Anger is normal to the range of human emotions; and yet, it can magnify in a way that can cause distress in yourself or in those around you. If something just is not working, together, we can work to make it right.

 

When you start to wonder about how anger is affecting your life, there are a few questions you can ask yourself. Have your reactions become unmanageable? Do your emotional fluctuations sometimes surprise even you? Do you find yourself justifying why outbursts were warranted? Have those around you become cautious and/or distant around you?

 

There is a way that anger can often come into existence in order to protect oneself. If I am angry, I will not look weak. If I am angry, I don’t need to face the harder emotions that are below the surface. It can form as a way to protect yourself, but if your anger is uncontrollable, it may hurt you more than anything else. You may have lost touch with other emotions and other ways of relating. You may have pushed people away so that when you are hurting, no one is willing to give you care.

 

No matter how anger presents itself in your life and how it came to be, there is more than what is on the surface. It is imperative to have a safe environment in which you can express what you feel angry about and where you can be angry without the fear of breaking relationship. It is unreasonable to expect this from a spouse, child, or coworker, which is where as a therapist I come in. In addition to creating a safe space to explore your anger, we will explore its origins, what other emotions may be hiding, and how you want to create outlets for yourself that don’t endanger the relationships you value. Anger is natural and normal, and it can be manageable again.