Exploring Anger: Destructive vs. Constructive
“Sloth, apathy, and despair are the enemy. Anger is not. Anger is our friend. Not a nice friend. Not a gentle friend. But a very ,very loyal friend. It will always tell us when we have been betrayed. It will always tell us when we have betrayed ourselves. It will always tell us that it is time to act in our own best interests.” -Julia Cameron
Anger is a common issue for many. You might notice you tend to blow up at others, or you tend to hold feelings of anger in leading to resentments. Research shows that contempt poses a serious threat to our intimate relationships. While it is not possible to avoid this strong emotion altogether, it is possible to understand what it represents to you and learn how to express it constructively so that it is not damaging to you or your relationships. Anger is often complicated because it represents underlying needs. Often we might not even know what is causing the anger, we might be aware that we feel it, but have little insight into understanding how best to handle it.
Together, we’ll uncover unproductive patterns and help you to develop healthier coping skills that promote more satisfying connection. Anger can serve as a way to understand ourselves better. It’s important to remember that anger itself is not bad or wrong, rather it is there to teach us about important underlying needs. If we can learn to communicate it and respond to our anger in healthy ways, we can create the right conditions to deepen trust, positivity, and openness in our relationships.
Therapy to address anger issues can help you to:
- Understand where the anger stems from
- Learn how to stop destructive tendencies and cope in healthier ways
- Confront the challenges that result in anger in the first place
- Learn how to manage difficult/ uncomfortable emotions
- Learn the difference between constructive/ destructive anger
- Improve the quality of your relationships
- Manage stress more effectively
- Cope with challenges in a more productive way