Anger Management
Most clients who come for anger management counselling are not ‘angry people’. They are people who sometimes struggle with powerful emotions, including anger. Anger is a normal and widely misunderstood emotion. It’s like an alarm system that lets us know if something is off, or if we feel threatened or overwhelmed in some way. It can also feel empowering and at times lead to big regrets in relationships, leading to potent feelings of guilt and shame. As counter-intuitive as it might sound, we often ask clients, ‘What is good about your anger?’. Anger is all a matter of how it is directed and if channeled the right way, you can use it for positive change in your life.
Anger is often related to other issues, such as depression, anxiety, stress, relationship dissatisfaction or trauma, amongst others. If you struggle with anger or are struggling with a situation that is a result of uncontrollable anger, the good news is that you can create positive change. If you are feeling overwhelmed by this powerful emotion, and you see that it is negatively affecting your life or relationships, you are invited to work with Blue Oaks to explore how you can manage it effectively.
Symptoms
At Blue Oaks, you will be able to explore the symptoms of your anger to manage it effectively and use it to your advantage:
- Growing relationship problems with family, friends, and co-workers
- Excessive irritability and impatience and reactivity
- Deep feelings of embarrassment or shame
- Aggressive behaviour (E.g. yelling, hitting, gestures)
- Feelings of loss of control and regret
- Physical symptoms, such as headaches, rapid heart rate, sweating, shaking, trembling or feeling tense
How can counselling help you with anger?
The anger management counselling offered at Blue Oaks is non-judgemental, empowering, encouraging and practical. Anger management counselling done well can bring about wonderful positive changes.
- Learn about brain function and the physiology of anger
- Addressing the underlying causes of your anger
- Establishing a history of your anger, such as personal and family history
- Anger cycles, positive and negative, and anger’s ‘addictive’ qualities
- Anger triggers and cues
- Cognitive behavioural therapy to manage angry thoughts
- Assertiveness and communication skills such as conflict resolution techniques and collaborative problem solving
- Self-soothing techniques such as mindfulness and time-out strategies
- Life-goals, and how to use your anger to your advantage to increase your quality of life
- Relationship dynamics in your life, and how to repair relationships negatively affected by your anger
Court-mandated requirement for counselling?
Blue Oaks also provides court recognized counselling for anger management. Many clients who are required to get counselling, actually experience a multitude of unexpected personal benefits. Whatever your primary reason for counselling, you will be supported. Your therapist will work in tandem with you to establish the specific requirements of your unique situation to help you move on with your life and manage your emotions well in the future.