Therapy for Anger and Emotion Regulation

Let's face it… we've all been angry before, and we have probably all "overreacted" to something, or someone, that has made us angry. However, some people have a harder time controlling their anger and/or other emotions. Anger, and similar emotions such as frustration and irritability, can get in the way of everyday life. You may find yourself becoming easily frustrated or annoyed with others. You might often get in arguments with others or lash out, and you may even feel like becoming physical or fighting with those around you. Others might describe you as "hot-headed" or "quick-to-anger". You may even act impulsively on your anger.

If you are a parent/guardian looking for support for your child/teen, you may describe them as "hot-headed" or "quick-to-anger". They may argue with you frequently. They may go from 0 to 100 very quickly, sometimes without warning. You may feel like you're "walking on eggshells" and they may be irritable or seem prone to becoming angry. Some children and teens may even become physically aggressive (like hitting, kicking, throwing things) or damage their surroundings. Many parents tell me that they're feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and/or worried by their child or teen's anger problems.

Therapy for Anger Management and Emotion Regulation

Whether you are looking for support in managing your own anger or for support for your child/teen, I can help you or your child/teen learn skills to manage anger. People often assume that anger is a personal failing or an emotion to be avoided, which can be stressful and actually make anger worse. I focus on helping my clients understand their anger, validate anger when it's justified, challenge anger when it doesn't fit the situation, and learn skills to control anger. We will focus on controlling behavior and actions when angry, which may even involve practicing during or between sessions. As a result, you will feel more in-control of your anger and you'll have a healthier relationship with it. For parents/guardians who are seeking therapy for their child/teen, I will also help you learn skills to support your child/teen in controlling their anger. Having parent support can be extremely helpful for children and teens who are learning to control their anger.

Emotion regulation goes beyond anger and includes your ability to control the wide range of emotions and responses we experience as humans. Emotion dysregulation is difficulty controlling one's emotions and responses. I often work with clients of all ages in learning skills to identify their emotions, understand their cause, and learn skills to control or regulate their emotions. I enjoy teaching emotion regulation skills across the lifespan and take a warm, non-judgmental, and direct approach. I use a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to treat older children, teens, and adults who are learning to control their emotions.

Where do I start?

Are you ready to get started with anger management or emotion regulation for yourself or your child/teen? Fill out this form to request an appointment. Contact me if you have more questions or want to discuss services.

  • Trouble controlling anger and emotions is linked to many different disorders, and there is no one cause of problems with anger management and emotion regulation. There is no single "anger" disorder. Several disorders that can make it harder to control anger and emotions are:

    • ADHD: ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder and is commonly known for causing difficulties with concentration, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The same regions of your brain that are affected by ADHD also play a role in controlling emotions, including anger. As a result, many, but not all, people with ADHD also have trouble controlling their emotions and responses. 

    • Depression: Depression is a mood disorder and most commonly associated with a depressed mood. However, depression can also make people feel irritable, or quick to anger, especially among children and teenagers. 

    • Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD): DMDD is a mood disorder in children and teens. Children/teens with DMDD have frequent tantrums or outbursts and appear irritable, moody, or angry between the outbursts. Tantrums/outbursts are severe, out-of-proportion to the child/teen's age and the situation, and interrupt daily life. 

    • Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD): ODD and CD are disruptive behavior disorders and are childhood/adolescent disorders. Children/teens with ODD or CD may often break rules, argue with authority figures, defy others, have tantrums/meltdowns, and may often appear angry or irritable. 

    • Stress: Stress can make it harder to control our emotions. Stress can trigger our body’s “fight-or-flight” response, which can make us more likely to perceive situations as threatening and then act out of anger. When we’re stressed, we are also more likely to feel tired or exhausted, which can also make it harder to control our emotions.

    This list does not include all of the disorders that have been linked to anger. I have experience in treating anger and emotion dysregulation associated with all of these disorders. Oftentimes, treatment is similar regardless of what the diagnosis or "label" is. Together, we will create a treatment plan that fits your goals and needs.

  • I and my colleagues at Richmond Family Psychology are committed to providing trusted information on mental health topics, including anger and emotion regulation. We frequently post information on our blog about topics such as anger. You can also learn more from trusted organizations, such as ABCT. 

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the leading psychotherapies and is used to treat a range of mental health concerns. CBT focuses on the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and actions/behaviors. Because changing feelings, such as anger, by themselves is often challenging, CBT focuses on how to change your thoughts and behaviors to change your feelings.

    During CBT, we will work together to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and then create more helpful thoughts and behaviors. This can result in fewer uncomfortable feelings, such as anger, and an increase in desired feelings, such as happiness and calm. With practice over time, this can reduce uncomfortable and hard-to-manage feelings such as anger.


    Learn more about CBT here.

  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on helping youth and adults manage intense emotions, reduce self-destructive behaviors, and improve relationships. It was originally developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan to treat folks with borderline personality disorder, but it has since been adapted for many other conditions involving emotion regulation challenges, such as depression, anxiety, trauma-related disorders, and substance use concerns. 

    DBT helps people build the skills needed to tolerate distress, manage their emotions and behaviors, and interact more effectively with others. This approach combines principles of both acceptance and change. In practice, this means that people recognize their current circumstances and also work towards meaningful change. The term “dialectical” refers to the concept that two seemingly opposite ideas can both be true at the same time, such as “I am doing the best I can, and I can do better.” The dialectical perspective is especially important because many people with difficulties managing emotions can fall into an extreme way of thinking, like "people are all good or all bad." Extreme thinking patterns can cause emotions to intensify and become more difficult to cope with, which can in turn cause people to act in harmful ways to try to manage their emotions. In DBT, people learn to embrace both acceptance and change.


    Please note: I do not provide comprehensive DBT services (e.g., phone coaching).