Anger Management and Counselling in Binbrook, ON.

In today’s cultural environment we have been taught to avoid anger as it is undesirable and needs to be tamed or suppressed. I believe that anger is an emotion that needs to be understood. Anger is a signal that something in our lives calls for attention. I won’t attempt to suppress or eradicate your anger. Instead, we'll lean into understanding its origins, your triggers, and the messages it has for you.

Anger is like a grumpy cat with a tiny umbrella in a thunderstorm - unpredictable, a bit irrational, and often best approached with caution and a sense of humour! If you've been told you have "anger issues", or can recognize that you "lose it" too often, counselling that focuses on anger management can be a big help. When I work with clients on anger management, I assist clients in identifying triggers, exploring underlying issues that are contributing to anger, and developing coping strategies to manage and express anger in a healthier way. The goal is to promote self-awareness, teach assertive communication skills and constructive emotional regulation.

Working with emotions is a central feature of my therapy practice. I believe that all emotions serve a purpose and that none are essentially bad. However, that said, what we do with our emotions matters very much and learning to recognize, experience, and accept feelings is an important part of learning how to express them effectively. Understanding that anger is often connected to other foundational emotions such as fear or shame is an important part of the process.

Anger is a completely normal, often healthy human emotion. But if it gets beyond your control, it can be very destructive in your work and interpersonal relationships and can drastically devastate the quality of your life. Fortunately, anger can be 'managed' which is very different than 'suppressing' it. Unexpressed anger leads to a host of other problems including high blood pressure. However, when we learn how to 'manage' our anger, we can learn to diminish both the emotional feelings and the physiological arousal that anger causes. We can learn to avoid triggers and develop strategies. We can learn how to problem solve, change our thinking and relax our bodies.

All human beings feel and express anger, and thus anger itself is not necessarily bad or good. It's a normal emotion which can sometimes be harnessed to motivate us towards our goals. At times, unhelpful thinking patterns make us vulnerable to being triggered into angry behaviors impacting our relationships and well being. There are many useful tools available to help address the causes of anger, helping clients to understand themselves and their motivations better. Better understanding often translates into more control and an increase in emotional regulation.

Your brain says getting angry is good. For whatever reason, you've learned that anger is an effective, useful response to situations your faced with in everyday life. As you and I both know, it doesn't always work out that way. I can help you understand your anger, address the root causes, and learn how to manage it effectively in the meantime. Get new solutions, and learn how to reprogram your mind. Modern, effective, no-nonsense counselling in a professional, non-judgemental atmosphere.

Anger management is a series of preventative and reactionary steps that help us regulate our emotions. While anger management is about executing these skills, the successful implementation depends on a foundational understanding of what anger is and how it operates in one’s life. Without understanding angers unique roots for each individual, anger management techniques become especially challenging to implement. My approach to anger management involves establishing a foundational understanding of anger by examining personal underlying fears and needs. With this foundation set, the individual is able to integrate a personal understanding of anger consistently with strategies and techniques.

One of the most common complaints I hear from parents is that their child never listens. “No matter what it is they just don’t hear me. I yell and scream and plead but it’s like I am talking to a brick wall.” Most of the time the way the message is delivered is more important than the message itself. Adults and children alike tend to close themselves off from loud and intrusive tones of voice. I help parents understand that perhaps the best way to get their kids to listen and behave is by first changing their attitudes towards the situation. Engaging in a parenting paradigm shift is a great way to start their journey and I can help with this process.

I have spent hundreds of hours working with clients who struggle with managing anger/rage. There are specific, step-by-step techniques that can be taught, that are very effective at helping people deal with this issue. Based on reports from clients I have worked with, I have found that if clients are committed to their process, most people make significant improvement within 6-12 sessions. Drawing from polyvagal theory, AEDP and mindfulness techniques, clients can learn healthy ways to manage and experience their anger.

Anger is a completely normal, often healthy human emotion. But if it gets beyond your control, it can be very destructive in your work and interpersonal relationships and can drastically devastate the quality of your life. Fortunately, anger can be 'managed' which is very different than 'suppressing' it. Unexpressed anger leads to a host of other problems including high blood pressure. However, when we learn how to 'manage' our anger, we can learn to diminish both the emotional feelings and the physiological arousal that anger causes. We can learn to avoid triggers and develop strategies. We can learn how to problem solve, change our thinking and relax our bodies.

Our experiences of anger vary greatly. While I don't offer therapy services for anger management, at Psychotherapy Collective, our online clinic, we have many therapists who offer support for clients seeking help with anger. Visit our website to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with a therapist who specializes in anger management https://www.psychotherapycollective.ca/areas-of-focus/anger

Perceptions of anger vary based on personal experiences; some of us have experienced it as a destructive force presented through aggression or violence. Whether anger is getting in the way of authentic connection, resolving differences with others, or impacting your overall mental health, understanding it can be a helpful first step in anger therapy, also known as anger management therapy. Schedule a free consultation to see if we are a good fit for therapy.

Anger is a normal natural feeling at times in ones life, however, it can be paralyzing when it is expressed in a destructive manner. Like most feelings it is never right or wrong to feel angry, but how we behave because of it can be right or wrong. By understanding the underlying causes of anger, an individual can learn a more positive way of handling their negative feelings, which will make one feel better about themselves and their relationships.