Passing thought a traffic light the other day got me to thinking. What if there were no amber lights? The answer instantly returned – serious accidents and death daily. The creation of the amber light between the green and red light is as ingenious innovation that saves lives.
The amber light has implications for anger management. The amber light is synonymous with our ability to listen to and regulate our emotions. So many times individuals can go from green to red (road rage, desk rage, verbal abuse, workplace aggression etc.) with no thought of the consequences – we leave in the wake a trail of destroyed relationships, lives and property.
Therefore I must ask. Where is amber? With the increase in anger in many societies, where is that internal regulations that warns us that it is time to stop and take stock before we explode in rage? Being more emotionally intelligent and specifically developing emotional literacy will help to bring amber back. So many relationships can be saved if we bring amber back. It is important to learn the skills to become aware of specify and name our emotions. These skills make us better able to respond to the world round us in a manner that takes into account our own emotions and the emotions of others. My anger management model hits at the core of this idea. I encourage anyone struggling with not only anger by the inability to respond appropriately to others in a work, home or community situation to visit masteringanger.com or masteringconflict.com
Anger management and anger management classes are not only about controlling anger—it is about improving relationships, reducing stress, improving health communication your needs and improving the quality of your life. Making changes in these areas can transform our homes and create possibilities in our relationships that we did not conceive were possible. Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope you can find your amber.
By Carlos Todd, PhD, LPC
Dr. Carlos Todd maintains a private coaching, training, consulting and counseling practice in Charlotte, North Carolina and specializes in anger management, domestic violence and conflict management. Learn more at carlostodd.com or masteringconflict.com
Dr. Carlos Todd, the founder of Conflict Coaching & Consulting, Inc. His passion is to equip couples, individuals and organizations with the skills and resources to effectively manage life’s conflicts. Dr. Todd is part of an elite group of individuals who can claim expertise in conflict management that has been tested by academic rigor. He completed doctoral studies in conflict management and has applied this training to address conflict in relationships as well as organizations. He has used this model to inform his ongoing work on couples conflict resolution. Dr. Todd is also a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) granted by the North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors in 2005 and is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) granted by the National Board Certified Counselors 2002.