Anger Management in Saskatoon
We can help you regain control of your emotions.
Anger can be a huge problem, affecting our most important relationships. Our counsellors and therapists are trained to help you understand and better manage these intense emotions.
Where does anger come from?
Anger is a complicated emotion. It often comes from feeling treated unfairly or betrayed, but it can also hide deeper feelings of pain and fear. People sometimes use anger to try to regain control when they’ve been hurt.
We don’t like feeling angry, and there aren’t many good ways to show it. Most people learn to keep it inside until it finally explodes. From a young age, children learn that anger is “bad,” so they hide their pain and fear instead of learning how to calm themselves down. As people get older, it gets harder to accept or show anger. More responsibilities and stress make it tougher to handle these feelings. Adults who could control their anger when they were younger might struggle now, leading to emotional outbursts.
Working with a counsellor or therapist can help a person understand where these big feelings come from and learn better ways to handle them. A counsellor can help people recognize what triggers their anger and the deeper feelings behind it. They might teach techniques like mindfulness, changing negative thoughts, or relaxation exercises to manage anger.
Counsellors also teach practical skills for dealing with anger, like using “I” statements to express feelings without blaming others, practicing deep breathing to stay calm, and finding healthy ways to release anger, like exercising or doing something creative.
With these tools, people can learn to manage their anger better, leading to healthier relationships and feeling better overall. By understanding what causes their anger and dealing with it directly, they can stop the cycle of bottling up emotions and explosive outbursts, leading to a more balanced and peaceful life.
Violence & Rage
When words don’t give us the results we want, some people turn to more extreme actions. Most people don't choose to be violent or lose control on purpose, but it happens when they can't manage their emotions effectively. When this happens, the person often feels “out of control” and can't think clearly about their actions or words.
Shouting, slamming doors or walls, making threats, and physical abuse are often last-ditch efforts to regain control over the pain or fear that is driving the anger. Sometimes, people experience "blacking out" and can't remember what they did during these outbursts.
After the anger subsides, feelings of intense guilt, shame, or depression may set in. In close relationships, this is usually when the person who lost control might apologize and try to make up for the scary incident.
Counsellors and therapists can work with both partners to understand what they need to feel safe and build a healthy relationship that doesn’t involve violence or intimidation. They help people learn better ways to handle their emotions and communicate, so these extreme reactions don’t happen.
How do you manage anger?
Managing anger and other strong feelings is called emotional regulation or self-regulation. The goal is to express emotions honestly but in a way that is also socially acceptable. This helps us understand how to approach anger management therapy.
The first step in managing emotions is to become more aware of what we're feeling inside. We can't be honest about our emotions if we don't know what they are. A counsellor might use different methods, like mindfulness exercises, journaling, or keeping an emotion diary, to help you notice your anger and what sets it off.
It's also important to understand what's behind your anger. Anger often hides other feelings like hurt, fear, or frustration. By looking into these deeper feelings, you can understand why you get angry. This might involve thinking about and changing how you view situations that make you angry. When you understand your anger better, it often feels less intense and easier to handle.
The second part of counselling for anger is learning ways to manage these feelings. This might mean finding healthy ways to let out your emotional energy, like exercising, doing hobbies, or creating art or music. Techniques like talking to yourself in a positive way or practicing deep breathing can help calm you down.
Improving communication skills is also key. Learning to express your needs and feelings clearly and calmly, without getting aggressive, can make a big difference. Using "I" statements, like "I feel upset when...," can help you communicate better and avoid conflicts.
Putting all these strategies together can help you manage strong emotions more effectively. Over time, you'll build emotional strength and handle stress and tough situations better. The goal isn't to get rid of anger or strong emotions but to change how you respond to them, leading to better emotional health and a happier life.
Do you need help managing your anger?
Connect with us for a free consultation or look at the other counselling services we offer in Saskatoon and online.
