Marcia Cannon, PhD, MFT
So many of our clients come in with anger issues and simply don’t know how to work with them. Many don’t even want to focus on their anger because they see it as both negative and potentially overpowering. So what can you do to help? Here are three suggestions:
First, redefine anger so that your clients feel safe to approach their anger and curious about how it might actually be helpful.
Second, give your clients a framework for exploring their anger so that they feel supported in their exploration.
Third, talk to them about how to make changes in their lives so that they don’t hold the expectation of needing to quickly “solve the problem.”
You can describe anger as a temporary power boost that automatically becomes active whenever we feel overpowered by certain situations. The framework, then, becomes focusing on what it was about the particular situation that made it feel overpowering to your client. Let them know that as they do this, they not only can develop self-awareness, but also true empowerment. Lastly, remind your client that change is best made in very small, manageable steps. Doing so will help them relax into a deeper, more productive exploration of their angry feelings.