COUNSELING MAPS™

ANGER

COUNSELING MAP - ANGER

About Counseling Maps

Counseling maps are where a curriculum map meets a treatment plan. They are intended for students who are in
individual counseling and can be extended for group counseling. A counseling map gives you a guide of the skills that
need to be taught, just like a curriculum map, but the exibility to individualize like a treatment plan. This all saves you
time by not reinventing the wheel for each student, but still being responsive to their speci c needs.

This particular counseling map is designed to help students who struggle with anger. It covers skills such as emotional
awareness, emotional management, problem solving, assertive communication and con ict resolution. According to
research, these are typically the areas where students with anger management issues struggle the most.

How to Use
This Anger Counseling Map is comprehensive and likely includes more than you need to cover with one student. I would
suggest building your own using this as starting point and eliminate what isn’t necessary.

To do that, use this map alongside the included Anger Skills Checklist. On the Anger Skills Checklist, eliminate the skills
that your student has mastered and determine which skills are a priority. Then, come back to the Counseling Map and
adjust the sessions to include those skills. Choose skills that you can teach together and consider which skills need to be
taught rst.

The tables are editable, so I suggest making a master copy for reference and creating an individualized copy for the
student’s le.

You will notice that each column represents a session and each session has a topic and skills that will be covered. These
skills line-up with those included in the Anger Skills Checklist. When I put a counseling map together, I start with the
missing/lagging skills and determined which skills can be covered together and in what order.

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 COUNSELING MAP - ANGER

Parts of the Counseling Map

Each session included a feelings check-in, a warm-up, goal-focused activities, usually an exit ticket, and a cool-down
exercise. What do your sessions include? Standard routines for a session can give a student a sense of predictability and
safety. Add your counseling routine to each section, or use my ow.

Feelings Check-In
Each session has a feelings check-in at the beginning. It is a great way to build a vocabulary and check how the student
is currently feeling. Vary this based on what you have already (e.g., feelings charts).

Warm-Ups and Cool Downs

Besides seeing great value in having a consistent routine for counseling sessions, I like to include warm-ups and cool-
downs to introduce, practice, or review a skill. On this Counseling Map, the warm-up activities review a skill covered in
the last session, and the cool-down activities are calming strategy practice. The cool-down could also be sharing a goal
for the week or restating their plan to handle an event this week. The purpose of the cool-down is not only to practice or
review a skill but also to get students in an excellent mindset to return to class.

Session Activities
The activities that are included in the session bullet points are activities that will meet the goals/subskills of the session.
Consider how you can use resources you already have and use some materials across sessions (e.g., feelings
thermometers).

Exit Tickets
Write your exit ticket a er you determine what skills you will cover and before you plan your activities. What should the
student be able to do at the end of the session? Keep them to brief (1-3) questions.

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 HELPFUL RESOURCES

BLOG POSTS

Plan Individual Counseling Sessions with Counseling Maps

5 Key Routines For Individual School Counseling Sessions

Measuring Progress in Individual Counseling

How to Start Group Counseling Sessions

How to Keep Individual Counseling Short Term

3 Parts to a Purposeful First Counseling Session

RESOURCES

CBT Bundle for School Counseling

Last Counseling Session
Anger Management Activities
Feelings Check-In

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 Counseling Map - Anger

Session #1: Session #2: Session #3: Session #4: Session #5 Session #6
Intro What is Anger? Anger Triggers Anger and Me My Angry Thinking Anger Watch

Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill

Intro to Counseling and Emotional Awareness & Emotional Awareness & Emotional Awareness & Emotional Awareness & Emotional Awareness &
Psychoed about Anger Management Management Management Management Management

Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills

1a 1a, 1b, 1c, 1e, 2d 1d, 1f, 2d 1g, 2d 1h, 2a, 2b 2e, 2f 2g, 2h

Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In
Feelings Chart Feelings Chart I feel _______ because Feelings Spinner Feelings Spinner I feel ______ because

Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up

Draw a picture of Sort pictures of angry What does frustrated My top triggers Anger scenario - how Sort angry thoughts
yourself or someone else and not angry people. look like? What does it can you avoid/prevent?
when they are angry. feel like?

Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities

• Intro to Counseling. • Identifies anger and • Find your triggers. • Feelings thermometer. • Spotting and changing • On the lookout for signs
• What is Anger? differentiates it from • Feelings thermometer. • You can tell I am angry angry thoughts. of anger.
other feelings. • Intro to coping skills. when … • Introduce distraction • Respond to anger
• How anger looks on • Looking out for your and Stop & Think cues.
the outside. own cues. strategies. • Create your own self-
• How anger feels like on • Avoiding and Ignoring talk phrases.
the inside. triggers.

Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket
My goal for counseling Anger feels like … Something that makes One cue that I’m angry is Something I think when I know to use a strategy
me angry is I’m angry is when

Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down
Draw a calm picture Guided Muscle Deep Breathing Deep Breathing Distraction Self-Talk
relaxation

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 Counseling Map - Anger

Session #7 Session #8 Session #9 Session #10 Session #11 Session #12
Problem Thinking What’s the Problem? Seeing All Sides Problem Solver What Would Happen? I Can See the Future

Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill

Problem Identification Problem Identification Generating Solutions Generating Solutions Evaluating Evaluating
Consequences Consequences

Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills

3a, 3b 3c, 3d 4a, 4b, 4c 4d, 4e, 4f 5a, 5b 5c

Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In
Feelings Chart Feelings Chart I feel ______ because Feelings Spinner Feelings Spinner I feel ______ because

Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up

Positive self talk Cool thoughts and hot perspective taking pick a problem and think coping strategy before verbal problem solving
thoughts exercises of a way to solve it. problem solving exercise

Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities

• Connecting thinking, • Identify the problem in • Generate solutions to • A problem and all • Consequences and • Practice consequential
feelings, and actions. scenarios from age-typical problems. possible choices. actions. thinking.
• Calm, cool, and hot everyone’s • Seeing other people’s • Solving problems with • Our choices affect
thoughts. perspective. goals and motives. our words. others.
• Look at a personal • How does anger get in
event that happened the way for problem
and try to see it from solving?
other people’s
perspectives.

Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket
Change a hot thought to What did this person What is everyone’s why? Rewrite statement to Consequences of a Personal scenario and
a calming thought. think? help solve a problem. __________ problem. consequences.

Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down
Mindful Minute Deep Breathing Chair Push-Ups Personal Affirmations Deep Breathing Hand squeezes

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 Counseling Map - Anger

Session # 13 Session # 14 Session # 15 Session # 16 Session # 17 Session # 18
Being Assertive Learning to Listen What’s Fair? Problems with Peers How to Handle It Problems with Adults

Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill

Assertive Active Listenting Conflict Resolution Conflict Resolution and Conflict Resolution Conflict Resolution and
Communication Communication Communication

Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills

6a, 6b. 6c. 6d 6e, 6f, 6g 7a, 7b 7c, 7d, 7g, 7h 7e, 7f 6h, 7i, 7j

Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In
Feelings Chart Feelings Chart I feel ______ because Feelings Spinner Feelings Spinner I feel ______ because

Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up

What choice do you Respond to a peer Brainstorm Use an I-message to Solve a conflict with a Prevent a conflict about
make and why? calling you a name with communication skills that being treated unfairly. friend who left you out. cleaning your room.
an I-message. get in the way.

Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities

• Sort passive, • Active listening steps. • Fair/unfair situations. • Brainstorm common • Create plans on how • Solving conflicts with
aggressive, and • Active listening role- • Determining if peer conflicts. to handle peer adults.
assertive play. something is fair/unfair. • Brainstorm common provocations and • How to explain your
communication • Identify • Responding to being conflicts with adults. when you are accused role in a conflict.
(verbal and non- communication skills treated unfairly. • Identify ways to of something.
verbal). that get in the way. prevent conflicts (with
• I Messages. peers and adults).

Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket
Rewrite a you statement Listen to a phrase, repeat How can you respond Way to prevent a conflict What to say when a peer Explain your role in the
into an I-statement it, and clarify. when …. at recess. calls you a name. fight with your sister.

Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down
Picture Your Happy Place Deep Breathing Deep Breathing Personal Affirmation Distraction Hand Squeezes

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 Counseling Map - Template

Session # Session # Session # Session # Session # Session #

Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill Skill

Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills Subskills

Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In Feelings Check-In

Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up Warm Up

Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities Session Activities

• • • • • •

Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket Exit Ticket

Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down

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 I’m a school psychologist who left her office (closet?) and got busy turning a
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