Anger Management and Counseling in Rio Vista, CA.

Anger is not, in itself, a dangerous or negative thing. Anger, like all emotions has a purpose that usually speaks to something that feels unfair or unjust and/or the frustration of blocked needs/desires. But when anger gets out of hand, when we can't control it, it can be emotionally debilitating and can ruin our relationships, our piece of mind, even our livelihoods. The damage isn't just limited to the individual challenged with anger either. The fear, sadness, and anger it creates for those we love has a destruction path all its own. Luckily, therapy can help you to manage this potentially damaging emotion, so that you can reduce the destruction anger can create.

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.

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.

I help people struggling with anger management by working with them to develop awareness of their anger experience in their body and mind and how it is impacting their body. I help you learn and practice strategies for regulating your body and mind so you do not lose control of the anger. I help you to learn healthy communication of anger, and the development of conflict resolution skills. I support you in exploring issues of transference from past relationships and experiences that may be contributing to your strong feelings of anger in present circumstances and relationships. We create safety, increase positive expression of anger, and reduce or eliminate sources of anger when possible!

Clients seeking better anger management benefit from working with me in many ways. They often benefit from learning how to recognize their early warning physical signs in their bodies that let them know they are beginning to feel anger. Once they become familiar with their own unique signs of beginning and increasing anger, they learn how to take appropriate action to calm themselves. This often means briefly removing themselves from the stressful situation that is triggering their anger. Then they learn how to calm themselves in whatever appropriate ways work for them.

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.

i have extensive experience in this area, having worked with Severely Disturbed Children for five years in a special school setting, and then moving over to work with an adult population who have committed crimes and have been incarcerated in the County Jail. I know the techniques needed to facilitate a person to deal more effectively with angry feelings so that his or her relationships can be repaired and blossom and they can enjoy life to the fullest.

Although anger is an emotion that we were all born with, it is also a choice. Jesus said don't be quick to anger and don't sin in your anger, but He never said don't be angry. We all have this emotion - it is only a matter of controlling and taming it. It is a choice. I give my clients tools that help them achieve that goal. Anger is a lot of energy that can be used for good - it's just the matter of knowing how and I help with that.