Anger Management and Counseling in Pompton Lakes, NJ.

We all get angry at times in our life, and there are times when anger is a useful signal that tells us something needs to change or that something is wrong. But there are also times where anger can begin to dominate our thoughts and actions, causing problems at work and in our relationships. My goal as a therapist is to help you talk though your concerns and issues so that I can give you the tools to help you overcome sources of non-productive anger. When you're tired of being angry and ready to move on, let's talk.

Anger is a natural reaction to a hurtful or threatening situation. When it becomes uncontrollable, constant, and extreme, unhealthy anger can wreak havoc on our lives. Some people can manage anger with self-taught techniques, reading materials, and other resources. Yet, anger management therapy is considered the most effective treatment option to address these anger issues and adopt healthy coping strategies to handle them when they arise.

I believe children must first want to learn and perfect anger management. I have developed techniques to motivate the child or teen to develop a value system of respectful behavior toward others. Once this is achieved anger management skills can easily be obtained. Without a change in attitude and values, anger management training will fail because the child lacks the motivation to practice such techniques.

The goal of anger management is to control the anger before it controls you by reducing your emotional and physical responses to situations that trigger outbursts. At Emerge, you’ll learn to manage the intensity of your thoughts, behaviors and actions since that is all that you have control over. You can’t change the people or environments that cause you to feel enraged, but you can change yourself and identify when to remove yourself from the situations that are triggers. If you feel you’re becoming angry more easily and having low frustration tolerance, you can benefit from anger management. The first step is understanding that there is help available and reaching out for the support in order to make the change.

I work with anger management for anger that is not physically abusive and not required by the courts. We will look at the root causes - is this a way that you keep others at bay? Are there other ways to cope with anger? Is this an approach to conflict that you learned in your family? We will talk about your thoughts, experiences, and expectations regarding conflicts. I will help you to understand and articulate the cause your anger so that you are less likely to feel out of control.

Skills building interventions have been extremely successful in decreasing the negative effects of anger. At ART, clients learn to identify, develop and apply effective skills that reduce anger immediately!! It's not enough to TALK about what to do, but to PRACTICE the skills while in session. This way, you'll know exactly how to handle a situagtion that triggers anger. Protect your life and relationships! Learn how to use anger to your advantage.

I can help you or your partner / family member with anger management. We'll start with a thorough assessment of what's going on, including the history of how anger was modeled to you in childhood, the influences of your culture and family, your own anger story, and any grief or trauma you've endured. Then we'll talk about how you want to manage anger and make a customized plan to reduce verbal conflict and eliminate physical violence as we develop a strategy to communicate your needs and boundaries to those you trust and have those needs and boundaries met and honored. I'll be with you every step of the way.