Once an individual’s triggers are identified, anger management therapy focuses on helping the individual process and respond to these emotions in a more positive and productive manner. The anger management therapist will provide coping strategies and ultimately help their client take back control of their anger.
The five keys to mastering anger include identifying triggers, pausing before reacting, calmly expressing emotions, discovering constructive outlets for frustration, and seeking professional assistance if necessary. Acquiring these skills through Anger management therapy empowers individuals to effectively manage and navigate their anger.
Anger Management in Midlothian, VA—Counseling and Therapy
You’re pacing around the office when your coworker notices you have clenched fists. They jokingly ask if you’re feeling angry. “Well, actually, I am incredibly angry,” you think to yourself. The printer just ran out of ink while you were printing a financial report you needed and you’re beside yourself with anger. More and more people comment on your anger as you walk through the office fuming. “What’s their issue?” You start recalling all of these occurrences and think maybe it’s you.
When you are constantly overwhelmed by anger, it can be hard to handle. You can start to feel like you are losing control of your emotions and the way you react to certain situations. This can make you feel helpless, but the good news is that there is something that can help you: anger counseling. At Thriveworks Midlothian, our counselors want to help you identify the causes of your anger and help you develop a plan to appropriately respond to these causes. They are passionate about what they do, and they have helped people just like you to overcome their triggers and monitor their anger.
Do I Have Anger Issues?
Anger can arise in someone for many reasons. Emotions send us messages, and anger is an emotion that communicates to you that a situation is upsetting you or maybe even threatening you. Anger is not the issue, until that anger becomes unmanageable. Signs that your anger is uncontrolled include:
- Anger that affects your relationships and social life
- Feeling that you have to hide or hold in your anger
- Constant negative thinking and focusing on negative experiences
- Constantly feeling impatient, irritated, and hostile
- Arguing with others often, and getting angrier in the process
- Being physically violent when you’re angry
- Threatening violence to people or their property
- An inability to control your anger
- Feeling compelled to do, or doing, violent or impulsive things because you feel angry, such as driving recklessly or destroying things
- Staying away from certain situations because you’re anxious or depressed about your angry outbursts
How Can Working with a Counselor Help?
When you’ve reached a point in your life where you want to take positive steps toward anger management, there are effective strategies you can implement. Here are some of the best, clinically-proven methods to try:
- When you feel anger welling up inside, breathe deeply while repeating a calming word or phrase over and over, like “relax”. Keep repeating this process until the anger subsides.
- Exercise routinely to “burn off” steam and diffuse pent-up anger while benefitting your body and mind.
- Learn how to express anger in a constructive way and don’t hold it in. This is part of assertiveness training, which will teach you how to express feelings calmly yet firmly.
Call Thriveworks Midlothian to Schedule an Appointment
Are you ready to uncover the source of your anger? If difficulty managing your anger is currently affecting your life in a negative way, reach out to Thriveworks Midlothian. We are ready to help you take on the difficult tasks of managing your anger, developing positive coping mechanisms for trigger events, and helping you heal potentially broken relationships. Our counselors are ready and willing to help you move past your anger and start on a path toward a happier life.
At Thriveworks, we want to help. We offer flexible hours with weekend and evening availability. Call us today, and you could potentially have an appointment within the same week. We have a “no waiting list” policy and partner with a variety of insurance plans. If you’re ready to learn how to express your anger in a constructive way, call us today at (804) 799-7944. We look forward to hearing from you.
