Ah, the Holidays. We dream of the year when they happen just like the movies...perfect dinner,enjoyable family and friends, quickshopping trips where we find exactly what we're looking for, and lots of time to sit around a fire sipping eggnog. Ha! Who has holiday experiences like this? Fromputting upwith quirky family members (thank goodness it's only once a year) to dealing with tired and angry shoppers, the Holidays are usually more stressful than joyous.Add to this that the change in our routines, the forced social situations we're placed into, and the deadlines we feel we need to meet during this time of year and it's no wonder that people tend to struggle with handling their anger and problems appropriately.

To help individuals be better equipped for this upcoming season, Xylem Family Resource, a local nonprofit organization serving families in the Denver area, is offering a three-and-a-half-hour workshop entitled Sleep in Heavenly Peace: Anger and Conflict Management to Get You Through the Holidays...and Beyond Saturday November 11, 9:00 - 12:30pm . Because everyone experiences anger and conflict to varying degrees everyday, this workshop is for everyone. And the tips and strategies learned can be used throughout the year. In fact, this class is recommended for any individual wishing to be better at managing their anger and problem solving within any life setting.

Participants will explore howtheirbodies were created to signal them when something is wrong, and how to use that information for more positive outcomes. They will learn their "anger style" and appropriate ways to deal with anger when it occurs. This information will then be used to guide participants into the next step of learning productive conflict solving skills that can be used to create positive change and better relationships. And because one of the major ways children learn how to manage their anger and resolve conflict is by watching how their parents have modeled conflict resolution and anger management, this workshop is ideal for parents seeking more productive ways for handling anger and conflict with their children.

While a storybook Holiday season cannot be quarantined, the workshop can help you make it through the Holidays without throwing that eggnog into your uncle Joe's face or hiding out in your your attic for the next two months. And really, that's a start.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace will be held November 11 at the L2 Church, 1477 Columbine St., Denver. Cost is $50 per person or $85 per couple. Some scholarships are available. For more information or to register contact info@xylemfamily.org, 303.756.0951, or visit www.xylemfamily.org.