Anger Management

Dr. Arleigh Porte says:

Problematic or trait anger doubles one’s risk of having a heart attack

Anger is a natural human emotion. We all experience it, and it has useful functions such as when it is a clue that something is wrong, or motivates us to correct an injustice, or even to examine ourselves. Anger, however, has gained a bad reputation because of its association with defensiveness, violence and health problems. Anger may be considered problematic when it occurs too frequently, is chronic, too intense, interferes with work or school performance, or has an adverse effect on health, relationships, personal and spiritual development.
Problematic anger may be identified by a cluster of characteristics such as being easily angered, impatient, inappropriate expressions of anger (i.e. verbal abuse), blaming, personal insecurity or using anger to mask or compensate for feelings of powerlessness, etc.
People with anger problems have usually experienced the associated negative consequences for many years before they seek help, often under external pressure, to appease a spouse or someone else.
Many clients who present with an “anger management” problem actually have an “aggression” or “controlling behavior” problem as well. This is an issue I address in the first session. In this assessment session I seek to identify how anger is expressed, what types of physically aggressive or controlling behaviors are used, the clients’ perception of the impact of his/her problematic behavior on others both within and outside of his/her family, family-of-origin, experience or witnessing of aggression, current stressors, alcohol and drug use, depression, adequacy of social support systems and other relevant factors. The assessment is done in such a way as to increase the client’s awareness and motivation when appropriate. I may seek information from partners or other sources especially when physical aggression or child abuse is a concern.
A wide range of intervention strategies are used to assist clients in changing their attitudes and behavior. Counseling for anger, aggression and controlling behavior is not merely a matter of getting tools, but learning to take responsibility for one’s behavior, becoming more sensitive, empathic and respectful of the rights and well-being of others.
Some excellent books on the topic of anger are:
“Anger Kills” by R & V Williams, “The Angry Self” by Miriam Gottlieb, “Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy” by D.D. Burns & Aaron T. Beck and Dr. Weisinger’s “Anger Workout.”