Anger is one of the most power and expressive human emotions, but unless it is understood and channeled appropriately it ends up destroying lives. The uniqueness of anger comes from its ability to hide and consume other emotions. Through counseling you will learn how to distinguish anger from other emotions. You will also learn the source of your anger, to appreciate your anger, positive ways to express your anger, and ways to control your anger instead of it controlling you.

Anger is usually caused by shoulds or demands that you impose upon others. You argue with what is, demanding that what you want is what should be. Anger is truly one of the hardest emotions to shift out of when you're really feeling it strongly. In working with you on your anger, I will start by just listening and trying to understand why you're feeling hurt, betrayed, abandoned, abused, neglected, or deprived in some fashion. Then I will teach you to evaluate what is in your control & what isn't, so we can help you to focus upon what is in your control. In addition, I will teach you appropriate ways to express yourself, and to shift out of demandingness, into stating what you prefer

Anger is really a secondary emotion. Often it is driven by intrapsychic feelings of fear, or frustration, or early life trauma that has been repressed below the level of consciousness. When we experience sudden onset of anger that we cannot fully understand or explain, that can be an indicator that counseling could be of some help. Ungrieved loss, unfinished family business, and unregulated emotions can all lead to anger that is out of control and unmerited for the situation. Family Systems counseling can help clients become more differentiated, more mature and more capable of recognizing the difference between feeling and thinking--leading to better relationships and a more joyous life.

As a Certified Anger Resolution Therapist, I understand that you may have already tried to control your frustration or someone else may be telling you that your anger is a problem. Either way, I recognize that you have been doing the best you can but you need some help to achieve consistent management of your anger. During counseling, I will teach you methods individualized for your specific needs to help you recognize triggers and control your responses.

Being angry is not bad, it is what we do with it that can be destructive to ourselves and our relationships. I can help you identify unhealthy anger patterns and triggers. Sessions will consist of learning how your anger was learned and re-learning healthier ways of handling it. Understanding your anger will help prevent future relationship conflict and build more confidence for you as a person.

We best manage our anger when we approach it from two angles. The first is to examine and change our behavior. There is always a predictive pattern to an anger escalation. Once we learn this and understand this path, we can engage it differently and have an improved outcome. Secondly, for longer term relief, we need to examine how we think and how we can begin to see life differently and get our needs met in healthier ways. Healthy anger is simply the slight boost of energy we feel when we engage something that is not right or is unfair (at least to us!). Learning how to deal with the thoughts and feelings around this will give us more tools and better outcomes.

We offer anger management therapy groups limited to 6-10 individuals. These groups meet in the evenings for two hours per week for 8 weeks and use the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Anger Management for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Clients workbook. Upon successful participation and completion of the 8 week group, participants are provided a certificate of participation and a letter from the therapist summarizing treatment and the participant's level of effort during treatment. These are closed groups (once started, no new members are allowed) that begin once there are at least 8 members enrolled. Please call for more information.

Anger is a normal human emotion. Learning how to express anger appropriately is a challenge for some people. You can learn strategies to express your feelings in a positive way that enables you to feel heard and doesn't damage your relationships. Finding your anger triggers, practicing expressing your feelings in a calm manner, checking in that your partner heard you, and learning to listen are a few skills you will practice.

I offer strategies to those struggling with managing their anger. I help you identify triggers and possible warning signs so you can learn how to manage the strong feelings and regain some control. I teach breathing techniques and positive godly reframes for you to exchange for your other thoughts. I also teach how to express your thoughts and feelings in healthy and productive ways with the people in your life.