Anger Management and Counseling in Phoenix, AZ.

I treat anger management from a cognitive-behavioral perspective. I also work with my clients to explore the underlying reason for their anger. I believe that addressing the underlying reason is the best way to alleviate symptoms related to anger issues. I work with clients to also utilize behavioral substitutions to assist them in learning to better manage their anger in a healthy way.

Problems with appropriate expression of anger often contribute to relationship strain within couples, marriages, parent child connections, friendhips, families, friends and work associates. Dr. Keller helps patients explore the underlying hurt and feelings of vulnerability often associated with impairments in anger management. He teaches assertive skills, communication skills, conflict negotiation skills,and relaxation skills necessary for appropriate expression of anger. At times inappropriate anger is related to neurobiological problems and or substance abuse.. Dr. Keller refers patients to medical speicalists for further evaluation when indicated.

Anger is a specific form of dysregulation where the body is out of balance and looking for away to get back into balance. We work with clients to get back into balance and find ways to release anger in healthy ways. Our goal is to understand where the anger may be coming from and work to find ways explore the things that may be underlying the anger response.

Anger actually plays an important part in our emotional expression, sense of felt self and identity. Thus, I do not work to obliterate your anger. Anger is a powerful tool that builds rapid confidence so we can handle perceived threats and violations. I work with you to manage your expression of that anger so that you don't violate another or defeat yourself. It is possible to gain mastery over our emotions and our actions. Much of anger and its unhealthy expression is rooted in entrenched automatic behaviors to which we are more vulnerable when stressed or triggered at the subconscious level. Therapy can help you understand your anger and master it at that level.

I specialize in helping men, and anger management is one of the things that guys struggle with most. For most men, we either stuff our anger and let it fester, and then usually explode when it has built up to a point that it can't be pushed down anymore. It's like a pressure cooker. I work with men to help cool their anger, and come up with other tools and outlets for their natural expression of anger. Also, for some men, depression is an inverted form of anger expression, and I work with is meant to help give a voice to their quiet suffering. I work with angry and depressed guys in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area.

In my experience as an EMDR therapist, I pay close attention to the links between past and present. I’ve seen time and time again how unhealed emotional wounds resurface and come out sideways. While anger management can provide helpful strategies, they don’t get to the heart of the issue. Often, anger is what we see on the surface, but the real problem is what’s underneath the anger. Negative beliefs like “I’m helpless,” “I’m out of control,” and “I’m a failure,” start to bubble up, and anger comes to the rescue. It can get us in trouble, but at least it gets the blood pumping. With research-proven EMDR therapy, I help men heal anger at its source so it doesn’t have to be managed.

Grey Matters International and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, Ph.D approaches issues of anger management in a very humane yet fresh perspective. You see, anger is a normal emotion but it is the valence (intensity) as well as the coupling choice of what one does with this that is the problem. Telling someone to "not" do it or modifying behavior with a trite psychological plan that only breeds a compliant response is not the way to change anger. Brainwave optimization is a new cutting edge technology that allows one to rewire circuitry responsible for reactivity driving the anger. Contact Grey Matters International, Inc now at kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

The emotion of anger has within it a gift. Like other gifts, anger can be misused to hurt ourselves and others. Anger is a common emotion in issues of injustice, money, family, relationships, and employment. Other words for anger include irritation, aggravation, resentment, rage, frustration, exasperation, and more. Coming to terms with your feelings of anger is a very freeing experience. Being honest about your anger requires courage. If anger has hindered your goals or prevented you from living your life, it is possible that you may be experiencing loneliness, isolation, or depression. The healing of emotions around anger will allow you to experience a new life.

We all feel angry from time to time. It is a natural human emotion. But expressing anger in a way that hurts other people can damage relationships and careers, cause financial and legal problems, and even damage our health. Anger management can be learned. You must learn to identify the triggers, thoughts and feelings that lead to the inappropriate expression of anger. You must learn new, more effective coping responses for when you get angry. Assertive communication patterns will help you get your needs met while respecting the needs of others. Learning effective anger management techniques will help you de-escalate volatile situations, lower your stress, and improve your relationships!

Most commonly, I work with men who need help with anger. All of us can lose our cool and hurt other people, but some of us are more likely to express ourselves through anger. There are many reasons why someone might have this issue. The key to learning to redirect ourselves at the critical moment is to be aware of our felt sense at the time. Most people are able to detect, when they train themselves to do so, a charge of emotion in the body. At such times, one must absent the situation before he says and or does something regrettable. It is helpful to learn to be mindful of our felt senses so we can drain the stress through special techniques and also avoid losing control.