Anger is commonly viewed by society as an unhealthy or negative emotion. In actuality, anger is a healthy emotion that promotes communication, feeds energy, and gives us information. The problem with anger is our general response to it; anger can stop us from thinking, feeling, and acting appropriately. Anger may lead to aggressive behavior or  can change others’ perceptions of us.

“He who angers you, conquers you” – Elizabeth Kenny.

Anger is a physical reaction to our fears, vulnerability, or a perceived threat; it is a response to how you have previously allowed yourself to feel. The way we handle our individual anger stems from watching others deal with their anger. It is a reinforcement of our own behavior and a use of defense mechanisms, which alter our reality.  However, anger is a healthy emotion as long as we evoke the appropriate tools in response to our behavior.

The benefit of learning how to manage your anger is greater self-control, and through greater self-control arises learning opportunities.

“Do not teach your children never to be angry, teach them how to be angry” –  Lyman Abbott.

The Toolbox for Anger Control is designed to teach you how to be angry. The program is intended to assist people who have previously had problems controlling their anger, which resulted in disrupting relationships, employment, or even freedom. The Toolbox for Anger Control is a 12 week program that focuses on: understanding anger, recognizing warning signs and triggers, examining values, beliefs and self-esteem, and how these factors impact our response to anger.

The feeling of anger sends us messages, but the majority of us do not know how to read them, so we exhibit behavior that we have in the past. Our program will give you the tools needed to understand what anger communicates to each of us, which is: the need to change events, perceptions, and our actions. Tools are an essential part of healthy anger. The more tools you have, the more equipped you are to handle your anger, make better decisions, and enhance your overall ability to communicate more effectively.

The Toolbox for Anger Control will teach you how to handle your anger so that it helps relationships grow, strengthen personal maturity, and help you tolerate differences. It will also allow you to stand up for yourself and others, and enable you to forgive others, as well as yourself.

The group, Toolbox for Anger Control, is run by Cindi Telmos, a Licensed Masters of Social Worker in the state of Michigan. Cindi earned her Masters of Social Work Administration from the University of Michigan in 1993 with a minor in interpersonal practice. She graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1987 with a Bachelors of Science  with concentration in special education and psychology. Ms. Telmos has worked in the social services for the past thirty years, including working for several non-profit and private agencies along with the state of Michigan in the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Human Services. She is accomplished in individual, group, and family therapy.

Cindi Telmos has spent the majority of her life advocating and assisting the developmentally disabled, mentally ill, and persons with substance abuse issues, along with juvenile and adult offenders. Through her professional experiences she has created the Toolbox for Anger Control to assist men and woman in developing new skills to combat the anger that hinders them in relationships, employment, and being a contributing member of society.

Cindi is available to do group meetings Friday evening in our Westland office, located at 1547 S. Wayne Road in Westland, Michigan, 48186.

Cindi can be reached at cindi117@gmail .com if you have any questions or concerns. If you wish to leave her a voicemail, please call our Westland office at (734)  729-3133.