11 Very Chill Anger Management Books
Do you ever just want to scream? Of course you do! Our world is utterly bizarre! However, you can’t go punching holes in drywall or building laser cannons to deal with your issues. If you’ve already read our piece on emotional intelligence books, then hooray! You’re well on your way! (If not, you should really go read that. Really. You’re worth it.) Now you’re ready to progress to the best anger management books. Welcome to the zen journey that will end with perfect tranquility and peace and much less murderous road rage.
Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh
Sometimes the best way to defeat your anger is to show it compassion. Hanh advocates using meditation and empathy techniques to defuse anger and turn it into something productive. This book is definitely a good pick for people in challenging relationships, but anybody with an anger management issue could stand to gain from it.
The Anger Management Workbook for Women: A 5-Step Guide to Managing Your Emotions and Breaking the Cycle of Anger by Julie Catalano
Women have a LOT to be angry about. While it’s tempting to hang onto that, it’s also not ideal to be walking around like an unpinned grenade all the time. This book helps readers through the root causes of anger and guides them toward positive coping mechanisms.
Brothers on the Mend: Understanding and Healing Anger for African-American Men and Women by Ernest H. Johnson
Focused specifically on the Black community, this book addresses the unique reasons that African Americans may struggle with anger. In particular, it addresses social inequality, the deadly effects of succumbing to anger, and the desire of single mothers to raise sons capable of handling their anger constructively.
The Cow In The Parking Lot: A Zen Approach To Overcoming Anger by Susan Edmiston and Leonard Scheff
Sometimes anger is all about perspective. If someone cuts you off in the parking lot, you’ll pop immediately—but what if you were cut off by a cow instead? By focusing on the circumstances under which anger happens, this book teaches you how to deal with the reasonable, unreasonable, and impossible factors in your life.
Emotionally Intelligent Anger Management: Cognitive Behavioral Group Treatment Manual by Wendy W. Coates
This book is partially meant for therapists working with people clinically known as batterers. These are individuals who are dangerously, clinically, destructively angry, to the point that they’re a hazard to those around them. However, it’s also a good resource for those extremely angry individuals and the ones who love them.
The Explosive Child: A New Approach For Understanding And Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children by Ross W. Greene
There’s tantrums, and then there’s explosions. Parents of kids whose shriek-fests go beyond typical degrees can seek solace in this book, which both validates their experience and gives them tips for handling their TNT tot.
Going Off: A Black Woman’s Guide For Dealing With Anger And Stress by Noreen Palmer and Faye Childs
The myth of the angry Black woman has done a tremendous amount of harm to U.S. culture. Palmer and Childs dismantle that stereotype in this groundbreaking book, both acknowledging that anger often has valid roots and prescribing ways of managing it effectively.
Mindfulness for Anger Management: Transformative Skills for Overcoming Anger and Managing Powerful Emotions by Stephen Dansiger
Anger is complex, powerful, and often misunderstood. Mindfulness strategies can often help defuse it. This books shows you how without asking you to eliminate this important emotion completely.
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting by Laura Markham
Ideal for parents of kids under 2 years of age, this book focuses on nurturing an emotional connection to young children to help repair their bad behavior. If you’re at wits’ end but don’t want to start punishing, this may be a good place to begin.
Anger Management Essentials: A Workbook for People to Manage their Aggression by Anita Avedian
Anger isn’t just about putting holes in walls and throwing things. It can also be quiet, simmering rage that slowly eats away at your quality of life. This book addresses both types of anger, as well as emotional intelligence.
Jump into the comments to share your picks for the best anger management books!
