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 tends to get labelled negatively in our culture, often being described as a "negative emotion", or seen as something dangerous or to be denied. Yet the truth is, like all emotions, anger plays a vital role in our psychological system. It serves as a warning that something important to us feels threatened. It can motivate us to take action to correct something negative that is happening. Prevalent negative attitudes about anger contribute to many people getting insufficient practice in identifying and communicating about anger effectively. At my Pleasantville office I provide individual, family and couples counseling for issues related to anger management in adults and children.

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.