Whether an aggressor is a seasoned predator or an irate individual, hostility is almost always preceded by warning signs--if we know what to look for. Surviving Aggressive People dissects the psychology of aggression. It exposes the subtle cues of impending violence and offers timeless methods for transforming a potential disaster into a peaceful victory. Using time-tested methods for conflict management and crisis intervention, this book offers persuasion and peacemaking skills that historically have been reserved for law enforcement, psychologists, and other professionals working the front lines of emotionally charged situations. In today's world, these skills are a must for everyone. Newly updated, with a special appendix for healthcare workers, the enduring knowledge in Surviving Aggressive People can help deter hostility before it spins out of control. It might even save your life.
Shawn Smith developed a lifelong fascination with psychology and violence prevention while growing up in his family's bar. He later studied verbal de-escalation techniques by working in a group home for troubled and violent teens, and in a drug and alcohol detoxification facility. He also volunteered for five years with the Guardian Angels, spending four of those years as a trainer and patrol leader. During those years, he earned undergraduate degrees in psychology and communication from the University of Colorado.
In 1997, he co-founded a consulting company that provided violence prevention training to government entities, private corporations, and the general public. He offered two programs: Managing a Hostile Public, designed to prevent violence and foster safety in the workplace, and Defense Skills for Women, which included both verbal and physical evasion and escape skills. In 2004, while in graduate school, he designed a violence prevention curriculum for medical and support staff at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, a renowned brain and spine injury clinic in Houston, Texas.
In 2006, Shawn earned his doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Denver, where he worked in diverse locations including a rape crisis clinic, the International Commission for Missing Persons in Bosnia, and the Colorado prison system. He has studied the techniques and philosophies of the martial arts for more than 25 years, and he is co-founder of the Mountain Tiger Society, a non-profit organization offering safety skills and martial arts training to children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Shawn is now a clinical psychologist in private practice. He lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife and daughter, and their dog, Hachi.
