Working with Anger

Anger is an emotion that can produce a great deal of shame. The behaviours we associate with anger are often things we wish we did not do, such as shouting, slamming doors, violence, self-harm and other ways we might mistreat ourselves and others. Many people come to therapy wishing to rid themselves of their anger, and distancing themselves from the feelings which lead them to behave in such upsetting ways.

As a therapist working with anger, I seek to explore the space between the emotions we feel and the things we do. Anger is a natural and universal emotion; we all experience it, often for very valid reasons.

When we experience anger, it is important to pay attention to what the feeling is telling us. Often anger sits atop a number of different feelings and unmet needs. anxiety, shame, loneliness, trauma and loss are all examples of inner-experiencing which can manifest as anger. By understanding anger as a means of communicating with our inner-experience, we can pause to consider what feelings lie beneath the anger, and how unmet needs might be recognised and managed in the therapeutic space.

Understanding why we feel anger, and creating space to recognise and value what it has to teach us about ourselves can help to use the emotion more productively and stop the shame-anger-action-shame cycle from perpetuating.

I have experience of working therapeutically with anger, both in one-on-one and group settings. If you have any questions about the way I work, or wish to book a free initial consultation, get in touch here.