Patrick McGee & Associates
Psychologists, Counselling Sydney

Anger Management Counselling Sydney

Do you slam down the phone when faced with endless computerized voice prompts? Have you gotten into a shouting match with a stranger over a parking space at the mall? Ever put your fist through the wall after an argument with your spouse?

This is not anger management at its finest. Although anger is a natural emotion, it may be getting the best of you. Instead of expressing your anger in a healthy and assertive way, you may be expressing it in a hostile, aggressive way, in a manner that could lead to violence and result in adverse personal and professional consequences.

Understand your anger

Anger itself isn't bad. Expressed appropriately, anger can be healthy. It can help protect you from dangerous situations, energize you to resolve problems for instance.

Anger Managment Counselling

Everyday frustrations, impatience and resentment can all cause your temper to flare. For many people, these are fleeting moments. They're able to take these situations in stride and quickly return to a sense of calm without exploding.

But if your blood boils after minor irritations, such as losing that coveted parking space or if you're constantly seething, you may need to improve your anger management skills. Anger that's out of control can be destructive, leading to problems in your relationships, at work, in your general enjoyment of life and with your health. You could even be arrested or face other legal problems.

Examine your anger patterns
Why do you tend to fly off the handle more than others seem to? Anger responses can become habitual. That is, you may respond automatically to a situation that makes you angry, with little pause to think about your reactions. The intensity of your anger may even catch you by surprise.

How do you express your anger? Consider these questions to assess your anger responses:

Do you express anger in a way that overwhelms you and others?
Do you get angry more often than most people you know?
Do you get angrier than is necessary?
Do you use threatening language or gestures?
Do you get angry enough to hit, throw or kick things, people or animals?
Do you seethe for hours?
Do you hide angry feelings from others or try to suppress your feelings?
Do you use alcohol or drugs to calm your rage?
Do you experience physical reactions such as muscle tension or a racing heart when you get angry?

Identify the ways you express anger to help you determine if you need to change how you respond to upsetting situations. You may react too aggressively or even too passively. In either case, you can learn new methods to replace old, unhealthy habits. If your level of anger is high or you tend to express anger in an unhealthy way, make plans to deal with your anger.

Aim for constructive expressions of your anger
Anger management is not about stopping you from expressing your anger entirely. It's OK to feel angry. In fact, trying to suppress or deny your anger can lead to a host of physical complaints, such as headaches, depression, stress, and sleeping or eating difficulties. It can also lead you to erupt into violent behavior if your anger has been simmering without an outlet.

The key, though, is to express your anger in an assertive, controlled way. Managing anger effectively can benefit you and those around you. Your health may improve, you'll feel better about yourself, and strained relationships may heal.

Assertiveness
Being assertive is a core communication skill. It means that you stand up for yourself, express yourself effectively and prevent others from taking advantage of you. Being assertive helps boost self-confidence and allows you win respect from others. It can also help control stress and anger.

People develop different styles of communication based on their life experiences. For many people, communication style becomes such an ingrained habit that they're not even aware of how they're communicating. And they tend to stick to the same style even when it's ineffective or harmful.

In the majority of situations, being assertive is most effective. Assertive communication revolves around mutual respect, giving and getting respect. Assertiveness shows self-respect because it means that you stand up for your personal rights, protect your self-interests and express your feelings, needs and ideas in a way that is honest and direct.

It's not just what you say, your message, but how you say it that's important. If you communicate in a way that's passive or aggressive, the content of your message may be completely lost because the people you are communicating with are too busy reacting to your delivery. Assertive communication gives you the best chance to deliver your message successfully.

(Source: Mayo Clinic)

	About Counselling Solutions \| Suite 5, 198 St Johns Rd Glebe 2037 \| Mobile 0414 323 923 \| Phone 9571 6611 \| Email: patrick@aboutcounselling.com.au
Related Terms: Anger management counselling sydney, Anger management, counselling Sydney, Counsellors Sydney