NBA Star Praises Anger Management

This is adapted from an article in the Los Angeles Times.

NBA player Ron Artest, who gained infamy in 2004 when he jumped into the stands and punched a fan during a game-stopping brawl between fans and players, is seeking public redemption by raffling off his new NBA championship ring for charity.
The proceeds, which he hopes will exceed $1 millon, will be used to fund mental health services for youths who can't afford the counseling.
Artest became a poster boy for NBA bad behavoir after the 2004 melee, which resulted in his being suspended for 73 games, amounting to a loss of about $6 million in salary, he said. Artest was then playing with the Indiana Pacers, against the home team Detroit Pistons.
Upon his return to the NBA, Artest bounced around from the Sacramento Kings to the Houston Rockets and eventually landing with the Los Angeles Lakers, which won the NBA championship last season.
It was during the victory celebration that Artest publicly credited an anger management professional with turning his life around, and now he wants to further public acceptance for people in need of mental health care.
His court-order anger management transformed him, he said.
"A great facilitator made me reach deep, into my lies, deep, into my vices.
As one of the league's premier defenders, Artest made few excuses for his admittedly aggressive behavior, but then a secret slipped out.
In front of the largest global TV audience ever for an NBA final game, Artest surprised viewers with an announcement: "I want to thank my anger management provider."
With those words, he opened up his personal life, and as a sports celebrity, he took a step toward destigmatizing mental health care, observed Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-California. Napolitano enlisted the help of the NBA star to push the Mental Health in Schools Act, which would provide $200 million in funding for on-site counseling for students with issues.
"Having someone to talk to is very important. There's no shame in asking for help," Artest said.
When he was 13, his parents split up. "As a kid, I had a bad temper," Artest said. "As an adult, I was a bad father, and I had to speak to somebody about that."

If you need anger management please don't hesitate to call the Anger Management Institute.
510.393.0250

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