Overview

Anger is a normal, typical feeling. We all feel angry at times. But have you ever thought about how anger can affect an individual without any healthy management strategies? It might motivate us sometimes to take action, but it can also get us into a lot of problems. 

This normal emotion might start to become an anger issue if you notice that you easily get frustrated and angry. These frequent bursts of anger can leave a lasting impact on our lives, influencing our thoughts, relationships, decisions and overall well-being. Therefore, understanding why managing anger matters is key, and definitely helps an individual to handle tough situations better and keep their mind clear and calm.

According to Erin Engle, PsyD, a psychologist at Columbia University of Medical Center, “Anger management therapy aims to reduce stress and minimise situations that trigger anger, enhance self-control, and promote the healthy expression of emotions.¹ Although there are many strategies available to help people manage anger issues, in this article, we will focus specifically on the transformative approach of play therapy.

Definition of play therapy

Play therapy is a therapeutic approach that utilises play-based activities to help individuals, particularly children, to address their feelings of anger in a safe and supportive environment.² This constitutes techniques such as games, art, role-playing, and storytelling. It is most effective when the therapist builds a trusting relationship with an individual, allowing them to freely express their thoughts and emotions, whether positive or negative.

Significance of play therapy

1. Demonstrating emotions: Through play, people find a non-verbal way to express their emotions like anger. This automatically enables the therapist to tailor the activities accordingly in order to explore the anger issues with the person they are working with.. Engaging in these activities is usually considered safe and non-threatening
2. Expanding coping skills: Coping skills are essential tools that individuals can utilise to effectively manage their anger and respond to challenging situations more appropriately. Therapists can employ guided play interventions to teach the person emotional awareness, assertive communication, and problem-solving skills.⁴ All these tasks and activities allow an individual to relearn and reframe negative thought patterns and reduce their sensitivity to anger
3. Building strong therapeutic bonds: This serves to be a fundamental concept which provides a safe space for individuals to explore and express their feelings of anger. Through these activities, individuals develop trust and rapport with their therapists, thus making it simpler for them to talk about how they actually feel and work together to handle their anger issues in a better way
4. Emotions adjustment: Individuals tend to learn to understand and control their emotions, especially emotions such as anger. Play activities often figure out what actually went wrong, what triggers the individuals, and importantly, how their body reacts in response. The most common activity includes squeezing stress balls to tackle with anger, thus making an individual more relaxed and handling their anger safely⁵

Types of play therapy techniques

• Looking at anger management toys: This therapy technique is usually beneficial for children dealing with anger and related issues.⁶ It is designed to provide comfort and soothing sensations during moments of anger or distress. Examples include punching bags or squeezing stress balls
• Sand play: Engaging in sand play can facilitate creative expressions and imagination which automatically calm the nervous system. Feeling calm and relaxed can mean that someone is able to process past traumas or experiences which might contribute to anger. By understanding the role that those past experiences have had in their struggles with anger, the person may be able to adopt different thoughts or behavioural responses
• Card games: Card games encourage communication, involving setting goals and working towards achieving them. This incorporates a structured way to manage anger by promoting distraction and emotional expressions as well
• Hide-and-seek: Games such as hide-and-seek are an effective and enjoyable way especially for children to manage their anger and related issues This fosters a sense of teamwork, problem-solving capacities, and social interaction, which ultimately promotes emotional wellbeing
• Using building blocks: It is the most common activity that allows individuals to indulge themselves in physical activities and redirect their attention. Construction can bring a sense of satisfaction and achievement, which can counter difficult emotions that may connect to anger management difficulties
• Narrative play therapy: This involves narrating stories around anger-related situations which definitely helps an individual to release tension, explore different perspectives, and gain a feeling of control over their emotions and behavior⁷
• Anger journal: Here, a journal notebook is given to the person in therapy where they can express their feelings via writing or drawing their experiences with anger. This provides a space where they can express their feelings privately and without inhibitions. The journal can also be brought to therapy sessions for their entries to prompt discussions with their therapist about the thoughts and feelings they have coped with since their last therapy session

Role of the therapist

The therapist plays a central and crucial role in play therapy, facilitating the person’s journey towards understanding, managing, and ultimately transforming their relationship with anger. Here is what the person accessing therapy can expect from the therapist:⁸

1. They create a safe, calm, welcoming, and supportive environment where the person coming to therapy feels comfortable exploring and expressing their emotions. The aim is for them to feel heard, understood, and believed
2. That they conduct an initial assessment (usually comprising of a standard set of questions) is conducted by the therapist to understand the individual’s experiences and the underlying factors that contribute to their anger
3. That the therapist acts as a role model for healthy expression, and regulation, of emotions.
4. The therapist provides emotional support and validation to the person, thereby acknowledging the validity of their feelings. This includes responding empathically and without judgement to the person when they share their feelings
5. Continuous monitoring of an individual’s progress in managing anger is also a responsibility of the therapist. This allows the therapist to give feedback and encouragement to the person and to tailor the interventions accordingly in order to achieve evolving goals and needs⁹

Things for the therapist to consider

• Creating a safe place and secure environment. Make sure that the therapy environment is free from any potential changes as much as possible, as consistency helps to create feelings of safety. Pay attention to the physical aspects of the therapy setting, choosing (where possible) colours, textures, and furnishings that help to create a calm and welcoming atmosphere
• Tailor the play therapy to meet the unique needs and preferences of each individual
• Foster a strong therapeutic relationship which ultimately builds trust
• Ensure that clinical supervision is accessed regularly, along with personal self-care and stress-management strategies. It’s important for those who provide support and care to rest and engage in self-care, too

Summary

In conclusion, managing anger is crucial for maintaining the overall well-being of an individual, their relationships, and their work and social functioning. Play therapy offers a unique and transformative approach to anger management. 

Providing a safe, comfortable, supportive environment is a key part of the therapeutic process. Various play techniques such as games, art, and storytelling help people coming to play therapy to develop coping skills, and emotional awareness while fostering trust with their therapist. By trying this approach, we can start a journey where each game helps us understand ourselves better, illuminating a path to inner peace.