Anger, like other emotions, cannot be defined with absolute clarity. As it is used in everyday life, it refers to an emotion that is partially inborn, but mostly develops as a function of learning in the family, school, religious training, etc. Although it is a key issue in our relationships, many of us experience difficulty in expressing anger in a direct and healthy manner. Thus, a result of repressed anger, we often react to uncomfortable and stressful situations with rage, blaming, resentment, guilt, and even physical abuse. Such conditions can quickly undermine any human growth---and will ultimately threaten an individual’s social, psychological, and emotional well-being.

Direction and Intensity of Anger

To measure aspects of client anger experiences, Oakmont utilizes the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory 2 (STAXI-2). It is the most comprehensive and well-validated assessment tool currently available to practitioners. With it, concise measures of the experience and expression of anger, this inventory:

Can be used to evaluate normal and abnormal personalities.

Measures components of anger which contribute to the development of medical conditions---including hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cancer.

In responding to each of the items, individuals rate themselves that assesses with either the intensity or the frequency with which anger is experienced, expressed, suppressed, or controlled. The scores can facilitate the examination of an individual’s anger profile patterns which can also be used to supplement clinical judgments based on verbal reports of the client, informant reports, and questionnaire responses. This data can be compared with that of thousands of others.


STAXI-2 Types/Measure of Anger

1. Trait Anger- (the likelihood of experiencing anger over time)It measures individual differences indisposition to experience anger. It is seen as either a general temperament or a reaction pattern.
   
   
2. State Anger- a state of arousal at a moment in time
   
   
3. Anger Expression - a style provides a general index of the frequency with which anger is expressed---regardless of direction. It is conceptualized as having three major components:

Anger/In - the frequency with which feelings are held in or suppressed

Anger/Out - how often an individual expresses anger toward other people or objects in the environment.

Anger Control - the frequency with which an individual attempts to control the expression of anger

For some, anger becomes highly problematic and may be judged to have a disorder. For these individuals, it leads to highly negative outcomes---and thus, an anger management program is appropriate. The primary goal of this program is to provide participants with the knowledge an skills to react to the stressors of life with minimal and infrequent anger---and when it is experienced, to express it appropriately. According to experts, this is best accomplished by a combination of knowledge development and behavioral practice.

With regard to enrollment, a psychosocial diagnostic assessment is required of all clients before being admitted to the program. The cycle consists of a minimum of 25 two-hour sessions of group and/or individual therapy on at least 1 day per week---for a total of 50 contact hours. The total cost is $535.00---which includes a non-refundable $50.00 assessment fee---which is to be paid at the time of initial enrollment. Afterwards, the cost is roughly $19.41 per class---which is usually paid as clients attend the sessions.