Ottawa Therapists at Family Therapy

Anger Counselling

Anger Counselling | Developing the Skills to Productively Handle Anger

man not handling his anger, yelling into phone

Anger is a real emotion– but our thoughts, physical reactions, and expressions of anger can take us through a range of feelings that can leave us feeling out of control. Although we all experience anger in our lives, everyone experiences it differently. Some people have difficulties controlling their anger, which results in destructive and problematic behaviour. Anger management counselling in Ottawa is an option for those experiencing difficulties controlling their anger.  Individual anger management counselling in Ottawa focuses on identifying sources of your anger and helping you learn techniques to handle anger in a productive way. In order to better understand how anger can get out of control, we first need to understand what we are experiencing when something causes us to feel angry.

What Factors Affect Anger Management Counselling?

Three different factors can play into how we control our anger, or sometimes, let our anger control us.

How do we Feel our Anger?

One complication when discussing anger is that it is not just a mental experience. Anger also a very real physical reaction. From sweaty palms to an increased heart rate, many can relate to the feeling of the adrenaline-rush associated with feelings of anger. This embodiment of emotion can turn a simple frustration into a frenzied rage, leading to a lack of control.

Our Anger and Our Thoughts

In addition to the physical reactions to anger, our thoughts about what caused the anger often lead to how we handle the situation. Feeling that something that happened is unfair or that we have been wronged can lead to some intense cognitive experiences that can define how we handle the anger. The physical reaction and the thought-process behind our angry feelings can shape the third factor of how we control our anger: behaviour.

Our Anger and How we React

Behaviour is the expression of anger.  And often times is what patients cite as the way they became aware of their difficulties controlling anger. These three factors play a large part in our everyday life, as there can be many causes of frustration.

If one does not have the skills needed to productively handle their anger, the results can be devastating.
When it gets out of control and turns destructive, anger can lead to problems—problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life. Although controlling your anger may sound like an easy task to manage, there are many causes of anger, which means there are many reactions and ways to handle these feelings. Knowing the right way to handle anger and use it productively is something that takes practice and skill.

Managing Your Anger

Because managing your anger can be a difficult task in the moment, it is important to receive the right counselling on what techniques to practice. The more you practice, the more you can apply your anger management skills to a heated situation when it is actually occurring. Anger counselling in Ottawa involves several steps that can help you to control your anger and therefore regain control of your life.

Through anger management counselling, you can learn to understand your sources of anger so that you can control your angry responses. Hurt, fear, guilt, blame, and frustration are all common sources of anger. Feeling bitterness towards those that may have hurt you, blaming yourself for past mistakes, or finding yourself frustrated with disappointing events that repeat themselves in your life—these are all examples potential sources of anger. These sources can be external, internal, or a combination of the two—but they can all be addressed through anger counselling.

If anger is your reaction or way to deal with one of these sources, you may want to pursue anger counselling in order to understand this progression of emotions. As previously mentioned, skill sets to manage and control anger can be taught, practiced, and reviewed in order to best suit your needs. Because the source of anger is different for everyone, the way to handle the reactions and results of anger must also be unique. This is why anger counselling with a licensed therapist is a viable option when trying to address your anger management needs.

What Can Anger Counselling Do For Me?

The goal of anger counselling is to reduce both your emotional feelings of anger, and to help you learn how to express your needs in a healthy positive manner.  Through the identification of the sources of your anger, a counsellor can provide you with the support you need to work through your feelings and reactions to that source. After the identification stage, your therapist will be able to work with you to develop the skills necessary to avoid out-of-control situations, and to handle anger when it does arise.

There is no overnight cure for anger—anger management is a process that requires a little bit of time and patience. As mentioned, everyone has anger. Everyone lets their feelings get the best of them sometimes. But if your reactions and behaviour are leading you down a path that may be dangerous for yourself or those you care about, it is time to contact a therapist about your anger management options.

Individual Anger Counselling

At Family-Therapy, here in Ottawa, we believe that individual anger counselling is an important tool in getting yourself back on track. If you relate to the situations discussed in this article, it is pertinent that you explore what your anger management needs may be. Despite the complicated and difficult nature of trying to control anger, there are skills and techniques that can help you to manage your feelings in order to avoid problematic results. Anger management counselling is a key way to learn how to handle your anger in a productive way, through learning and developing a certain skill set. A consultation can help you to find out if our anger management counselling services could benefit you.

In fact, a consultation is an easy and harmless way to determine if anger management counselling is the right solution for you. Call and book your appointment with one of our therapists today to learn how our anger management counselling can help you take control of your anger.