• Survive or Thrive - moving past the defensive anger stance and toward a better life

The emotion called anger is a conscious labeling of a primitive defensive brain circuit designed for survival. As such it is quite useful, as long as this circuitry only turns on in the face of real threats. However, some individuals have overly active defensive circuits that respond to neutral or even positive stimuli as if they were threatening. The result: chronic anger and/or chronic fear. The therapeutic issue explored in this session is to help chronically angry people lessen the power of their excessively defensive circuitry while improving their ability to thrive. Ron Potter-Efron, PhD, MSW, Distinguished Diplomate of NAMA and CAMS-V, CDVS-V. He is the author of over 20 books including the Handbook of Anger Management and Domestic Violence, Healing the Angry Brain, Brain Change Curriculum for Domestic Violence Offender Treatment, Anger All the Time, and Letting Go of Anger. Dr Potter-Efron is presently writing a new book on this presentation topic.

• The Neuroscience of Anger

What is happening in the brain when an individual is angry and the valuable insights this information provides. The hormones and chemicals involved in anger and how those chemicals impact health will be discussed as well as the latest cutting edge research on understanding anger in the brain, the role of genetics in anger and anger treatments on the horizon.
Marc Milstein, PhD, specializes in taking the leading research on human health, productivity, and happiness and presenting it in a way that entertains, educates, and motivates his audience to live better. His lecture topics range from cutting edge brain science topics such as sleep, memory, learning and emotions to how our DNA and trillions of cells work in concert with our environment to determine our health. He earned both his Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry and his Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from UCLA.

• How Buddha Handled Anger - The Eightfold Path of Peace

Buddha wrestled with anger like the rest of us. He wrestled with desire, suffering, and everything else that underlies anger as well. In the midst of it all, however, he stumbled upon an ancient pathway to peace. The path is not complex or even mysterious, but it does take effort to follow. Using storytelling combined with his most pragmatic anger-management techniques, Dr. Conte discusses how you can use the Eightfold path to help even the angriest of minds find peace.
Christian Conte, PhD, CAMS-V is a renowned anger management specialist and creator of Yield Theory, a powerful approach to change rooted in creativity and radical compassion. Dr. Conte is contracted by prison systems to work with the most violent criminals, and by college and pro teams to work with some of the top athletes in the country. He’s a television host, author, and professional speaker.

• Victims of Abuse and Trauma Effects

Why do we need to help the victim of abuse recover from the trauma effects? Because if nothing is done to understand and assist victims, the psychological and emotional trauma they face will often impair their ability and/or willingness to cooperate with the police and courts, not to mention healing process. The President’s Task Force Report on Victims of Crime (1982) stated that victims must be understood and treated better, because the criminal justice system will not work without their help.
Kathie Mathis, Psy.D, NCP, DAPA, CAMS-IV has been responsible for administration, board development, staff development, training and public relations, funding development, program development and volunteer development. She has also been responsible for leading nonprofits that were financially floundering into positive and stable cash flow resilience. Kathie Mathis is CEO of California Cognitive Behavioral Institute and National Trainer for the National Women’s Coalition Against Violence and Exploitation. She has written legislation and testified before Senate and Assembly. She provides expert testimony in court cases and is a consultant in Human Trafficking and domestic violence for the television program called “Inside Edition.”

• Partial Hospital Anger Management Program

A Partial Hospital Anger Management Program at the Kaiser Mental Health Center provided outpatients with a three week, six session model of cognitive restructuring. An unpublished research project using patients in this anger management program revealed a statistical significance between the pre-test and post-test scores determined by the baseline responses in three domains: Cognitive, Arousal, and Behavioral. The presentation will discuss various effective cognitive restructuring topics and structures for improving overall anger management skills.
Steven Sumpter, MS, CTRS, CAMS II is a member of both NAMA and CAAMP. During his 40 year career, Steve developed the Anger Management Programs for Capistrano by the Sea Hospital in Dana Point and Kaiser Mental Health Center in Los Angeles.

• Crisis Intervention

Crisis intervention skills are becoming a critical and vital service needed for mental health professionals, law enforcement and first responders of all types. NAMA is leading the way with cutting-edge crisis intervention training and certification that features special emphasis on de-escalation skills, violence intervention skills, as well as single and team based intervention strategies.
Andy Prisco, CAMS-II, PERT Supervisor, Western State Hospital. Mr. Prisco leads an interdisciplinary team of professionals in the management of psychiatric emergencies and behavioral crises within the Center for Forensic Services at Western State Hospital.
Laura Moss, CAMS-IV, CDVS-I, is the Co-Director of Growth Central and a Diplomate of NAMA specializing in supervision for anger management and related issues.

• Urban Rez Solutions

Urban Rez Solutions is a culturally sensitive conflict management consultancy. The increasingly sought after initiative ‘Take Back Your World: Navigate Your Life’ is a conflict management, mental health wellness, change management, community engagement and entrepreneurship training developed in response to the disproportionate amount of violence in Toronto’s racialized neighborhoods.
Roderick Brereton, is the founder of the culturally specific conflict management social enterprise ‘Urban Rez Solutions’.  Roderick has worked extensively throughout marginalized and aboriginal communities since 2000.  Roderick has completed comprehensive training in Anger Management, Conflict Resolution facilitation and Mental Health Recovery and holds a degree in Sociology from York University.

• Chords of Anger

The focus of Active Symbolism is to increase awareness around the power of symbolic thought and ground it in practical application. This presentation is outlining 10 concepts to guide the couple back to their original goals in the relationship. The concepts to be discussed can be helpful to the clinician in both professional and personal life.
Adam Guss, MSS, LCSW is in a full time psychotherapy practice in Havertown, Pa. specializing on the theme of anger education.  Mr. Guss has designed an Anger Skills Program for individuals, couples, and families with the unique feature of Active Symbolism.

• Help Me. I Can't Heal Myself - helping angry doctors

This presentation explores anger management for physicians. Physicians are especially vulnerable to anger because of the long hours, high stress and lack of control within their profession. The Joint Commission On Accreditation has mandated that hospitals have a plan to deal with “disruptive physicians”. Most hospitals do not have education programs in place for anger and anger management.
Patrick Hudson, MD, FACS, BCC, CAMS-I is a physician and board certified plastic surgeon with over 40 years’ experience in medicine. He is a trained mental health counselor and board certified coach. He works for Coaching for Physicians and provides specialized coaching for physicians, their families and healthcare organizations.

• How to Deal with Your Defensive Anger - in response to a raging or critical partner

Effectively helping persons with defensive anger involves a 5 step process including the reframing of anger management as really "personal growth",  teaching clients that hostility begets more hostility; teaching them to stand up for themselves by proper assertive communication instead of stonewalling, or using passive aggression, defensiveness, or contempt; and work at re-setting expectations of their partner and their relationship so they can accept more incompatibilities with their partner instead of demanding change where change is unlikely.
Tony Fiore, PhD, CAMS-IV is a California licensed psychologist, trained marriage therapist, coach, anger management expert, and author. He has worked with hundreds of couples and individuals in his clinical practice and has taught over 1000 anger management classes in southern California.

• Bullies Lead and Leaders Bully

People who bully are acting out some type of anger or trauma. Despite exposure to physical, emotional or psychological distress, people CAN change given the right environment and support. By learning better ways to influence others and earn respect, fewer victims will need protection. With the courage to accept that it may not be their fault but it is their problem, Bullies can recognize the fact that they are leaders who push rather than pull and with appropriate training, can become the positive leaders and role models most needed in our societies. Needless to say, everybody wins!
Gordon Myers, CPC, CAMS-I, CBIF As the CEO and founder of Strong Forever, and the author of Street Smart Kids (Common Sense for the Real World) and Built to Bully, (Turning Bullying Behavior into Leadership Skills), Gordon brings a wealth of experience to those seeking improvement in their own lives. He joined the Anger Management 818 Team in 2015 and is proud to be facilitating groups and individuals, court ordered, HR/EAP mandated or proactive volunteers in Los Angeles.