Show Notes: Angry Parents Part 2 Acting inline with values despite anger

In Angry Parents Part 1, Dr Koa Whittingham (Parenting from the Heart - www.koawhittingham.com) introduced us to how Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) techniques and principles can help us to manage our anger when our kids press our buttons. Although there are ways to minimise anger, we can never get rid of it completely and forever. Our aim instead is to recognise but not be consumed by our anger such that we can act inline with our values despite anger.

Summary



Getting into the habit of mindfulness.



Formal, structured practice, e.g. guided mindfulness (see below), or yoga class.

Reminders around daily activities.

Can mindfully do anything.





How can we use this in the crucial situations (e.g. one child hurting the other).



It is difficult and needs practice.

Practice mindfulness when calm (there is a mindfulness exercise included in this podcast).

Mindful focus on the present.

Decide how you want to react to critical situations and practice it. Practice by yourself, so when you are angry you can draw on that practiced response.

Look for the pattern in difficult behaviour and try to prevent it.





Resources



Becoming Mum



Chapter 7: The Emotional Journey

Chapter 10: Taking care of yourself

Chapter 11: Building a rewarding life

Chapter 12: Social support





ACT on Life not Anger by Dr Eifert, Dr McKay, and Dr Forsyth







Links



Parenting from the Heart: www.koawhittingham.com

Becoming Mum

Dr Koa Whittingham's Meditations

Dr Russ Harris Mindfulness Meditation CDs

Possums Sleep Intervention: Possums Online, and Feed your baby to sleep - The possums sleep intervention new recommendations and podcast episode PRP017 coming soon.



For more great resources on Mindfulness and ACT for parents, check out thes links:



Free Mindfulness Meditation App for pregnant couples: Mind the Bump .Org .Au

9 Tips for Mindful Mothering

ACT: Taking Hurt to Hope – Struggling with attachment with Newborns



This is the second Episode in the series, here are links to the rest of the series:



PRP014: Angry Parents Part 1 Acting inline with values despite anger

PRP015: Angry Parents Part 2 Acting inline with values despite anger

PRP016: Becoming a Mother

PRP017: The Possums Sleep Intervention Part 1

PRP018: The Possums Sleep Intervention Part 2

PRP019: The Possums Sleep Intervention Part 3

PRP020: The Possums Sleep Intervention Part 4



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