Years ago I came across a worksheet that used the volcano as a metaphor for angry outbursts. The ascent up volcano mountain is the beginning of when we’re feeling frustrated or upset. We can continue to climb the mountain and fester the anger to the point it bubbles up and ends in eruption. When we erupt, the lava spews out and we often lose control. Our explosive behaviour can end up damaging our relation with ourselves and others. In this state, our acute stress response is activated and we are in fight or flight. Some people describe this place as ”seeing red.”
What I remember distinctly about this worksheet was that we can choose to take a shortcut and choose not to continue to climb up volcano mountain. The ability to pause and make a choice about our actions is something I try to teach the young people I work with. When we reach the top of the mountain, our downstairs brain takes over and it’s difficult to have control of our behaviour. What if we could STOP before that and be able to take a short cut?
I made a worksheet based on the the concept of avoiding the angry volcano eruption by taking a shortcut. One thing to remember is that we always want to acknowledge and accept all emotions. Anger isn’t bad; it’s the eruption and the effects that can be hurtful or damaging. What are some ways you’ve found that helps you stay on the shortcut?
