The Feeling Good Therapist - Anger: From Rage to Resolution

Discover three CBT tools to address anger, with the Feeling Good Therapist, Richard Lam, LMFT

In the video "From Rage to Resolution: Three Ways to Address Your Anger," Richard Lam discusses three cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques for anger. Here are some anger management therapy techniques:

• Firstly, understanding the roots of anger by identifying underlying emotions like fear or hurt is crucial. Writing down anger-inducing situations helps uncover these triggers.
• Secondly, taking a step back and seeing the other person's perspective can mitigate anger. Reflecting on their viewpoint and fostering empathy is beneficial.
• Lastly, breaking the cycle by recognizing anger patterns and developing new habits is essential. Identifying triggers and challenging impulsive thoughts can foster self-control and act as coping skills for anger, leading to healthier relationships and a more peaceful life.

IN THIS VIDEO:

Richard: From rage to resolution, three ways to address your anger.

Anger, it's a powerful emotion capable of propelling us to great things or leaning us down destructive paths. While anger sometimes serves a purpose, letting it take control can damage our relationships, our wellbeing, or even our physical health. So how do we manage this misunderstood emotion?

Here are three approaches based off of cognitive behavioral therapy.

1. Delving deep, understanding the roots of anger. Anger is rarely a spontaneous reaction. It's often fueled by underlying emotions like fear or hurt or frustration. Taking the time to understand these deeper emotions can be transformative. And here's how. Write it down. Write down the situation where your anger arises. Don't censor yourself. Explore what thoughts and emotions trigger it. 

Understand the benefits of anger. Pause for a moment to explore the potential benefits of anger or any positive insights that it may offer about yourself. Reflect on whether you wish to continue harboring the anger or consider setting a goal to dial down the anger. Change your thoughts. Shifting the negative thoughts that fuel the anger is a very crucial step. By addressing the underlying and more vulnerable emotions beneath the anger, you can effectively reduce its over-encompassing presence.
 

2. Taking a step back, seeing the other side. Sometimes anger stems from misunderstandings or conflicting perspectives. Stepping into the shoes of the person you're angry with And offer a valuable shift in perspective. Here are some strategies. Understanding what happened. Reflect and write down what the other person has said that created the anger for you. 

Letting go of the blame. Would you like to stop blaming this person? Or do you want to continue having this type of relationship with them? There are a lot of good reasons to continue blaming. And you would need to ask yourself, would I like to let that go? Empathy. Look at the situation where the person said the statement that upset you. Now imagine what the other person was feeling and thinking that led them to say that.
 

3. Breaking the cycle, building new habits. Anger often follows very familiar patterns. By recognizing these patterns and developing new habits, we can gain control over our reactions. Here are some tips. Recognize your triggers. What situations or people typically trigger your anger? Identify these triggers and understand the tempting thoughts that lead you to lash out.

Challenge the devil on your shoulder. Often you feel tempted as if there was a devil on your shoulder. Telling you to do something that you know is not going to help you in the future. Your job is to challenge those temptations and create more self-control.

Remember, addressing anger is a journey. It's not a destination. Be patient with yourself. Celebrate your progress. Keep practicing these strategies. Through ongoing practice, you can develop skills to effectively handle your anger, leading to a more peaceful life, and fostering positive relationships.