(From the Second Edition of Peace: The Other Side of Anger)
Observing a teen’s physical and emotional reactions to situations or people is essential to understanding and assisting them in peacefully managing their anger. This is particularly the case when you notice an adolescent’s physical response to such anger activators. This reaction my take the form of clenched fist, a reddening face, or repeatedly and vociferously verbalizing a word or phrase. The intensity of this reaction can be an indication of the degree of a youngster’s anger, and with it, the extent of urgency to assist the youngster in de-escalating this emotion before it becomes fuel for a potentially harmful reaction.
