My approach to working with clients in need of anger management is utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. It is crucial to also utilize strengths perspective with each client and work through what the client is good at and how to use their own individual strengths to their benefit. A great deal of meditation, mindfulness, and grounding techniques will be explored and practiced throughout session to assist the client with navigating through their anger.

Understanding one's own anger and feeling like you have a sense of control over it is a process. The first part is exploring the anger. Gaining a greater sense of where the anger is coming from, from its deepest roots, and how it is triggered. Recognizing what your anger is about and how it is triggered is they key to being able to achieve stability in your emotions and a sense of peace and calm.

Anger can present itself when you least expect it. You can be with family and friends at a school or work outing. You can be on a date and your spouse or significant other does something to set you off. I work with individuals and families in identifying those triggers, exploring the origins and the emotional connections and utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy to address the un-healthy and often off-putting interactions.

My approach to anger management begins with listening and assessing to determine the stressors that trigger the client's anger. I may recommend medication (administered under the supervision of a medical professional). I then tailor a treatment plan to each client using a variety of modalities (including family therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and solution-oriented therapy) to help them learn how to manage their feelings and avoid the consequences of unmanaged anger.

Erupting and lashing out to relieve your pain creates disruption in your everyday life. While anger is a healthy emotion, lashing out and rage creates guilt and relationship destruction. In my 30+ years of clinical practice, I have provided my clients with a non-judgemental safe environment so together we can build a trust where they can be open and honest without embarrassment or shame. In letting down their defenses and acknowledging their behavior my clients learn how to emotionally regulate their pain by taking ownership and removing themselves from the current situation, which gives them space to provide a more regulated and healthy response.