As a psychotherapist working with Anger Management clients, I often refer to driving as the “final frontier of anger management.” I tell my clients that if they can maintain their calm while on the 405 freeway (Los Angeles area) during rush hour, they’ve essentially graduated from anger management.  Per NHTSA, 66% of traffic fatalities are because of aggressive driving. CNN reports a 500% increase in reported cases of road rage in the past 10 years. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, road rage was reported to be at its highest in seven years in 2022. In addition, 31% of road ..read more

Anger is one of those emotions we all feel from time to time. It often gets a bad wrap as an avenue for destruction and harm, but anger in itself is simply a signal. A powerful and normal human response that drives us to figure out how to return to a state of harmony. Letting you know that something doesn’t feel right or that what you are seeing isn’t landing well. It is referred to as a secondary emotion as there are often primary emotions underneath driving the anger such as hopelessness, anxiety, shame, sadness, fear, guilt, worry, jealousy, embarrassment, disappointment, and hurt. Alas, mo ..read more

When you hear the words “anger management,” what images come to mind?  Do you see a room filled with individuals who appear bored or silently angry?  Or perhaps you see a group of people sitting in a circle yelling and screaming at one another to get their point across?  If so, you’re not alone. But I want to invite you to keep reading and to discover truths about anger management that are often not considered, and how it may also benefit you! Did you know that we all get angry from time to time? Yep!  No secrets there. Everyone across the globe can attest to going through ..read more

In recent weeks, many of us are experiencing strong emotions related to the growing concerns over COVID-19. Every day seems to bring more reports of confirmed cases and that number continues to rise according to the California Department of Public Health. We are advised to practice social distancing, wear Personal Protective Equipment when we are outside, and have been told we are “safer at home” rather than in our general surroundings. Because of this, many businesses have temporarily (or unfortunately, in some cases, permanently) closed, whilst others have had to introduce things like shield ..read more

When it comes to anger, one difference that many people overlook is that of sex: men and women express anger differently.  From childhood, girls are discouraged from expressing their anger outwardly and physically. Due to this and a number of other circumstances, anger is often misdirected in malicious ways such as passive-aggressive behavior including the silent treatment, gossiping, and starting rumors about others. Because women are perceived in many societies to play the role of a caregiver, a nurturing person, and a loving individual, they are often socialized not to express their an ..read more

Understanding and Managing Teenage Anger: A Guide for Parents Addressing a teenager’s anger as a parent can be difficult. Navigating this often turbulent time can be smoother by being aware of contributing factors, symptoms, and practical strategies. The part of the teenage brain responsible for impulse control and decision-making is still developing and not fully formed. Hormonal fluctuations combined with brain development might lead to annoyance and anxiety that may be expressed as anger.   Teenage anger is a complicated and multifaceted problem that is impacted by a number of fac ..read more

by Emma Ekum, LMFT Though there are several factors that can contribute to anger management problems, lack of quality sleep is one that often goes unacknowledged. It is recommended that we get consistently 7-9 hours of sleep. Did you know that if you get 4-5 hours of sleep each night, you are more likely to experience feelings of lower self-esteem, stress, anxiety or depression? When you are not well-rested, your stress threshold lowers, leaving you more easily overwhelmed, and susceptible to irritability. The amygdala is a part of our brain that regulates our emotions. The prefrontal cortex i ..read more

Costs for court-ordered and probation-ordered services are often on one’s mind when being asked to complete an anger management program. The fee to anger management classes will vary depending on location, number of participants in the group, the educational degree and experience of the facilitator or counselor, and whether an agency is receiving federal, state or local funding to cover costs.  In general, there is an initial assessment fee which includes an enrollment plus half hour to one hour of 1:1 time with the counselor. This process includes an assessment for one’s baseline when en ..read more

Children and teens are spending an alarming amount of time online, and with life coming to a slow down in so many parts of the world again, the possibility of putting a plausible pause on this time does not look possible. Also, children are cooped up in their homes, having less to almost none physical outlet to channelize their energies and frustration. They are bored, disengaged and confused because of the huge changes that the Covid brought into out lives. These are just some of the factors why we see a huge increase in cyber bullying.  Apart from online classrooms, a hotbed for cyberbu ..read more

Rethink Vacationing and Envision a Staycation By: Destiny Johnson Since the pandemic began opportunities for travel have decreased. There have been many rescheduled or postponed vacations with individuals hoping for the end of COVID – 19. Many travel bans, restricted booking, and vaccine mandates resulted in many canceled flights, cruises, and vacations. The devastating effects of COVID-19 and all its variations I’m sure has many individuals wondering when traveling and vacationing will be able to happen. Now that the pandemic has lasted longer than anticipated, should we rethink vacationing w ..read more