Women's Business Center
October 2003

OUR CLIENTS AND THEIR SUCCESS
LESLIE REYNOLDS-BENNS

GRATITUDE
Salt Laker, Surprised by Dr. Phil, Starts New Business

"I was overwhelmed with the response I got after the Doctor Phil Show," said Leslie Reynolds-Benns, PhD. "I got phone calls and emails from all over the country wanting my help. I didn't have a vehicle to support them." Thus began Gratitude.

Reynolds-Benns, owner and director of Gratitude had received a call on a Monday, wondering if she could be in Los Angeles Tuesday morning to provide support for a woman from Salt Lake who was "on the verge" of abusing her children. She accepted that call, but was not prepared for the response she got after appearing on the show. Reynolds-Benns had taught Anger Management classes for over five years to court referred clients, but at that point she realized the value for the whole community. "We're socialized here in Utah to be ‘nice,’ so many of us don't even recognize our anger, because we have an automatic mechanism to stuff it," she said. "I know I did."

Now Reynolds-Benns is committed to having people recognize and appropriately express their anger before they blow up, otherwise act out, or die of a related ailment.

"We don't realize how many illnesses or symptoms are related to suppressed anger," said Reynolds-Benns. They include abscesses, severe acne, bladder problems, bleeding, boils, bursitis, colic, T.M.J., earache, fevers, gallstones, head-aches, heart problems, hemorrhoids, infections, laryngitis, pink eye, warts, liver problems and lock jaw.

"Our unresolved, suppressed anger may be killing us."

"And it isn't just suppressed anger that is hurting us, it is often our reaction to being verbally, sexually or physically abused. Have you noticed how a few people stand out in your company? The ones who ask the hard questions or stand up for what they believe. "They are the ones who are in touch with their anger," said Reynolds-Benns. "And not afraid that it will blow or they will cause a problem
they can't handle."

"Everyone can have poise and power in crucial conversations,*" Reynolds-Benns ardently maintains.

Nationwide, corporations lose up to $36 billion annually to inappropriately expressed anger. These are all hidden costs, such as wasted time, reduced decision quality, loss of skilled employees, restructuring, sabotage/theft/damage, lowered job motivation, lost work time, and health costs. As well as giving trainings in Anger Management, Gratitude also offers individual coaching for developing skills in using crucial conversation tools.

Reynolds-Benns has a PhD in Counseling and an Master’s Degree in Applied Theology. She also provides spiritual direction, as well as performing nondenominational weddings.

*Crucial Conversations, a New York Times best seller.   

Feel free to call or email with questions 801.531.0600