First things first: anger management group work in a mainstream high school setting

In an attempt to support the emotional development and behavioural choices of young students in grades 7–10, a six session therapeutic group programme was devised – culminating in a written manual to enable future replication of the programme. This pilot programme was introduced as a once-weekly, morning session aimed at prioritising a student’s need for emotional regulation in an attempt to support academic learning outcomes. Specifically, the group programme provided a five-stage understanding of the cycle of anger, with an additional session allocated for case studies and review. This article seeks to describe the pilot intervention – specifically the therapeutic content – such that it can be replicated elsewhere. Informed by cognitive behavioural therapy, attachment theory and systems theory, the programme sought to respond to the similar needs of multiple students within a time efficient and age-appropriate format.