James Pearson - Anger Counsellor in Bradford and Halifax

Anger Counselling

What is Anger Counselling?

Anger can feel like such a destructive force in our lives, and many of my clients express a desire to come to Counselling to work with their anger. It is important to remember that anger, like all emotions, at its core, is neither good, nor bad. Emotions are messengers, and our task, if made possible, is to listen to what our emotions are trying to tell us.

As a humanistic Counsellor, I believe that anger lives on the top of our emotional stack. The final release of a number of combined pressures or challenges in your life. Whilst the anger serves a purpose in the heat of the moment, to enable you to cope with the pressures and challenges, it so often leaves such devastation in its wake, impacting friendships, relationships and our own mental well-being. Pretty rough stuff!

How can Counselling help with anger?

So I believe in a two way approach to Anger Counselling. On the one hand sharing coping mechanisms to help you right away, on the other, exploring some of the underlying reasons as to why the anger manifests in the first place.

By offering this dual format compassionate understanding alongside evidence based tools, you get the best of both worlds. Feeling heard, valued, appreciated and cared for goes hand in hand with developing enough self-compassion to unpick what is often years, even decades of unmet needs, hopes and desires. The tools I share give you something tangible to take away and implement right there and then, and that too is often such a comfort to those seeking help with their anger.

We’re all different and therefore I believe that each individual person requires a unique approach to working with their anger. Together we figure out exactly what will work for you, and we focus on that, bringing in more of what you need and setting aside anything that you feel is unnecessary or hasn’t worked in the past.

Typical results of Anger Counselling

Whilst I can’t 100% guarantee any particular outcome at the start of therapy, I can say that to date, almost every single client that has come to me for Anger Counselling has shared that the anger is significantly reduced, or gone, in just a few sessions.

I strongly believe that this is made possible by the combination of a caring, empathic space alongside good delivery, explanation and flexibility of how coping mechanisms are shared and adapted to work for you. This is particularly true if you can’t pinpoint the exact reason or cause for your anger. Working with anger for a specific reason often involves a more focused approach towards understanding and compassionately reframing that reason, bringing meaning or peace to the events that created the anger in the first place.

Signs you might need Anger Counselling

If you feel like you might be lashing out at those closest to you, losing control or just constantly frustrated with those around you, these are good indicators that you may need to speak with someone about your anger.

Often outbursts of uncontrollable anger come with feelings of guilt or shame. Occasionally unintended actions will result in unforeseen harm towards others leaving us devastated in the aftermath.

Anger can be all consuming, all confusing and even lead us to believe that we are beyond help, in a state of despair. This hopelessness can be one of the reasons people choose not to seek help, believing that for whatever reason, things can never get better, or this is it, I’m just an angry person. None of these are true and are cognitive distortions masking the truth. Anger Counselling works, and it only takes that single moment of courage to take a step forward to see and believe it for yourself.

The Counselling process for working with Anger

My clients have shared with me that the first session is far more relaxed and beneficial than they first imagined. Coming to Counselling for the first time can be a bit of a mystery, not fully knowing how things are going to go, what’s going to be said, how the Counsellor will be, what they will say, what they will ask, how you might feel, etc. There’s a lot of new buried in that experience.

I like to work at your pace, listening intently to what you have to say, acknowledging and valuing your points of view and validating your experience. In this sense, I walk alongside you, as something of a companion. This isn’t a formal assessment and I won’t ever tell you that there’s something wrong with you, or even be thinking it. We enter a partnership from which a caring therapeutic relationship is created. Within this therapeutic relationship the healing work is often done.

Understanding, caring and seeing you as an individual are keys in our work together as we explore Counselling for your anger. My sessions are an hour each and always begin by exploring what you feel is important for you on the day. I do not sell blocks of Counselling sessions, instead, you are free to book yourself a session as often or as infrequently as you like. With me, you have full and total autonomy.

Some benefits of Anger Counselling

The biggest benefits of Anger Counselling are going to be defined by you. You know exactly why you want to work with you anger. However, there are some common themes, some advantages that are applicable to us all.

Naturally, relationships often improve once the anger is manageable. Those around us are sensitive to our behaviour and often notice a change almost immediately, however small. Personally, you’ll feel better equipped to manage your own stress levels and emotions. What felt impossible before often begins to feel possible again.

Working with a Anger Counsellor also has parallel benefits in the sense that you will naturally get to know yourself a little better, growing in self-awareness. Of course, all of this combined leads to long-term improvements in your own mental and physical health. In short, everything gets better from a holistic perspective.

The stigma of Anger Counselling

It is sad but true to say that there is still some stigma attached to seeking help. Ingrained in our society are the archaic ideas that receiving help makes you appear weak when nothing could be further from the truth.

Living your ideal life, loving and caring for those around you, being able to enjoy the blessings you have, all of these and more are the very essence of life and there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking them out through every available channel. One of which, of course, is professional Counselling.

Suffering is sadly a part of life. But suffering alone and giving in to despair, does not have to be. The truth is we all struggle from time to time and we all need others in order to thrive. If we cannot get the exact support we need from those closest to us, and this is quite often the case, Counselling can offer that support. That dedicated, focused hour of Counselling is for you and you alone. In that hour, as your Counsellor, I’m not thinking about my own life, or another client, I’m thinking for, and with, you. You have my complete attention and that is what those closest to us struggle to offer. Why? Because… life!

I believe that seeking help requires courage, strength, belief and hope. These are all admirable qualities which I prize and celebrate in our Counselling together.

Next steps

If you’re struggling with your anger at the moment, maybe it’s time to explore Anger Counselling. Together we can have a friendly chat about your personal experience with anger, the effects it is having on your daily life and instil some hope for a better tomorrow.

Anger Counselling doesn’t have to be long term, many of my clients see results in just a few sessions. Many then continuing to explore other aspects of their lives out of positive curiosity and excitement.

Hope is a phone call away, perhaps today is the day you make that positive step forward? I’d be delighted to speak with you if it is.