Cincinnati Therapist Discusses Harnessing Anger: The Polyvagal Theory in Action
Anger is a fascinating and complex emotion that is a personal favorite of mine to work with. As fascinating as I find it, many vilify this extremely important emotion. Understanding anger from a polyvagal perspective helped me to change my relationship with this often misunderstood and maligned, universally experienced emotion.
The number of reasons that give rise to anger can only be rivaled by the number of amateurish, low-budget horror movies on Tubi. However, it generally boils down to feeling threatened, provoked, having your boundaries violated, or goals blocked by someone or something.
From a polyvagal lens, anger is most commonly associated with the fight sympathetic state of the autonomic nervous system. Many of the physiological and psychological changes that occur once adrenaline and cortisol hit our bloodstream create what we usually think of when we are angry, raging, or “hulking out.”
The sympathetic nervous system is in charge of your fight-or-flight response. It signals important stations in your body to release adrenaline and noradrenaline. These chemicals ignite an explosive chain reaction resulting in increased heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and breathing rate. Additionally, blood flow is redirected from your core to your arms and legs, preparing them to punch or kick whatever is threatening your objective or sense of safety. Common impulses associated with the fight state and anger include taking up space or raising one’s voice.
Psychologically, a fight state produces shifts in our thoughts. We may become fixed on blaming others, judging, and ruminating on the person or situation that triggered the anger.
Anger isn’t just something that happens in our brain. It starts in our bodies—in our muscles, our breaths, our heartbeat, and our faces. Yet, anger can be something we tend to either avoid out of fear or relish in the power it bestows. Many of us often go on autopilot, not realizing the origin of these feelings, let alone knowing how to discharge the energy safely.
Beneath the conscious level, the experience of anger is the felt emotional experience of sympathetic fight energy. That fight energy is there for a reason. It needs us to pay attention to it with compassion, get curious about it, and discharge it with intention.
Below are some helpful ways I’ve used to acknowledge my fight state and harness that aggressive energy in a healthy and constructive way:
Push against a sturdy wall until your body doesn't want to push anymore or gets fatigued.
Clench your fists and feel the tension until they naturally want to unclench.
Twist up a towel or cloth and wring it out aggressively.
Start shaking your body vigorously. Allow your arms, legs, and torso to move freely. Shake for a few minutes, focusing on the sensation of release.
Slowly move your facial muscles in and out of a "scream" face.
These practices can help in acknowledging and managing anger, allowing the body to discharge the built-up energy in a controlled and safe manner. Understanding and harnessing anger through the polyvagal theory can transform our relationship with this powerful emotion, enabling us to respond with greater awareness and compassion..
If you are interested in exploring the power of counseling, whether individual or as a couple, Rooted Compassion, has immediate openings!
The Rooted Compassion team is made up of a group of counselors who have a variety of specialties in order to best serve our clients. We recognize that every person has his/her own personal and unique life experiences and that one modality will not work for every client. Listed below is a summary of our counselors’ specialties at Rooted Compassion:
Polyvagal Theory/Nervous System Focused Therapy
Trauma Responsive Care Techniques
Grief Counseling
Somatic Focused Counseling
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Practices
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Drama Therapy/Expressive Arts
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Rooted Compassion Counseling is Ohio’s leading practice for trauma therapy through the lens of the nervous system. Our focus is to walk alongside clients as they heal from depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and/or loss. If you or someone you know are seeking to explore and build an inner sense of calm and safety, please contact us today. We would love to help you to find a counselor and counseling techniques that will guide you on your mental health journey to healing.
