Books and Publications

 Books by Ron or Ron and Pat:

           ANGRY ALL THE TIME, 2nd edition (New Harbinger, 2008). Ron's best seller -- well over 100,000 copies sold. This book motivates chronically angry people to change if they don't want to be miserable the rest of their lives. It's hard-hitting, honest but respectful. This is the book people write us to say it's changed their lives.

        HEALING THE ANGRY BRAIN (2012, New Harbinger Publications).This is Ron's latest book. In it Ron discusses the latest research on how people develop and maintain "angry brains," by which he means brains that have been trained to react frequently and intensely with anger. He describes clearly and without jargon what happens in angry brains but, even more importantly, how angry people can utilize the principles of neuoroplastic change to alter their brains and become not only less aggressive but more empathic, compassionate and content.

   LETTING GO OF ANGER, 2nd edition (New Harbinger, 2009). People get angry in many different ways. Here Pat and Ron describe eleven different and distinct anger patterns broken up into three main types: hidden anger styles (anger avoidance, passive aggression, anger turned inward); explosive styles (sudden anger, excitatory anger, shame-based anger, and deliberate anger); and chronic styles (habitual hostility, moral anger, paranoia, and resentment/hatred).  Each type is given a full chapter in the book that comes with effective ways to combat unhealthy uses of each pattern.

  THE EMOTIONAL AFFAIR (New Harbinger, 2008). Ron and Pat tackle a sensitive question, namely when does a  relationship transcend friendship and become an emotional affair. We define an emotional affair as "an intense, primarily emotional, nonsexual relationship that diminishes at least one person's emotional connection with his or her committed partner." Quizzes are included to help determine if the reader or his/her partner are engaged in an emotional affair. Most of the book is designed for the partner of the person having the affair.

  RECLAIM YOUR RELATIONSHIP (Wiley, 2006). This is a combination text and workbook. The 46 units are divided into three main sections: How to say "I love you," How to show love and How to take in love. Authored by Pat and Ron.

  RAGE (New Harbinger, 2007). Rage is the strongest kind of anger, so powerful that people in rages often don't remember what they said or did. Rage is qualitatively different than anger, so much so that even most anger management counselors neither recognize it nor know how to treat it. Here Ron details what rage is and offers practical ways to lessen its power.

   HANDBOOK OF ANGER MANAGEMENT (Haworth/Taylor and Frances, 2005). This professional book describes four primary approaches to anger management: cognitive, behavioral, affective and existential. Individual, couples, family and group treatment models are presented. There is a special chapter on the treatment of hate with forgiveness and alternatives for people unwilling or unable to forgive. Assessment forms and 12 week itineraries for various kinds of anger managemnt and domestic abuse groups complete the book.

   30-MINUTE THERAPY FOR ANGER. (New Harbinger, 2011). This book is filled with approximately 30 short topics such as "recognizing your anger triggers" along with tips on changing destructive patterns for each topic. Most of the book is available in hard copy but bonus sections are available online. By Pat and Ron.

   LETTING GO OF SHAME. (Hazelden, 1989) Pat and Ron's first paperback, this book continues to sell well after over 20 years on the market. The reason, we believe, is that the problem of excessive shame is presented carefully and respectfully so as not to increase the reader's self-reproach. Five ways that shame develops are detailed: genetic predisposition; family of origin; societal bias and discrimination; current shaming relationships; and self-shaming. Specific suggestions are made to help people heal their excessive shame from each of these sources.

  I DESERVE RESPECT. Two chapters from Letting Go of Shame that focus upon current relationship shaming and respectful communication.

  STOP THE ANGER NOW (New Harbinger, 2001). A solid workbook for people who want to work alone or for group assignments. This workbook is divided into three main sections: Preventing anger; Containing anger; and Resolving anger. 48 exercises help participants discover ways they can better understand and handle their anger concerns.

   SHAME, GUILT AND ALCOHOLISM, 2nd edition (Haworth/Taylor and Francis, 2002). A professional book intended for psychologists, counselors, clergy and others who regularly encounter deeply shamed individuals. Included is a model of the Four Spheres of Self: outer or presentation sphere; defensive sphere; flawed sphere; and core sphere. Shame will appear differently and must be addressed with different therapeutic interventions at each sphere.

  WORKING ANGER (New Harbinger, 1998). A look at how anger problems are manifested in the workplace environment. This book includes specific ways to handle workplace conflicts that differ from how someone would handle conflict at home.

  REDUCING ANGER IN THE WORKPLACE. A 32 page booklet with lots of tips.

  HELP FOR THE ANGRY FAMILY BOOKLETS. Five 32 page booklets: Help for Familes with Anger Problems; Help for the Parents of Angry Young Children (Ages 0-5); Help for the Parents of Angry 6-12 Year Old Children; Help for the Angry Adolescent; Help for Angry Couples. These can be ordered separately or, at a discounted rate, in a package. Our daughter Cindy Keith is co-author of Volume One and Joshua is co-author of Volume Two.

  ENDING OUR RESENTMENTS. A combination text/workbook on forgiveness.

 HEALTHY ANGER, written by Bill Blount, edited by Pat Potter-Efron. This is a workbook based on Letting Go of Anger. It was intended originally primarily for angry adolsescents but works equally well with adults. The workbook comes with a Teacher's Manual for use in classroom and therapy group settings.