Anger Management and Counseling in Belvidere, IL.

Do you tend to go from zero to sixty in a few short seconds? Does your anger get you in trouble at work and/or in your relationships? There is help available. I can help you learn to take a step back and breath before you react. Together we can work to find out where your anger is coming from and from there, we change your perspective about what is triggering you. Collaboratively, we will work on skills that you can develop to successfully manage your anger. For more information, please don't hesitate to contact me.

In my psychotherapy practice, I help patients with uncontrollable anger by providing a supportive environment to explore underlying triggers. Using various behavioral techniques, I teach patients to identify and reframe negative thought patterns, develop healthy coping strategies, and improve emotional regulation. By fostering self-awareness and promoting effective communication skills, I guide patients toward managing their anger constructively, enhancing their well-being and relationships.

We look at anger as a secondary emotion. It is very easy to characterize a person as "angry" and not explore where the reaction or response truly stems from. Our approach is to provide healing at the root. We explore what other emotions may be operating, so that we can address what has really provoked a negative response. We also try to find ways to replace the thoughts that evoke an angered response with something that helps our clients feel more in control.

Anger is not bad by itself. Getting adrenaline drunk though, can give you power at the time, but can also be destructive. Other types of anger may be hidden from view, but slowly eat away at your happiness. I can help you find your triggers, understand how they affect you, and work with you to develop coping tools to both prevent and recover from the stress hormones that accompany anger.

Is your temper raging “out of control”? Do small things set you off? Do you react with sudden outbursts, flinging insults? Or, do you retreat in silent rage? Do you often feel your anger is justified, but upon reflection, regret your behavior? Or, do you find yourself locked in constant battle with people closest to you and those you love? Anger is a natural emotion, but unregulated anger can be destructive. It takes a toll on the individual and those around him or her, eroding self-esteem, wreaking havoc, and perpetuating feelings of disconnection, isolation and even loneliness. We can help you manage angry outbursts, understand your anger’s origins including unknown, underlying painful emotions, identify healthy coping strategies, channel your anger...(view profile to read more)

Anger is so much more than just anger. Under Anger there are a lot of deeper feelings that have usually gone repressed or unvalidated. The first step in working with anger is addressing those underlying thoughts and feelings to get to the root of the anger. We'll find new ways to cope with life's stressors and incorporate new ways of interacting with others.

You know your anger has made real messes in your life--at work, with friends, in your love life. I can show you many ways to get to the roots of your dark demons and fiery dragons. There are reasons and excuses that have been fueling your anger and you can only benefit from studying yourself. Saying you are sorry hasn't stopped your anger from returning. Anger that you understand and manage can serve you. Without looking inside yourself, anger will control you and cost you a lot more than time and money.

If after getting a flat tire, you think and continue to say to yourself: "This sucks"…This is terrible"…"Why does this always happen to me?"…"I can’t stand it"… anger will be the likely emotional response. And if you typically think in a negative way, then you will likely be more prone to psychological and physical difficulties like anger, poor relationships, stroke and heart disease.On the other hand, someone who thinks to himself "I’m glad that I have a spare tire"…"I can handle this"…"This is a hassle, not a horror", will react in a more realistic manner. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you learn how to cope more effectively with life's challenges and lead a happier life.

Reducing the words used many times by clients with anger issues can be the key to effective change in behaviors. These words are "ought, must and should'. Reducing or eliminating them can create profound change. Also reducing expectations of self and others has helped individual won struggle with anger bring it under control. Learning to accept anger as just another emotion and learning to validate and regulate that feeling become important tools in this very devastating issue.