EMDR is gaining recognition for its effectiveness in treating unresolved trauma that manifests as anger and explosiveness, often linked to Intermittent Explosive Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Traditional talk therapies may not fully address the deep-seated emotions and bodily sensations tied to negative thoughts stemming from early, preverbal life events that are thought to underpin these disorders. Anger issues often originate from adverse childhood experiences. While anger management techniques and other cognitive-behavioral tools are beneficial, they primarily help manage symptoms without addressing the underlying triggers of such intense reactions.
In EMDR therapy, the focus shifts from symptom management to uncovering and addressing the root causes of emotional distress. The essential trauma-informed question becomes: “What happened to you?” This approach aims to explore the origins of emotional reactions rather than just creating strategies to manage them.
Consider this scenario used in EMDR training to illustrate a shift in therapeutic approach: A father becomes enraged when his children do not follow instructions. Instead of immediately turning to anger management strategies, the therapy explores his internal narrative during these moments. He reveals that he feels “unimportant” and “invisible,” emotions that echo his childhood experiences as an overshadowed younger sibling.
The therapy then focuses on these poignant childhood memories of feeling neglected, which are actively influencing his current reactions. Alongside addressing these memories, the therapy might incorporate psychoeducation about anger and its management to support the development of more adaptive behaviors. However, the primary goal remains healing the traumatic experiences from his past, enabling him to engage more positively and effectively with his children in the present.
All emotions play a crucial role in healing, particularly when it comes to processing trauma. For survivors of childhood trauma, the progression from feelings of anxiety and terror to anger can be a sign of healthy emotional recovery. Often, children are either incapable of expressing anger due to the risk involved, or they are actively suppressed by caregivers or perpetrators from showing any negative emotions, sometimes even being forced to mask their true feelings.
It’s not unusual for those who have endured severe abuse to be commanded not to cry, show displeasure, or even to pretend to enjoy what was happening to them. Adult survivors might also encounter societal pressures to “move on” from their trauma without truly addressing it. There’s a saying in therapy, possibly derived from Alcoholics Anonymous, that emphasizes the importance of allowing oneself to “feel my feels.”
Another common expression is, “when you are feeling, you are healing,” underscoring the therapeutic value of experiencing and processing emotions. Working with a therapist who can foster a sense of safety can help unlock and address the full spectrum of emotions that were present during the traumatic events. Our brains are naturally inclined towards healing and can process a range of emotions from anger and sadness to terror, each integral to recovery.
Some highly skilled EMDR therapists such as Katie O’Shea utilize the brain’s ability to imagine in order to heal anger effectively and safely. She and colleague Sandra Paulsen Ph.D. developed extensive preverbal interventions tapping in to our essential emotional circuits to meet developmental needs in the expression of emotions and heal traumatic preverbal memories in When There Are No Words: Repairing Early Trauma and Neglect From the Attachment Period With EMDR Therapy. (2017)
From this seminal work, Katie developed this approach to resolving anger issues, summarized in her 2008 & 2009 presentations of “Anger, Imagination and EMDR” EMDR Europe, June, ’08: EMDR Canada, May, ‘09 Just Because You Could, Doesn’t Mean You Would All about Anger Katie O’Shea, MS, LMHC EMDR Europe, June, ’08: EMDR Canada, May, ‘09
However, remaining perpetually angry is not indicative of healing but rather suggests that an individual is stuck in that emotional state. Trauma often involves significant loss and grief, which are natural but need to be processed thoroughly. There’s no set timetable for how long one should feel angry or any emotion; the goal is to work through these feelings to achieve a healthier, more adaptive state.
Regarding a high school psychology project, focusing on PTSD rather than just anger management might offer a broader understanding of emotional responses to trauma. Anger is often a secondary emotion, arising from deeper issues such as fear, loss of control, or deep-seated trauma. While anger management focuses primarily on controlling symptoms, a project on PTSD could explore comprehensive treatment approaches that address the root causes of emotional distress, encompassing cognitive, emotional, and physiological aspects of the individual’s experience.
Resources:
- O’Shea, Katie (2008) Anger, Imagination and EMDR Just Because You Could, Doesn’t Mean You Would & (2009) All about Anger Conference Presentations
- O’Shea, Katie PDF. (2016) Katie’s Client Handout: Feelings: Why We Have Them and What To Do With Them
Bonnie Mikelson LISW
