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Child and Teen Anger Management Therapy

Helping Your Child Manage Anger Constructively

Watching your child or teen struggle with anger, behavioral issues, or outbursts can be overwhelming, and it can be equally difficult for your loved ones to manage their emotions effectively and find resolution.

At Start My Wellness, our trained therapists are equipped to provide personalized support for your child, helping them gain emotional intelligence, improve communication skills, and reduce outbursts. We work with families across Southeast Michigan to help young people develop constructive ways to express their emotions and thrive in their personal lives.

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Child and Teen Anger Management Therapy Goals

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Improve Emotional Regulation

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Learn Constructive Coping Strategies

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Recognize Triggers

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Reduce Symptoms of Anxiety & Depression

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Improve Communication

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Learn Problem-Solving Skills

Child and Teen Anger Management Therapy at Start My Wellness

Anger is a powerful emotion that, when properly managed, can serve as a protective response to injustice or frustration. However, when expressed out of context, anger can lead to conflict and create division, especially for children and teens who may not yet have the tools to manage it.

Child and teen anger management helps young people recognize and respond to their emotions in healthy, constructive ways. Therapy is personalized to the child’s unique needs, and age-appropriate language and activities are applied to allow young people to express themselves naturally. For younger children, the process can involve play therapy or role-playing to express their feelings under the guidance of a trained mental health professional. For older children, therapy may reflect techniques applied in adult therapy, such as mindfulness training, recognizing triggers, learning problem-solving strategies to use in real-life scenarios, and identifying emotions.

The purpose of anger management therapy is not to remove or downplay feelings of anger but to provide individuals with the tools to recognize and manage intense emotions. Additionally, by helping young people become more autonomous and self-sufficient, therapy offers strategies to improve self-esteem, confidence, and resilience to emotional stress, leading to long-term improvements in overall quality of life.

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How Child Anger Management Therapy Can Help

Children have all types of needs. Some of the more common problems we address include:

Behavior Problems

Defiance or Anger Problems

Self-Esteem Problems

Social Problems

Loss and Grief

Depression

Mood Problems

Problems Making Friends

Problems Maintaining Attention

Anxiety

Coping with Trauma

Non-Specific Problems

Benefits of Child Anger Management Therapy: Building Healthier Emotional Habits for the Future

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Improved Emotional Regulation

Children and teens learn how to identify, understand, and manage emotions and triggers that contribute to anger, anxiety, or feelings of loss of control.

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Enhanced Self-Esteem

In therapy, children and teens learn to manage their emotions and behaviors, giving them more autonomy and feelings of being in control. This mastery provides a basis for increased confidence, self-esteem, and emotional resilience.

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Better Communication Skills

Children and teens learn to understand their emotions better and effectively communicate their feelings to others. Additionally, they learn assertiveness and how to set boundaries to protect their autonomy while respecting others.

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Improved Problem-Solving Abilities

By learning to constructively approach difficult situations or emotions, children and teens gain the skills to work through tough environments and manage triggers in real time.

Our Our Licensed Child Therapists

Karelyn Dippel, LLMSW

Therapist

Specialties

Type of Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Family Therapy

Patient Population

Adults, Families, Kids, Teens

Issue Focus

Academic / Career, Grief and Loss, LGBTQIA+, PTSD / Trauma, Relationships

Insurance Accepted

Aetna, BCBS, Priority Health, Self Pay

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Elizabeth Kjar, M.ed, LLMSW

Therapist

Specialties

Type of Therapy

Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Psychoanalytic / Psychodynamic Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Related Empowerment Therapy

Patient Population

Adults, Families, Kids, Teens

Issue Focus

Academic / Career, ADHD, Anxiety / Depression, BIPOC, Grief and Loss, Life Transitions, Mood Disorders, Personal Empowerment, PTSD / Trauma, Relationships, Self-Esteem, Substance Abuse, Thought Disorders

Insurance Accepted

Aetna, BCBS, Priority Health, Self Pay

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Anton Babushkin, PhD, LMSW

Therapist / CEO

Specialties

Type of Therapy

Psychoanalytic / Psychodynamic Therapy

Patient Population

Adults, Families, Kids

Issue Focus

Academic / Career, Anxiety / Depression, Relationships

Insurance Accepted

Aetna, Blue Care Network, BCBS, Priority Health, Self Pay

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Claudia Cacciato, LMSW, CAADC

Therapist

Specialties

Type of Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Humanistic Therapy, Psychoanalytic / Psychodynamic Therapy, Strength-Based Therapy

Patient Population

Adults, Families, Teens

Issue Focus

Academic / Career, Anxiety / Depression, Codependency, Chronic Illness, Grief and Loss, LGBTQIA+, Life Transitions, Personal Empowerment, PTSD / Trauma, Relationships, Self-Esteem, Thought Disorders

Insurance Accepted

Aetna, Blue Care Network, BCBS, Priority Health, Self Pay

Read Full Bio +

Make an Appointment

To get started with Start My Wellness, schedule an appointment online or call 248-514-4955. During the scheduling process, we will ask questions to match you with the therapist who will best meet your needs including service type, emotional symptoms and availability.

Call (248) 514-4955

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Schedule Appointment Online

Frequently Asked Questions About Child Anger Management Therapy

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How to Help My Child Manage Their Anger?

Helping children address anger and intense emotions takes time and practice, and the first step is to model calm, respectful behavior to demonstrate healthy ways of expressing feelings. This may be difficult at times, particularly in the heat of the moment. Nevertheless, children see you as a role model and will look to you for cues on how to act and respond when they feel out of control. Setting boundaries, using positive reinforcement to encourage respectful interactions, and using games to role-play scenarios can further help reinforce constructive communication. Working with a trained therapist can also provide tools and strategies to help your child manage anger.

How to Get an Angry Child to Listen?

When anyone, including a child, is angry, getting them to focus or listen will be difficult. Start by modeling calm behavior yourself and acknowledge their feelings without dismissing them. Anger often builds on anger, and providing a foundation of emotional equilibrium allows for a constructive conversation to take place.

Often, when a child refuses to listen, they want to be heard. It’s essential to give them respect and autonomy by listening to what they have to say, and if they continue to act out, wait for them to calm down or change their environment or distract them with a neutral activity so that the anger can diffuse.

Why is My Child So Angry All the Time?

Persistent anger can come from a variety of sources, and often it’s a response to anxiety, depression, or feeling like one has no control over their environment. Externalizing behaviors such as outbursts provide temporary feelings of control, which can help address intense emotions even though these outbursts often exacerbate emotions. The root causes can stem from many sources, including school, bullying, frustration, or irritability stemming from depression. A therapist can help identify emotional triggers contributing to anger and develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses specific emotional triggers.

How to Redirect a Child’s Anger?

Redirecting a child’s anger involves helping them channel their emotions into positive or neutral activities. For example, anger often creates physical symptoms such as a higher heart rate and increased blood flow. Having your child participate in physical activities allows them to channel their physical energy and emotionally charged state into something fun and constructive. Providing children and teens with creative outlets for letting off steam, expressing their feelings, or engaging in problem-solving skills provides a strategy for coping with anger and other intense emotions. What appears not to help is providing a substitute target for a child’s anger, such as using a punching bag or stuffed animal to direct a child’s anger away from a sibling or peer. Physical activity should be a positive, fun activity.

What Happens in Child Anger Management Sessions?

In child anger management sessions, children work in a safe, supportive environment to understand their anger, develop emotional regulation skills, and practice healthy ways to express feelings. Depending on the child’s age, sessions can include a mix of traditional talk therapy, play therapy, and creative expression. Parents often play a more active role in sessions for younger children, while teens may prefer more autonomy. Sessions for younger children may also be shorter to account for their attention spans, with an additional collateral session with the parent to fill the remaining time.

Should I Be Directly Involved in Therapy Sessions as a Parent?

In some cases, parents may be directly involved in therapy, which is influenced primarily by the child’s developmental level and type of treatment. Younger children benefit from parents being involved directly in sessions, while older teenagers may prefer some level of autonomy in their sessions. In some cases, play therapists may help parents develop skills in playing with their children

Some therapists may also recommend Parent Management Training (PMT), where parents learn constructive strategies to respond to undesirable behavior and reinforce positive behaviors.

As a Parent, How Can I Help My Child Outside of Therapy?

A critical aspect of child therapy is collateral sessions where parents discuss their child’s progress and the therapeutic strategies learned. Parents can offer the greatest support by reinforcing these lessons at home and continuously monitoring their children’s progress, as parents are their children’s biggest allies and the most aware of emotional or behavioral changes. Additionally, parents can look into Parent Management Training to learn constructive strategies for interacting with and helping children manage intense emotions.

Can Family Be Involved in Child Anger Management Therapy?

Family therapy is commonly used in conjunction with child therapy, including anger management, to reinforce education across the household, address family relationship issues that may be contributing to a child’s challenges, and improve treatment effectiveness.

What Are Some Types of Child Coping Skills Learned in Anger Management?

A significant aspect of anger management is teaching children and teens effective ways to respond to emotional triggers and manage intense emotions. Some of the most popular coping skills include:

Role-Playing exercises to act out actions and consequences
Playing with dolls or soldiers to act out aggressive scenarios
Deep breathing Exercises
Mindfulness meditation
Identifying and naming triggers
Distraction techniques
Communicating using “I” statements