Anger and Emotional Regulation
Challenge
Does your child throw tantrums and is well past toddler stage?
Does your child constantly overreact or seemingly have a short fuse?
Are they seemingly unable to control their emotions when overwhelmed?
Is your child’s anger getting them into trouble at school, home or with the law?
Learning to self-regulate is a key milestone in child development and these foundations are laid in the earliest years of life. A child’s capacity to emotionally self-regulate affects their family and peer relationships, academic performance and long-term mental health. When a child struggles to control their intense emotions such as anger, frustration, fear or distress — parents can feel worried about setting off their fuse. It can be a frightening and exhausting experience for any parent, and typically the child does not want to feel or react in this way. Fortunately, there are solutions to help children express themselves in a healthy and collected manner.
Options
Choosing to seek help during this time is understandable, as trying to support your child can be difficult and confusing. It is a situation that can be particularly challenging for families and loved ones — even more so for the child themselves. While it is important that you continue to support and love them, we are here to take a bit of that weight of confusion and distress off of your shoulders. Know that whatever your child is going through, there is hope.
There are effective, evidence-based treatments for dealing with emotional regulation and anger issues. At Northside Psychology, there is a lot we can do to support, guide and assist you and your child, to improve their ability to cope, regulate their emotions, and aim to overcome these problems with time. Therapies can include ACT, CBT, EMDR, mindfulness, relaxation, home exercises, and psychoeducation, in an age appropriate way. Family therapy is also a very good way of dealing with these issues as a group rather than just as individuals. Please don't hesitate to reach out regarding your own mental health if these issues are beginning to weigh heavily on you, too.