COLBY, Kan. – Normal levels of anger are not necessarily bad.

That’s one of the messages Libby Curry hopes participants gain from the RETHINK Anger Management workshop. The workshop, scheduled for April 24-25 at the United Methodist Church in Colby, will train professionals to help parents and teens manage anger.

"Normal anger is a part of everyday life," said Curry, a Family and Consumer Sciences specialist with K-State Research and Extension. "We have to learn to deal with [anger] so we can continue to function in a normal society and deal with the everyday stresses of life."

The RETHINK Anger Management workshop teaches a step-by-step program to teachers, counselors, Extension agents, parenting educators, youth agency workers and other interested professionals who want to help parents and teens learn to manage their anger and channel it in positive directions. The program includes sessions on:

* Anger’s effect on families;

* Teens anger;

* Stages of anger development; and

* Kansas family issues.

"We hope participants will gain an understanding of normal behavior of youth," Curry said. "For example, it is normal for a teen to participate in some risky behavior or for a baby to cry. We want parents to learn the process for calming down and bringing things into focus before reacting."

The workshop registration is $55 for individuals or $50 per person for teams of three or more. Registration is due April 16 and is limited. For more information, contact Curry at 785-462-6281, or visit the website, http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/NWAreaOffice.