Therapy for Anger Management

Clinically Reviewed By: Corey Pitts, MA, LCMHC 

What is anger management therapy?

“For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.”  — Ralph Waldo Emerson

While quotes about anger may be helpful, addressing anger may require the assistance of a mental health professional, such as deciding to seek therapy for anger management. 

This type of anger therapy helps individuals, either one-on-one or in small groups, learn how to recognize anger management symptoms, better understand their angry feelings, develop coping skills, and respond more healthily.

For many, support may look like a short-term kind of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that takes place over a set amount of weeks or months. During anger management therapy, clientsusers and therapists also address any underlying mental health factors that contribute to anger issues and improve overall emotional regulation.

What does anger management therapy work on?

Anger management therapy work addresses several things that may also be related to emotional control, such as:

• Recognizing both the physical and emotional symptoms of anger

• The health risk behaviors associated with uncontrolled anger, like aggression, substance abuse, high blood pressure, and others

• Learning anger management skills, like pausing to reflect or practicing mindfulness, and using relaxation techniques

• Improving communication skills and relationship patterns to help improve personal relationships

Who can benefit from anger management therapy?

It’s normal to feel angry when something unfair or upsetting happens. However, people with uncontrolled anger experience anger that is quick, intense, and not a normal response to the situation that caused it. Because of its frequency and/or intensity, uncontrolled anger may be damaging to the person who experiences it and those around them.

Anger issues may cause problems within families, the workplace, and romantic relationships, causing them to become fractured or strained. Not only that, but excessive anger may have negative health effects that may cause headaches, digestive issues, and a strain on mental health. 

Along those lines, anger may be a symptom of other mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Identifying an underlying cause of uncontrolled anger may help individuals address these other mental health conditions, too, which could be at the root of the problem. 

If extreme anger has become a common response or a consistent pattern in life or if support is wanted while working toward improved emotional management, it may be useful to connect with a mental health professional through anger management therapy. Seeking help for anger may be a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness. It shows readiness to learn how to better respond when stressful situations arise.

Signs You Might Need Support

A mental health professional, such as a therapist or social worker, is typically equipped to:

•  Help evaluate someone with anger dysregulation

• lLearn how to more effectively manage their anger through approaches in anger management therapy 

• Prevent them from negatively impacting their life and the lives of others 

Consider seeing a professional if these signs look familiar.

• Frequent, disproportionate outbursts

• Inability to calm down when angry

• Increased heart rate, tension, or headaches with anger

• Anger that causes damage to work or personal relationships

• Engaging in health risks like alcohol or substance use

How does BetterHelp make it easier to manage anger?

BetterHelp offers flexible, convenient therapy with a licensed professional who is experienced with anger management therapy. Users will be matched with a therapist able to chat by phone, video, live chat, or messenger. 

Users are also able to message their therapist between sessions, so this may be a helpful resource for processing anger in the moment and may allow users to practice strategies to control anger in real time.

What to expect from online anger management therapy

To begin, complete an intake form that will match the right therapist for the situation. Once matched, users will set goals around managing anger while developing a tailored plan with evidence-based strategies to help users get there, including techniques for expressing anger constructively.

BetterHelp therapists may help while providing ongoing support to help users follow the plan and reach their goals. Users also have the option to switch therapists at any time, in case a different perspective is needed.

Can online therapy really help with anger issues?

Some people are skeptical about online therapy, but a study from the Karolinska Institutet shows that just four weeks of online therapy may help people manage feelings of anger and aggression. 

BetterHelp therapists are licensed and accredited to help in a range of areas, including anger management. They are here to deliver quality care and therapy at convenience so that users may learn how to deal with feelings of anger in a fast, convenient, and efficient way. 

Reach out to BetterHelp to take that first step forward. 

Start your journey with BetterHelp

BetterHelp’s modern approach to therapy means that users may have a licensed therapist to talk to with no commute, in-office visits, or waiting between visits to express thoughts and feelings, including safely communicating anger if it arises. 

When users are ready to learn more about anger management therapy and think that online therapy may be the right fit, reach out to BetterHelp to get started and match with the right therapist.

FAQs

Is anger management therapy effective?

Yes, research shows therapy, including online therapy, may significantly reduce anger and aggression.

Can anger be a symptom of a mental health condition?

Yes. Uncontrolled anger may be linked to conditions like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder.

Is online anger management therapy as good as in-person?

Yes. Studies support that online therapy may be just as effective as traditional in-person sessions for anger management.

Do I need a diagnosis to start anger management therapy?

No. Someone may begin therapy to manage anger without a formal diagnosis or referral.

Can BetterHelp match me with a therapist who specializes in anger issues?

Yes, BetterHelp matches users with licensed therapists who have experience treating anger and related mental health concerns.