What is Anger Management? Counsellor, Anna Storey explains…
/ 26 May 2015 / No CommentsAs a counsellor I often get enquiries regarding Anger Management. So what is it and how can counselling help?
Anger is a complex emotion and can arise for all sorts of reasons. Everybody is different, so I would usually suggest an initial session to explore the nature of your anger. What triggers your anger? Has it been a strong emotion through your life or has it come up recently? Have there been any significant events in your life that might be linked to it? If you get angry – when and where does it usually happen? Where do you feel anger in your body? What was the attitude to anger in your family of origin? Finding answers to all those questions will allow us to have a clearer picture of your anger and other emotions that might be behind it.
In our society anger is often confused with violence, so expressing anger might become a taboo. On the other hand, anger is often the only emotion that boys are allowed to show without being mocked or ridiculed. This situation can create a double bind, when anger becomes the only emotion that can be expressed, but it will often be accompanied by a feeling of guilt.
There is nothing wrong with getting angry; the important thing is knowing how to channel it. It should be expressed appropriately and be relevant to your present situation. Counselling is there to help you understand your emotional life better and make conscious choices about how to act in the here and now.
