Before I can describe how hypnotherapy for anger works, we need to define what exactly is anger?
What is anger?
Anger is an emotion characterised by antagonism towards someone, or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong.
As an emotion anger is something we give and receive. To others - and ourselves.
And this is part of the problem with anger. By its very nature we shift attention to others. So angry people don’t think they need therapy. They can’t see it. Hence expressions like blind rage, red mist. It’s not clear what’s going on. But the most likely feeling is it’s someone else’s fault. You’re not taking responsibility and owning your emotion.
This is what needs changing. BUT you have to be aware first that something needs to change.
Anger. What lies beneath?
Anger is often a secondary emotion. This means it can be a reaction to or a way of masking other, more vulnerable emotions. These underlying primary emotions can include:
. Hurt
. Fear
. Frustration
. Sadness
. Shame
What anger is doing is shielding us from feeling the pain associated with these primary emotions - making us ‘feel’ less vulnerable.
How does anger damage you?
Physically you strain your body. Anger ramps up your blood pressure and heart rate. Long term this can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. A study found that heart attacks are more than twice as likely within two hours of an anger outburst.
And you damage your brain. Prolonged anger can damage brain cells, particularly in areas associated with judgment and memory.
Your gut also takes a beating. Anger can trigger gastrointestinal issues like discomfort, malabsorption, and even loss of appetite.
You feel it too. Uncontrolled anger can also lead to muscle tension, headaches, and skin problems.
Mentally, with anger, long term, you risk depression, anxiety, and even self-harm.
More specifically:
You risk relationship damage. You hurt those closest to you. Excessive anger can lead to arguments, conflict, and strained relationships.
Work becomes hard. Colleagues avoid you if you have trouble expressing yourself. No one likes fellow workers who ‘make a scene’ or are intimidating.
You damage your self-esteem. Often with anger it becomes harder to take care of yourself. You can start to think, “What’s the point?”
What is hypnotherapy?
Put simply it’s me ‘talking’ to your subconscious mind.
The subconscious mind is responsible for almost everything we do and for all ‘automated’ behaviour.
Habits, behaviours, self-sabotage, phobias, low mood, and self-doubt all feel like they happen ‘to’ us, but they don’t.
Our subconscious mind creates what we experience, and you can learn to change that.
And hypnotherapy can help you speed up those changes by work directly with the subconscious and bypass any limiting belief
In real terms it means you are only ever one thought away from a totally different experience and life path.
Your past experience does not define your future and hypnotherapy shows you how to ‘reprogramme’ the subconscious mind for a calmer life.
That’s why I call my business The Gentle Mind - you’re a better version of yourself when you’re calmer.
Hypnotherapy for anger. How does it work?
Hypnotherapy for anger is a calm way to wander around all your thinking and look at your thoughts feelings and behaviours in a dispassionate way.
Then we can go to work on what exactly leaves you out of sorts. What’s fuelling your anger.
During a hypnotherapy session for anger, you'll be guided into a state of deep relaxation, where your mind will be more open to suggestion.
Together we can look at:
Understanding the triggers. Hypnotherapy helps you understand the underlying reasons and triggers for your anger, the we can develop coping strategies.
Developing Positive Thinking. By reprogramming the subconscious mind, hypnotherapy helps you develop more positive and constructive ways of thinking and reacting to situations that may have triggered anger in the past.
Improving Emotional Regulation. Hypnotherapy for anger helps you learn to manage your emotions, particularly anger, more effectively.
Building Assertiveness. We can work on role modelling situations where you know you need to express your opinions in a healthier and more assertive manner, reducing the need to express anger in destructive ways. This replaces any poor communication skills related to your anger.
Reducing Stress. Hypnotherapy helps you dial down your overall stress levels. In many cases this is a major contributing factor to anger.
Strengthening Coping Mechanisms. Hypnotherapy for anger can reinforce your existing coping mechanisms and develop new ones at the deepest level. So you can react to triggers with a measured response instead of impulsive anger. No harm done.
Improving Relationships. By managing anger more effectively, you can improve communication and build healthier relationships.
Hypnotherapy for anger. When you need to be ‘angry.’
No, I’m not turning you into The Hulk. It would probably be better described as focused aggression. Getting you ‘up for it.’
This is usually when I’m working with sports people. You know you have to give it absolutely everything in, say, the last 250 meters of a rowing race, the final lap of an athletic event, get yourself ‘angry’ before a game of rugby to match your opponent’s aggression, or to focus your power before a kick boxing contest.
We can work on turning this ‘on’ when you need it.
Let’s talk. Calmly.
I’m James Thomas. A Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist. I’ve worked with people who have been angry for all sorts of reasons.
Abuse, neglect, self-esteem, a bad childhood, carry a sense of injustice, know no other way, to name but a few.
Feel free to contact me at jamesthomas@thegentlemind.co.uk or call me on 07787563099.
I have rooms in Leeds, Harrogate, York, Lincoln and Louth.
