Managing Anger- Exploding Balloons

by Amanda Gustafson

     Often times, children and adolescents are not taught the coping skills necessary to manage anger.  It may be common for them to be told their behavior is “unacceptable” in how they react to the situations in which they experience anger.  These children then hold in their feelings and as their anger builds inside, they explode, just like an overfilled balloon, when acceptable coping strategies are not utilized in their anger management.  Through this exercise, these children and adolescents are shown a symbolic example of what happens when anger is kept inward.  Through this example and discussion of alternative coping strategies, counting back from 10, relaxation techniques, thought stopping, etc.; more appropriate  behaviors will be learned and reinforced as the child begins to better manage feelings of anger.

Source: Lauren Snailham Published in Creative Family Therapy Techniques Edited by Lowenstein, 2010  http://www.lianalowenstein.com/e-booklet.pdf

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Zeman, J., Cassano, M., Perry-Parrish, C., & Stegall, S. (2006). Emotion regulation in children and adolescents. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 27(2), 155-168.