Anger Management

What is Anger?

Anger is a normal emotion — it’s part and parcel of being human. However, different people have different ways of dealing with their anger. Some know how to process their emotions healthily, while others struggle to communicate their feelings and end up hurting other people physically and emotionally. If you find yourself (or a loved one) in the latter group, you may benefit from anger management therapy.

At Washington Psychological Wellness, we assist clients who have difficulties expressing their anger in a healthy, constructive manner. Anger Management Therapy.

Causes of Anger Issues:

Anger management problems can develop due to various factors. The most common factors include:

Physical, emotional, and mental stress.
Financial difficulties.
Poor social situations.
Abuse from loved ones and other familial issues.
Genetics and hormonal issues (e.g., if the brain doesn’t react well to the serotonin hormone, it can be difficult for them to manage their emotions).

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Frequently Asked Questions About Anger Management Therapy

What are the consequences of poor anger management?

Anger problems can be incredibly costly and even physically harmful. So, if you or someone else has an anger problem, it is critical that you get effective anger management. Anger, when it is incredibly intense, long-lasting, and frequent, can wreck people’s lives.

Even a single anger episode, if intense enough, can put people at risk for strokes or heart attacks. And over time, anger appears to be associated with many other health problems, including gastrointestinal issues, cancer, harmful fat tissue, etc. Anger has been shown to predict death as well as cholesterol and blood pressure.

Anger is also correlated with poor decision-making and interpersonal problems. It is very common for people with anger problems to have issues with family, friends, and coworkers. Relationships can suffer a great deal when an anger disorder is present.

Anger issues lead to impulsive acts, bad decision-making, and/or relationship problems that cause problems in the workplace. Many jobs are lost, or career paths are blocked when anger problems go untreated.

Do I need anger management therapy?

Here are some questions to consider if you think you or a family member may have an anger problem:

Does your anger become so intense that physiological changes like rapid heartbeat, perspiration, or energy in your arms make it difficult for you to do anything else until you are calm again?
Do you have difficulty calming yourself down after becoming angry?
Have you ever become physical because of your anger? Hurt yourself, someone, or damaged property, e.g., smashed cell phones, computer screens, punched walls, etc.?
Have you lost or significantly hurt relationships as a function of your anger?
Has your work or your reputation at work suffered because of your anger?
Have you made bad decisions at the moment when you are angry that you later clearly see could have been avoided?
Has the feeling of anger or thoughts (ruminations) made it difficult to concentrate?

People with anger issues often answer “Yes” to many or even all of these questions. But if the impairment in functioning is extreme to even one of these, anger management could be recommended, and ultimately helpful if it is a scientifically based program.

How can Anger Management therapy help?

Anger is not something to be ashamed of; after all, we all experience it.

At Washington Psychological Wellness, our therapists understand the importance of anger in our lives. They will encourage you to express your anger while implementing boundaries and guidelines that allow you to do so in a healthy manner. Anger is often seen as a negative emotion in society and, because of that, it is usually not accepted. Our therapists create a non-judgmental space for you to feel comfortable expressing the anger that you feel you have to keep repressed.

In our sessions, we will work together to help you gain a better understanding of your anger. We will explore the history of anger and when it became a problem. We will highlight what triggers your anger and find alternative methods to soothe those aggressive tendencies. If you are concerned about how anger is impacting your family, we will also explore how anger may be manifested in your family system. We will address the role of anger and seek to understand the place it holds in the family. Our anger management therapists will help you to create a healthy, functional relationship with anger.

We will assess areas that you excel in when it comes to anger management and find ways to implement those strategies into all aspects of your life. Often, we become so focused on the negative or difficult things in our lives that we forget to focus on what is going right. By highlighting the times that you were able to take charge of your anger and explore alternative anger management methods, you will begin to shift from feeling like a prisoner to your anger to feeling free and in control.

An essential understanding that we hope to instill in our clients is that anger is not bad. Anger can be expressed in a healthy way. Your therapist will work with you on creating a healthy relationship with your anger.

What are my next steps?

Often, our problems resurface until they are finally worked through. This may be the case for your anger. Your anger is a symptom of a problem you are experiencing. By only implementing coping strategies, you are covering your wound with a Band-Aid, so to speak.

At Washington Psychological Wellness, your therapist will help you uncover the hidden problem, or root cause, behind your anger. You can learn to shift this challenge into a more productive role in your life while developing the strategies you need to identify signs and triggers, implement calming strategies, and maintain progress.