Note.  In May 2020, the team wrote a piece for The Conversation on family conflict during COVID .  

Here we also have video and PDF resources on avoiding explosive conflict for people who are angry and frustrated and for families, and we have also reposted Winnifred's advice to students on coping with crises in case others find it of interest.  We hope you find these useful.  In the last section, there also links to other resources for families.
​
You are welcome to redistribute. Please credit the authors appropriately, and let us know if you use these ideas or have any feedback on them.

Avoiding explosive conflict - for people who are angry and frustrated

This resource was developed by a team including (in alphabetical order):  Tori Cooke, No To Violence;  Tom Denson, Professor of Psychology, University of New South Wales; Ruby Green, School of Psychology, University of Queensland; Winnifred Louis, Professor of Psychology, University of Queensland; Kiara Minto, School of Psychology, University of Queensland; Carmel O’Brien, Psychrespect; and Peter Streker, Community Stars. We also acknowledge with thanks the feedback of Kim Halford and others.

• PDF resource - Evidence-based advice on how to avoid and reduce explosive conflict - for people who are angry or frustrated.  The focus is on calming down when overwhelmed, managing tension, and changing the way you think about triggers.
• Slides - to the video which talks through the points in the PDF .
• Video - 32m - Winnifred Louis and Peter Streker talk through advice on calming yourself down when you are overwhelmed with anger and frustration; reducing the build-up of tension beforehand; and changing the way you think about triggers.​

Avoiding explosive conflict - for families:

This resource was developed by a team including (in alphabetical order):  Tori Cooke, No To Violence;  Tom Denson, Professor of Psychology, University of New South Wales; Ruby Green, School of Psychology, University of Queensland; Winnifred Louis, Professor of Psychology, University of Queensland; Kiara Minto, School of Psychology, University of Queensland; Carmel O’Brien, Psychrespect; and Peter Streker, Community Stars. We also acknowledge with thanks the feedback of Kim Halford and others.
​

• PDF resource  - Evidence-based advice on avoiding and reducing explosive conflict - for families.  The focus is calming down when overwhelmed, managing tension, and changing the way you think about triggers; how others can help the angry person; and when to get extra help.
• Slides - to the video that talks through the PDF.
• Video - 45 m - Winnifred Louis and Tori Cooke talk through advice for famililes on avoiding explosive conflict.  There are three major topics: Calming yourself down when you are overwhelmed with anger and frustration; reducing the build-up of tension beforehand; and changing the way you think about triggers.  We discuss how others can support the angry person, taking responsibility for one's own emotions and behaviour, and when to seek help.  We then wrap up by discussing some choices that don't work well and should be avoided, summarising the "before, during and after" of conflict, and providing some additional suggestions for resources.
• Piece in The Conversation on How to stay calm and manage those family tensions during the coronavirus lockdown - by Tori Cooke, Tom Denson, Winnifred Louis, and Peter Streker - a shortened version of the info above.

Adapting to crises:

Recorded by Winnifred Louis in March 2020 :

• Adapting to crises (video): 12 minutes of riffing for students in response to COVID19, with broader applicability.

More links for families:

As compiled in May 2020 by the team - please let us know if they stop working:

• Parenting during COVID-19 : Resources from Triple P.
• Resources from the UQ Parenting and Family Support Centre
• Emerging Minds videos and tips on supporting children during COVID
• COVID19 Family Guide from raisingchildren.net