Anger Management With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Have you ever been in an argument and found yourself in a rage before you knew it? Or like many people, have you ever experienced road rage that is so sudden that it surprises you? We all experience anger, which is a normal and healthy experience. Anger is an emotion that can be extremely helpful when it is expressed in a healthy way. Experiencing anger brings about insight into out triggers and helps us navigate many relationships. However when we go from controlling our anger to allowing our anger to control us is when problems arise. There are many physical and mental ramifications for letting anger run rampant, like hypertension or depression. Therefore it is imperative to our well being that we are able to manage anger in a useful way.

There is a wide spectrum of interventions that address how to process unhealthy anger, with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) yielding the some of the best outcomes for learning how to cope with out of control anger and related behaviors.

The core of CBT is cognitive restructuring, which is working to change the way we think about situations and anger triggers to in turn change the way we feel and act. For example, this type of therapy would work on changing thoughts like “You don’t care about me” to “Do you understand what I need from you?” which in turn changes the way one would feel and act in that situation. Working to restructure the way we experience anger is one of the main aspects of this type of treatment.

However CBT also adopts a multiplicity of approaches & systems to aid in anger management. Some of the frequently used methods are:

• Working on Acceptance &Nonjudgmental Stance
• Applied Behavioral Analysis
• Exposure & response prevention
• Problem-Solving Techniques
• Mindfulness Techniques
• Communication Skills

Also, during your cognitive behavioral therapy session your counselor will facilitate learning with a variety of strategies including:

• Recognizing the behavioral issues
• Recognizing the triggers to unconstructive feelings resulting in behavioral issues
• Finding ways to reduce unconstructive feelings
• Designing alternate reactions & behavioral patterns
• Practicing and treating the source of unconstructive sentiments by changing the sentimental pattern of a person.

Anger is a healthy and normal emotion that can teach us a lot about ourselves. If you struggle with managing your anger, cognitive behavioral therapy could be of great benefit to you. Working with a qualified therapist can help you along your journey to better control your anger.

For effective cognitive behavioral therapy in Claremont, contact Verdant Oak Behavioral Health (VOBH) - a group of collaborating psychologists located in South Pasadena.