Anger Management and Counseling in Bladensburg, MD.

Anger is a natural response to hurt and fear but it can cause more pain in our lives if we use it to hurt others, physically or emotionally. Anger that is destructive, usually comes from an old hurt that we are carrying within us. This hurt has been painfully touched by circumstances or by the actions of someone else. First we need to learn ways to stop our hurtful actions by taking a break or walking away. Then, however, we need to turn our attention to the underlying hurt and to bring compassion and care to our own hurt self. You will find that at the same time, you become more compassionate toward other people.

While anger has a proper place in our lives, it is easy to get stuck in a cycle of escalating anger. This often happens because of things going on inside of us that we don't know how to work through on our own (and so we compensate, or cope, by getting angry). The good news is that regardless of what is fueling our anger, we are capable of building the necessary emotional muscles to work through those underlying issues, thus enabling us to control our anger healthily (instead of it controlling us). If you are struggling with anger I would be honored to help you make sense of, and work through, what is underneath it so that you can move towards more wholeness and peace in your life.

I am a Certified Anger Management Specialist trained by the National Anger Management Association. I work with men and women who have difficulty controlling their anger and rage at home or at work. I can help you become aware of your anger triggers and teach you calming techniques and conflict resolution skills. I will also help you learn assertive communication skills. I work with men and women who are court-referred as well as with those who would like to work on these issues with a trained anger management specialist.

How do you know if your anger is serious enough to need help? A quick answer is if you find that anger is your go-to, knee-jerk reaction to everyday irritants and disappointments, or if your anger is compromising your quality of life, it may be time to talk to someone. My way of working with angry clients is to both search for the causes of the anger as well as figure out concrete, common-sense ways for anger to be managed on a daily basis. Anger itself is not the problem; often it's the management (or mismanagement) of it that brings on a host of other problems. Maybe you have a right to be angry! But wouldn't it be better to be able to express that anger in a way others can really hear it?

Sometimes we do not know why we are angry and what to do to control it. I will help you to learn tools you can use to calm down and deal with things in a positive way. Anger can prevent you from obtaining many of the things you want in life. Once you learn how to identify your triggers you will be able to take steps to prevent that big blowup. We may use meditation and tai chi techniques to put yourself in a calm place.