What is Anger Management Counseling and Do I Need It?
Seeking anger management counseling can be one of the best decisions you make. Carrying all that turmoil and experiences the consequences of it expressing itself impedes the happiness and life of yourself as well as your loved ones. While it can be difficult to admit when you need help with an issue, not doing anything or letting it get worse will only exacerbate the problem. Admitting when you need help with your anger and seeking anger management counseling online is a strong and healthy decision.
Let’s go over what anger management counseling is, when it’s appropriate to seek it, and what it involves.
What is Anger Management Counseling?
Anger management therapy is what is known as goal-oriented counseling. What that means is that there is an end that both you and your therapist are working towards, resolving the cause of the anger and teaching you how to handle the emotion moving forward. Generally, the anger management counselor spends time over sessions targeting emotional triggers and gets to the root of it.
While you may be familiar with anger management counseling in the media, usually presented as almost always group therapy, it can be individual sessions as well. Whatever you’re more comfortable with is the best course of action for you. If a therapist feels a group session could help then, take their advice and see how it goes.
Anger management counseling is, essentially, what it sounds like. Therapy sessions with the singular goal of relieving you of your anger and the fallout from it.
When to Seek Anger Management Counseling
We all get angry and there is nothing wrong with that. Just like how there is a difference between being sad and being depressed, there is a distinction between getting angry and needing anger management counseling. For example, if you find yourself holding onto anger and frequently having fits of rage or snapping, then you may want to consider looking for anger management counseling online. If your anger is beginning to impede your social, romantic, and professional life then you may want to think about attending some anger management counseling.
We all feel a wide array of emotions every day but, when they begin to express themselves over mundane incidents or start wreaking havoc in our lives, there is a problem. Your anger doesn’t need to be extreme either, not everyone suffering from this behavior breaks glasses or explodes over minor incidents. Perhaps, you have difficulty expressing yourself when upset or mad and need help so it doesn’t bubble up at inopportune times. Sometimes anger management counseling is about not holding in when you’re angry.
So, don’t think of movies or television when you know you need help and there is nothing wrong with asking a professional about something you’re worried about. Just like when you may feel ill and you go to a doctor to make sure, a therapist can let you know if you need assistance or not. It’s better to know you’re healthy than to wonder.
Anger Management Counseling Techniques
There are a variety of techniques for those in anger management counseling and it all depends on what you need. While it’s easy to say that the goal is to overcome stressors and prevent hyperemotional reactions, what is the cause and the best strategy for the particular individual?
Sometimes anger management counseling requires impulse control and other times it can call for relaxation strategies or meditation. While many therapists will use similar techniques, no two are alike and the point of early sessions is to see what you respond to best. Again, anger management counseling is goal-oriented and not meant to be ongoing. So, finding the best way to get you to your goal is the first order of business.
Some other anger management counseling techniques you may run into are:
- breathing techniques
- personal reflection strategies
- self-awareness tactics
- emotional trigger awareness
How each therapist sets this up may range from daily journaling, incident journaling, or teaching you how to be more present in the moment you feel angry.
Anger Management Counseling Near Me
Many mental health offices and clinics offer anger management counseling and it isn’t uncommon to find a therapist who specializes in it as well as other forms of therapy. When you’re looking for help, having an “anger management counseling near me” search can be a good start but, don’t be deterred if you don’t see it in the name of the office. Many psychological professionals offer a variety of services from depression to smoking cessation and anger management to family therapy.
When you have a list of some good candidates to help you, check out the reviews and their recommendations from past clients before calling for an appointment. You want success stories since your goal is to successfully overcome your anger. After that, set up a consultation and ask about their experience, education, and how they go about anger management counseling.
There is no shame in pursuing help or needing anger management counseling. If you hear some voice within you talking you out of pursuing the help you need, persevere. You’re looking after your own health and sometimes that means talking to someone.
Be well and be happy!