football pitches, being examples.

These two emotions are common for everyone, irrespective of gender, age, backgrounds, cultures, religions, etc.

It is common for anger to follow on from stress and for stress to result from being angry, but does this have to be the case, or can we be taught to distinguish the two emotions and be able to control them separately.  They need to be channeled for positive outcomes and results, as they can both be very destructive.

As stress and anger are or can be linked, emotionally and mentally, it is also true that the effects on the body are similar too, whether perceived or real.  The physiological responses, such as shallow breathing are common in both, e.g.

• Increase in heart rate and blood pressure - this forces blood to areas of the body that need it during activity

• Slowing down of digestion - blood is diverted to the brain and muscles

•  Increase in respiration - more oxygen is delivered to the muscles

• Increase perspiration - to cool the body

• Increase in muscle tone - to prepare for action. 


• Increase in blood clotting - to prepare for injury. 


• Increase in levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol - both adrenaline and noradrenaline will increase the heart rate, and cortisol prepares the body for physical activity

 

As human beings, we are programmed to cope with the demands that stress and anger can have on us physically and psychologically, however, the frequency and duration of these episodes can lead to more serious symptoms, e.g:

Short term effects:

Physical 


• headaches


• gastrointestinal problems

• aches and pains


• trembling

• sweating

• insomnia

• elevated blood pressure

• compromised immune system

Psychological

• panic attacks

• anxiety

• aggression

• depression

• poor concentration

• feeling helpless

• lack of confidence

• withdrawal from social activities

Long term effects:

 Physical 


• stomach ulcers (due to elevated cortisol levels) 


• an increased risk of acquiring opportunistic infections (some authorities will include cancer) 


• hypertension


• heart attack (myocardial infarction)

• stroke (cerebrovascular incident) 


Psychological

• chronic depression

• mental breakdown

As stress and anger are seen as healthy emotions, they can and need to be utilised productively to help us achieve beneficial and helpful results and outcomes, thereby preventing the negative effects on our minds and bodies. 

For more information on how you or your company can effectively manage anger, call us on 0800 999 8353, info@lcch.co.uk

Or to talk to someone in your area:

Scotland: +44 141 333 0878

Southwest England: +44 7761 773563

Midlands and Southeast England: +44 203 603 8535

Northern England: +44 7812 196 798

Southeast Asia: + 603 7960 6439

Portugal: +351 933 713 223

Feisal Umar FBSCH

Director of Studies, LCCH 

www.lcch.co.uk

More Anger Management Tips for you to Try

Managing your anger requires time and effort. Being able to take time out, go for a run, or push some weights in the gym may not be appropriate steps to take when, for example, you are having an argument with your boss. These tips can help you diffuse anger rapidly and allow you to cool down in the heat of the moment.

Be mindful of the physical sensations of anger. 

This seemingly contradictory advice allows you do reduce the emotional intensity of anger. By focussing on the physical you get distracted from the emotional and can take control by beginning to relax muscles and breath more deeply.

Breathe deeply. 

Deep, slow breathing through your nose helps reduce tension. Breathing in through your nose down into your abdomen and breathing out again through your mouth allows you to begin to relax a little.

Imagine a peaceful, tranquil scene. Take advantage of your creative mind and imagine yourself somewhere pleasant. Use every sense to create a real image in your mind as you begin to relax.

Become your own masseur. 

Feeling tense in your neck and scalp? Massage that tension away by firmly yet gently rubbing the affected muscles. Roll your shoulders to release the tension and slowly look from side to side as you stretch out your neck muscles.

Count up your rational mind. 

Counting engages your rational mind. In your mind, slowly count from one to ten, preferably counting each number on your out-breath as that will help you relax too.

Step back from the situation and reappraise.

Be honest and ask yourself the following: “In the grand scheme of things, how important is this?”, “Is this issue worth getting angry over?”, “Is my response appropriate in this situation?”, “How can I handle this in a different way?”.

The more you practice anger management techniques, the more effective they become, and the more appropriate your responses will be to a wide variety of situations. Of course, if you still struggle after practicing then perhaps it’s time to be honest with yourself and go seek some professional advice.

For more information on how you or your company can effectively manage anger, call us on 

Or to talk to someone in your area:

Scotland: +44 141 333 0878

Southwest England: +44 7761 773563

Midlands and Southeast England: +44 203 603 8535

Northern England: +44 7812 196 798

Southeast Asia: + 603 7960 6439

Portugal: +351 933 713 223

Peter Mabbutt FBSCH
Vice-Principal, LCCH 

www.lcch.co.uk