Anger Management and Counseling in East Pasadena, CA.

Most of us have some relationship to anger. In a world that is capable of sudden cruelty and profound injustice, anger can be a powerful ally, helping us to take action that leads to real change. But anger can also try to take over our lives by tricking us into doing things we would rather not do, or getting ourselves into trouble. When anger arrives, we will face it together. Might we flip the script? Is it possible to take control of the relationship with anger, to interrogate it and unmask its motivations, its support, and its insidious methods of taking over?

Anger is not only something to "manage." The feelings in anger need to be recognized, understood, and responding to in a way that make sense. You're not bad because you are angry, you treat yourself and others badly when your trapped in intense feelings. I help people come out of the shame of being labeled in negative ways because they struggle with anger. Anger becomes less of a struggle when you're not alone in it.

Anger is usually triggered when individuals have difficulties verbally expressing their feelings of frustration. All those feelings can lead to a violent physical altercation due to not being release the undesirable anger thru the use of communication. With a therapist support, skills can be learned on how to manage your strong undesired feeling and release them in a healthy manner.

Anger is one of our fundamental emotions, part of the basic machinery of our mind and personality. In some ways it is a useful tool that helps to motivate and energize us in seeking fairness and justice in the world around us. But this powerful hold-over from our primal history can also be enormously destructive if we lose control of it. If your anger is slipping out of your control and you find yourself saying or doing things that damage your reputation or your relationships, hurt those around you, or otherwise consistently put you on the outside of society's expectations for behavior, you need help to find tools or strategies to change this and I would be happy to help.

Abby provides supportive, skills-based therapy for individuals struggling with anger and emotional regulation. Using a trauma-informed and relational approach, she helps clients understand the roots of their anger, identify triggers, and develop healthier coping strategies. Through techniques drawn from evidence-based practices like CBT and mindfulness, clients learn to express emotions more constructively, improve communication, and strengthen relationships. Abby creates a nonjudgmental space where clients can explore their emotions and build lasting emotional resilience.

Anger is a normal emotion. Mild forms of anger may include displeasure, irritation or dislike. When we react to criticism, threat or frustration we may become angry - and usually this is a healthy response. Anger may be a secondary response to feeling sad, lonely or frightened. When anger becomes a full-blown rage our judgment and thinking can become impaired and we are more likely to do and say unreasonable and irrational things. Work with me and we will learn new ways to handle the way you express your anger. Together we will work with your judgment of life events so you will express yourself in a more reasonable way.

I do not believe in "anger management". Instead, I believe in being in control of your emotions - including anger. My clients discover how to be in control of their feelings of anger or rage - instead of the anger or rage controlling them. My clients discover how they can feel anger, but then choose more effective and productive ways of expressing themselves - in ways that no longer lead to regret or hurt - but rather in ways they feel proud and good about.

We all get angry sometimes. The issue is what you do with your anger. If you act it out in ways that hurt yourself or other people, that’s where the problems lie. You may express you anger physically by hitting people, hurting yourself, or breaking things. You may also express your anger by saying things that get you in trouble or damage your relationships. Sometimes it’s what you say, and sometimes it’s how you say it. Together, we can sort it out. We’ll see what triggers the anger and how you express it. We’ll work to undo the triggers and find other ways of dealing with the anger when it arises.

As a culture, we do not do well with healthy expressions of anger. Often we are raised to suppress it and then we have limited practice at dealing with big emotion. There is a spectrum of healthy aggression- to keep us safe and to maintain boundaries- and rage- our body's strategy for safety. Anger management is about applying the right "dosing" to maintain boundaries yet not fracture relationships or suffer other losses. I am able to help you learn to regulate your body to be able to apply the appropriate "dose" to be effective and not destructive.

Are you notorious for your hot temper? Do you have a short fuse, or find yourself getting into frequent arguments and fights? Explosive anger can have serious consequences for your relationships, your health, & your state of mind. Let’s work together to prevent your anger from hijacking your life. In session, we’ll work together so you can gain insight into the real reasons for your anger. I can introduce you to some effective anger management tools, so you can learn how to express your feelings in healthier ways. I can help you learn to express your emotions without hurting yourself or other. Once you do this you’ll not only feel better, you’ll also be more likely to get your needs met.

Anger management counseling can help to identify stressors and learn the steps to stay calm in the face of anger. The goal is to handle tense situations in more constructive and positive ways by reducing the emotional and physical arousal that anger can cause. It will provide the tools to take back your life and resolve the triggers that result in unplanned anger reactions.

Frustration can often lead to aggression. Cognitive-behavior therapy, as practiced by Dr. Levine, is a valuable tool in reducing the impact of frustration and reducing the resulting degree of anger. He will work with you to help you alter your reaction to frustration and develop alternative mechanisms to react to these events. Once your anger response is reduced your relationships with your family and friends are also likely to change in a much more positive direction.

Anger can be a powerful and overwhelming emotion that can cause harm to ourselves and those around us. My approach to anger management focuses on helping clients understand the root causes of their anger, identifying triggers and developing healthy coping mechanisms. We will work together to find ways to express anger in a healthy and productive manner, improve communication skills and build on personal strengths to increase overall well-being and satisfaction in life. Whether it's learning relaxation techniques or exploring past experiences that may have contributed to a pattern of anger, I will support you in taking control of your anger and finding peace in your life.