Abstract

Some adolescents seem to act as if they have a volcano inside -- always on the verge of erupting into anger. They often generate discord and have combative relationships with parents, care givers and other adults who work with them.

Adolescent Volcanoes is a practical resource for adults working with adolescents and their parents to help them understand, express and manage their anger. Featuring interactive worksheets and handouts throughout, it explores the causes of anger, focusing not only on the adolescent, but also on styles of parenting and situations at home that can exacerbate these feelings, and suggests ways to tone down confrontations and improve relationships. It describes models that explain the dynamics of arguments, such as 'power analysis' and 'positive intentions'. It also explains anger management tools such as 'escalators', 'time out', 'emotional awareness', 'triggers' and the 'four-part phrase'. By improving emotional management and communication, this resource will help adolescents to understand how to reduce attacking behaviour and turn their anger into something positive.

Adolescent Volcanoes can be used as the basis of counselling sessions and incident management. It will be invaluable for counsellors, teachers, youth workers and social workers who work with adolescents.

Adolescent Volcanoes is a wonderful resource for professionals who work with angry youth. It has an easy to follow format and sets out a practical approach to helping adolescents cope with anger. One particularly compelling feature of the book is the assistance it provides to parents of angry teens. This dichotomous teen/parent approach will help professionals work therapeutically with both the angry teen and parent to understand and master anger management skills. Adolescent Volcanoes is a must have book for any professional working with youth who struggle with anger.
Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, counselor and author of The Anger Workbook for Teens and The Bullying Workbook for Teens, USA

Warwick Pudney is a relationship therapist and social ecologist who has spent the last 25 years working with men, couples and families in New Zealand. He specialises in the areas of anger, abusive behaviour, men's welfare and parenting. He is a lecturer at AUT University in Auckland and writes and gives workshops and training courses in his chosen fields.
Éliane Whitehouse was a primary school teacher and psychotherapist for over 25 years. As a therapist she specialised in family relationships and 'Happier Parenting' courses. She also published novels for children.
Together they have written A Volcano in My Tummy: Helping Children to Handle Anger and Little Volcanoes: Helping Young Children and Their Parents to Deal with Anger.

This is a valuable resource for adolescents and those working with them. These well-crafted exercises will help teenagers and adults to lower the heat before they erupt. Learning to calm down and manage one's self can lead to a lifetime of strong and satisfying relationships. This book provides a pathway to that success.
Debbie Pincus, LMHC, child, adolescent and family therapist, parent coach and author of The Calm Parent