Anger Management and Counseling in Jackson, CA.

Every person who has struggled with anger knows that it is a feeling that can be very difficult to control even when you want to. I can help you learn to respond to anger triggers and cues more effectively, and to change how you respond to your angry feelings. The biggest damage occurs when we act on the angry feelings, and I will help you learn to identify and reduce reactivity to those external or internal anger triggers. We all have angry feelings; it's what we do in response to those feelings that contribute to a life of free of needless suffering and emotional injuries.

Anger has a way of arriving faster than thought and leaving regret in its wake: harsh words you can't take back, a tension others have started to walk around. If that's familiar, there's nothing shameful about it, and it can change. In our work, we'll get serious about it out together: what sets it off, what it's defending, and what it might be expressing of deeper feelings. Much of what drives anger sits just out of view, and bringing it into words tends to take the heat out of it. As you come to understand your own reactions, you gain the freedom to choose how you respond. I've guided many people from explosive reactions to real composure, and I'm confident we can do the same. Let's begin!

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.

Anger can be a difficult beast to manage that can fracture or relationships and create guilt and shame, but it is possible to treat it. With the aid of tools like EMDR CBT and guided visualizations I can help you overcome this issue and heal from the issues that drive it. Additionally, I can provide tools, coping skills, and other resources to help you manage this particular issue.

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.

My approach to addressing anger management is practical, empathic and non judgmental. I aim to help clients look at what is underneath the anger, identify patterns and triggers to the big emotions and to develop adaptive ways in which to better communicate and cope. Together we work toward greater emotional awareness, improved self control, and more meaningful interpersonal relationships.

When you are struggling to manage anger, there can often be feelings of shame, guilt and sadness due to feeling like anger is out of control. I can support you in improving how you experience strong emotions such as anger and reduce the impact anger has on your life and relationships. I am experienced in several approaches to the work of Anger Management, including CBT, DBT and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). I can support you in gaining and practicing skills to manage anger in a way that allows you to better understand and articulate what you are thinking and feeling, which will help you improve your relationships and lead to an overall better sense of self.

Anger can damage relationships and erode ones own self-esteem. Together we will explore and identify the source of anger as well as learning anger management skill. With identifying the source and the use of skills, you will be able to maintain more balance in your life, balance in your emotions, improve relationships, and improved self-esteem.