Shoalhaven Dads Tackle their Tempers
With Fathers’ Day just around the corner it is nice to know that local Shoalhaven men are taking their feelings to a whole new level. Shoalhaven ANGLICARE have been running a course designed to help men manage their strong emotions more effectively, whether it’s at home with their partners and children, at work with colleagues or even on the road behind the wheel.
The ‘Managing Strong Emotions’ course runs for two hours a week on a Tuesday evening and looks specifically at the impact out of control emotions can have on the home environment.
Shoalhaven ANGLICARE Program Manager for Counselling, Kevin Percival, says the course teaches the men life skills for managing and maintaining their emotional responses.
“During the sessions we discuss what ‘pushes their buttons’. Once these triggers have been identified we try to think of management techniques so the men don’t get into strife and so that everyone is happy around the home, especially the children”.
“The group is filled with ordinary blokes just trying to learn a few tips on how they can be better partners and Dads. These guys are working hard to improve their emotional responses and are showing other men that it’s always worth trying something different to better your family life,” Mr Percival said.
Shoalhaven ANGLICARE Program Manager for Family Services and Disability Support, Naomi Spencer, says the ‘Managing Strong Emotions’ course is practical and allows the males who attend an opportunity to converse with fellow men about what works and doesn’t work.
“There is a break during the weekly two hour session where the men can enjoy refreshments and catch up with each other. This time gives them an opportunity to chat about what is missing in their lives and what they can work on to improve their relationships”.
“The men realise that their emotional responses and relationships won’t become perfect over a four week course, because they understand it is a life-time practice,” Ms Spencer said.
The ‘Managing Strong Emotions’ course will be part of an ongoing program and will be conducted again towards the end of September. The course has received a lot of interest from other community agencies around the Shoalhaven area and has almost reached capacity for the late September sessions.
It is hoped the ‘Managing Strong Emotions’ course will become a feeder into ANGLICARE’s 16-week long, ‘Changing Tracks’ program, which will commence once adequate numbers are received.
For more information about the ‘Mentoring to Manhood’ course or the ‘Changing Tracks’ program, please contact Kevin Percival or Naomi Spencer on 02 4423 1018
