Treating Anger with EMDR

Anger is a natural human emotion that can manifest in a variety of ways, ranging from mild frustration and annoyance to explosive rage. While it is a normal emotion, it can sometimes become problematic. Especially when it begins to interfere with one’s personal and professional relationships. For this reason, working on anger in therapy can be incredibly helpful for those struggling with uncontrolled anger.

In therapy, individuals can learn how to identify triggers and develop healthy coping mechanisms. So they can manage their strong waves of emotions. Often, one of the first steps in working on anger in therapy is to identify the source. This may involve examining past experiences or current stressors that may be contributing.

Trauma can be a major source of anger, often leaving behind its wake a powerful sense of unfairness and injustice for terrible acts that are forced onto victims. Children, who are by their very nature helpless and at the complete mercy of adults, often experience abuse, neglect, and a gamut of other adverse conditions that leave lasting scars well into adulthood. These experiences can create deep wells of anger within.

Some Common Approaches to Treating Anger in Therapy

Therapists may use a variety of approaches to help individuals manage their emotions, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and communication skills training, as well as EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a common therapeutic approach used to help individuals manage their anger. CBT helps individuals identify negative thought patterns that may be contributing to their anger. Then replace them with more positive, rational thoughts. This process can help individuals learn to manage their emotions in a healthier way. Along with reducing the intensity and frequency of their angry outbursts.

Another practice commonly used in anger management therapy is mindfulness. Mindfulness involves being fully present in the moment and paying attention to one’s thoughts and emotions without judgment. By practicing mindfulness, individuals can learn to identify the early warning signs of anger and take steps to prevent an angry outburst before it occurs.

Treating Anger with EMDR Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective treatment option that can help individuals work through their trauma and manage their related anger symptoms. EMDR is a form of psychotherapy that was developed in the 1980s to help individuals process traumatic experiences. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping, to help individuals process memories. Ones that still contain some of the old “yuck” that was originally experienced often many years ago.

Your EMDR therapist will take a thorough anger history. Including how it has progressed throughout your life, major anger-related events, triggers, coping skills, and some goals. Ones focused on how you want to be in the future. Specific techniques such as the “floatback” and “affect scan” are often utilized to identify root experiences that contribute to how triggered a person gets. An exploration of wounded parts, such as the proverbial “inner child” who is screaming out of a sense of grave injustice, is often helpful as well.

During an EMDR therapy session, the therapist will guide the individual through a series of guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation while they recall traumatic memories. This reprocessing experience will help the individual develop more positive, adaptive beliefs about themselves and their experiences.

Begin Working With An EMDR Therapist in Palm Beach, FL

Working on anger in therapy can be a challenging process, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. By learning to manage their anger in a healthy way, individuals can improve their personal and professional relationships. They can also reduce stress and anxiety, and improve their overall quality of life. If you are struggling with uncontrolled anger, consider reaching out to a qualified therapist who can help you develop the skills you need to manage your emotions in a healthy and productive way. You can start your therapy journey with Mangrove Therapy by following these tips:

• Contact Mangrove Therapy Group to meet with a caring therapist
• Take a look at some of our blogs on EMDR for Substance Use and Addiction, EMDR for Panic Attacks, and EMDR for Body Image Issues (and Body Dysmorphia).
• Start addressing anger in a healthy way!

Other Services Offered with Mangrove Therapy Group

EMDR isn’t the only service our team offers at our Delray Beach, FL-based practice. Our therapists are experts in treating trauma and PTSD/C-PTSD, substance use disorders, eating disorders, body image issues, anger management, anxiety, low self-esteem, and much more. Please feel free to learn more about how we can support you. We also offer support with addictions such as in-process addictions, grief, and loss, “Failure to Launch” syndrome, CBT, and DBT. Feel free to learn more by visiting our blog or FAQ page to learn more today!