Anger is like a bag full of rocks; carrying it around can be a psychological burden. But a course to be offered in St. Ignace this month will help teach people how to cope with their anger, and let go of that bag of rocks.

Unhealthy levels of anger can cause relationship problems, aggravate stress, raise blood pressure, and cause other health problems, according to Tracie Abram, an educator with Michigan State University (MSU) Extension. To helps participants recognize their anger, listen to and empathize with other people's points of view, and develop communication and problem solving skills, she is leading a seminar Thursday, September 17, and Thursday, September 24, at Little Bear East Arena from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. both nights.

Without properly understanding these skills, Mrs. Abram said, people can have difficulty achieving effective, meaningful relationships.

"Relationships are one of the most important features of life," she said. "They make you happy. If we can learn some basic skills, maybe we can make better relationships."

Training is done through four lessons that combine props, worksheets, group discussion, and activities. One of the props she uses is a bag of rocks, which all participants get to hold while imagining it contains all the pieces of anger they carry around with them unnecessarily.

"We ask if you could carry the rock for five minutes, if you could carry it for a year," Mrs. Abram said. "That is what it represents psychologically."

Four lessons are crammed into the two 1.5-hour sessions, and attendees must go to both sessions to receive the full training, although she said some benefit would come from attending only one.

In the first lesson, the definition of anger and how it affects the human body are discussed. In the second lesson, participants learn how to de-stress through good self-talk and relaxation.

"We give them skills that can help to solve problems," Mrs. Abram said. "It's teaching good prevention skills."

The third lesson helps individuals find their own triggers to anger. They learn how to really listen to others and cope with these triggers.

The fourth and final lesson is "communication 101," in which participants learn communication, empathy and problem-solving skills to help them deal with others in frustrating situations.

"It's not therapy, by any means," she said of the program. "But you do learn how to communicate, listen to others, and be empathetic.

"It's almost just learning how to deal with your emotions and deal with them in a systematic way, instead of just reacting to them," she said.

The health risks of living with an anger problem are also discussed. The group talks about a hormone called cortisol, which is involved in the physical response to stress.

"Sometimes that can build up and increase your blood pressure and blood sugar," Mrs. Abram said. "If you carry the anger around, it turns into this hormone that wreaks havoc on your body."

It is the first seminar of this kind MSU Extension has offered in the area.

After attending a training seminar for anger management instructors in Escanaba last year, she decided training would benefit those in the area.

"I took it and felt it was something I would be comfortable teaching," Mrs. Abram said. "We just felt that it was something that was needed out here."

The two-night anger management program is offered for $15, and a more expansive Train-the- Trainer program will be offered Tuesday, September 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Little Bear East Arena for $80.

This training program provides participants with all the training and curriculum Mrs. Abram uses in her anger management courses. Those who attend this program will get the same lessons as those who attend the two-part seminar, but will also be ready to bring that knowledge back to their communities or places of employment and offer instruction to others on anger management.

The anger management program will help people deal with their emotions more effectively in the short term, Mrs. Abram said, and could improve quality and efficiency of employees' work in the long term.

"It's a good thing to get people to talk about anger," she said. "It's just trying to help people to help themselves. I think it's a very worthy cause."

Training for individual employers and organizations are also available for a fee, and Mrs. Abram said anyone interested should contact the Michigan State University Extension offices in St. Ignace.

A minimum of 10 people are required to hold all classes, and anyone interested in signing up for either program should contact the St. Ignace MSU Extension office at 643-7307.