Two for one special: Use the PR Plan for managing anxiety…and anger

One of the most effective tools which I teach my clients to use to manage their anxiety is the PR Plan which was created by psychologist Dr. Kathleen Mooney. Since I began using this tool for clients with issues involving anxiety, I have also found it to be helpful for many of my clients who have the goal of managing their anger more effectively.

In the following sections, I will first revisit how the PR Plan is used for the purpose for which it was created—managing anxiety—and then discuss how it can be adapted for the additional use of managing anger.

The three ‘PRs’ in the PR Plan

‘PR Plan’ refers to the first two letters of the three steps in the method—predict, prepare, and practice. That is, you begin by predicting challenges or adversity which you are concerned may occur in an upcoming situation. Secondly, you prepare steps you can take to cope with each of these challenges. Finally, you practice responding to each challenge with the coping strategies until you are confident in your ability to perform them in the situation.

How to use the PR plan for managing anxiety

Consider the following example of to illustrate how the PR Plan is used to manage anxiety. In this example, the tool is applied by someone who has strong anxiety regarding their job. Applying the first step of the PR Plan would involve predicting challenges or adversity which may occur. Let us suppose the person indicates that ‘I may lose my job’ is the primary predicted challenge which is fueling their strong anxiety.

Applying the second step of the PR Plan would involve the person preparing strategies to cope with losing their job if this event were to occur. This would entail the person developing a plan to deal with the various negative ramifications of losing their job which are fueling their anxiety such as concerns about being able to find a new job and make ends meet.

In this regard, the person may develop strategies and consider options they will have in place for finding a new job if they were to become unemployed. They might also analyze their financial situation to determine what steps they will take to make it through a period of unemployment such as borrowing money from friends or relatives or applying for unemployment insurance benefits.

Applying the third step of the PR Plan would entail the person practicing using their prepared coping strategies in response to the predicted adversity. In this example, the person could practice by imagining that they have lost their job and then imagining performing the steps they have identified to cope with losing their job.

How the PR Plan is used for managing anger versus managing anxiety

Using the PR Plan to manage anger is done in the same way that the tool is use to manage anxiety by using the three steps of predict, prepare, and practice. The difference when using the tool to manage anger is that the predicted challenges are those which make it difficult to manage one’s anger rather than anxiety.

The kinds of predicted challenges for a PR Plan to manage anger often involve intentional or perceived verbal or behavioural provocations in situations which can lead to interpersonal conflict. Examples include: Having to deal with a difficult supervisor, subordinate, co-worker or client/customer at work; having a discussion of an issue with one’s relationship partner or a family member; a parent dealing with their non-compliant child; and a driver encountering other drivers engaging in annoying and even dangerous behaviours on the road.

Following the three steps of the PR Plan to manage anger

To use the PR Plan for managing anger, begin by predicting challenges you are concerned may occur in a specific situation which will make it difficult to manage your anger. For example, someone using the PR Plan to manage their anger while driving to work might list the following predictions: ‘Someone will tailgate me’; ‘Someone in front of me while drive slowly in the passing lane’; ‘I will get cut off’, ‘I will not be allowed to merge’, ‘A driver in front of me won’t use their signal when turning’ and ‘Drivers who I allow in front of me won’t thank me with a wave’.

Secondly, prepare strategies which you can use to cope with each of these challenges for managing your anger. This step should focus on strategies you can use to calm the intensity of the anger you feel internally along with planned ways of acting or communicating constructively rather than aggressively. Using the above example, a driver could prepare for the predicted challenge, ‘Someone will tailgate me’ by using relaxed breathing, positive self-talk (such as ‘I can handle this’) and relaxing music to calm the intensity of the anger he or she feels internally. They could also plan the action ‘move over to allow them to pass me’ as a constructive way of behaving in response to the predicted challenge.

Finally, practice responding to each predicted challenge for managing your anger by mentally rehearsing the prepared coping strategies before entering the situation. This will make it more likely that you will use these strategies to manage anger effectively in the situation. For the example, this would entail the driver mentally rehearsing responding to the predicted challenges they may face on the way to work with their prepared coping strategies to calm the intensity of their anger internally and respond constructively with their actions.

The benefits of rehearsal in using the PR Plan to manage anger

Athletes, actors, musicians, public speakers and other performers practice their performances in advance to help them perform at their best when it counts. In a similar manner, you can use rehearsal to practice managing your anger effectively in potentially challenging situations.

Rehearsal can help you to manage your anger effectively in many ways. You can practice choosing ways to behave constructively or communicate your points constructively so that you are more likely to do so in the actual situation.  Rehearsal also allows you to anticipate challenges which you may face in the situation. You can then rehearse responses you can make which allow you to manage your anger effectively in the situation. For example, you could rehearse a scenario in which the other person provokes you with an insult. You can practice relaxed breathing and positive self-talk to lower the intensity of your anger following the provocation and then rehearse a constructive response to the provocation.

You can practice rehearsing situations through visualization (also called imaginal rehearsal or mental rehearsal) and role-playing. Rehearse through visualizing by closing your eyes and imagining the situation unfolding. Rehearsal through role-playing involves you and a trusted other person enacting the potentially challenging situation ahead of its occurrence. Your trusted helper can play the role of the person or people with whom you will be interacting. If you are working on this skill in counselling, your psychologist can perform the role-plays with you in addition to offering ideas to help you maximize the benefits of rehearsal in managing your anger.

May you use the PR Plan to help you manage your anxiety…and your anger,

-Dr. Pat