The Role of Anger Management Treatment in Relapse Prevention

Session Description: Anger and resentment are common relapse triggers—often showing up as emotional dysregulation, interpersonal conflict, impulsive behavior, and distorted thinking that undermines recovery plans. This skills-based workshop equips clinicians with practical, evidence-informed strategies to assess maladaptive anger patterns and integrate anger management treatment into relapse prevention for clients with substance use concerns. Grounded in cognitive-behavioral and relapse prevention approaches, participants will learn how to: (1) assess anger severity, triggers, and risk factors; (2) teach clients a structured anger-monitoring method that tracks early cues, triggering situations, thoughts, urges, behaviors, and consequences; and (3) intervene on resentment processes that sustain anger and increase relapse vulnerability. The session includes brief experiential exercises, role-play scripting, and case-based discussion to help attendees translate concepts into clinical practice. Attendees will leave with a simple set of brief CBT-informed interventions that can be used in individual or group treatment.