Are you afraid of your anger?

As a member of the LGBTQ community, we have experienced anger because we are likely to have experienced discrimination.  It comes with the territory.

Many people fear their anger, and these are four myths why -   

1. We believe that feeling anger is wrong.  This is a myth.  It is actually okay to feel anger, anytime, anywhere.  It doesn’t mean you have to act on it
2. We believe we don't get angry.  I call BS.  We all get angry, we are just aware of it to differing degrees.  It is important to be aware of our anger, and the cause of it. Otherwise it might leak out in passive-aggressive behaviour
3. If we express our anger, we will lose a friend or loved one.  Another myth.  If you have to communicate your anger, and you do so assertively (rather than aggressively or passively), it might be an opportunity for the other person to understand what is going on for you.  It is a fair thing to do.  It is a little unfair if they never know how they are impacting you
4. If we let the anger out, we will be unleashing a danger on the world.  It is not worth the risk.  As you can guess, this is another myth.  Don’t assume there will be disagreement, confrontation, and heartache.  Sometimes, once you have assertively communicated your experiences and needs, this offers an opportunity for connection with the other person. Your relationship might evolve for the better

Chris Warren-Dickins LPC specializes in psychotherapy for the LGBTQ+ community, and adolescents.  Read more about his work on this page.
His office is located in downtown Ridgewood at 162 E Ridgewood Avenue, Suite 4B, Ridgewood, NJ 07450.  
Easy online booking is available by clicking here. Or feel free to call or email him 201-779-6917 / chris@exploretransform.com