Photo of Alexander Gorodetsky, Licensed Professional Counselor in Reston, VA
Alexander Gorodetsky
Licensed Professional Counselor, MA, LPC
Verified Verified
Reston, VA 20190
As children, we are learning from interactions with our parents who we are and how to fit into the world around us. After we leave home, we become our own parents as we continue to learn about ourselves and how to find our own place in life. And when we have families of our own, we are now parents both for our children and for ourselves, as we continue to understand more about who we are. I provide a warm, empathic and accepting environment where you can explore your current life challenges, as well as address past issues that impact your everyday life.
As children, we are learning from interactions with our parents who we are and how to fit into the world around us. After we leave home, we become our own parents as we continue to learn about ourselves and how to find our own place in life. And when we have families of our own, we are now parents both for our children and for ourselves, as we continue to understand more about who we are. I provide a warm, empathic and accepting environment where you can explore your current life challenges, as well as address past issues that impact your everyday life.
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Anger Management Therapists

How long does therapy take for anger management?

Treatment duration depends on the person’s specific challenges and circumstances. There are treatments for anger problems that are shorter and more goal-oriented, like Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), which can last weeks to months. Others, like Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) may last between six months and a year, while a more intensive treatment, like psychodynamic therapy, is open-ended, and clients may see their therapist for a year or longer.

How do you know if you need therapy for anger management?

Everyone gets mad from time to time. But when angry outbursts become frequent and cause damage to relationships, whether at home or in the office, it may be a good time to look into therapy. A therapist can assess where a client’s anger may be coming from, suggest strategies for averting angry outbursts, and help a client create a plan to become a calmer version of themselves.

Is there medication for anger management?

Medications do exist that help people mitigate the feeling of anger, but these are reserved for people with anger-related psychiatric disorders, such as intermittent explosive disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, or in some cases borderline personality disorder. In these cases, antidepressant medications may be prescribed to help with the client’s symptoms. In most cases of anger management, however, talk therapy is the recommended treatment, along with lifestyle changes where relevant.

What’s the best way to encourage someone to seek help for anger issues?

It’s helpful to express your concern and love for the person while framing therapy as a tool for improving their life. Offering specific examples of how an individual’s behavior affected either themselves or others should be done with compassion and with empathy. It may be useful to devise a game plan—breaking the process down into parts, such as finding a therapist, making appointments, and looking into insurance coverage.