An Interview with Steven Shaps, MA on Anger Management
David Van Nuys, Ph.D. Updated: Jun 14th 2007
Anger is a normal human emotion, but also one that can become destructive to self and others. Mr. Shaps describes his approach to working with client's anger concerns both on an individual basis and with couples. His approach promotes insight and awareness of emotions underlying anger and encourages a "notice and transcend" approach to managing it rather than one consisting of venting (which reinforces anger feelings rather than helping them to disolve).
It is important that clients practice their ability to interrupt the process of anger and immediately thereafter inspect the feelings and sensations they are experiencing. If they become aware of feelings of pain and vulnerability underlying their anger, and it is safe to share those feelings, this is encouraged. As clients become more able to notice and then interrupt their reactive anger displays, they regain the ability to control their behavior. Angry couples can start to heal as they experience their partners as caring and able to be vulnerable (rather than defensive and demanding).
Steven Shaps, MA, MFT, practices body-mind psychotherapy in Portland, Or. He specializes in the practice of Somatic Psychotherapy and Anger & Stress Management. He works with individuals, couples, families, and groups in his private practice and leads workshops and seminars in Anger & Stress Management, in addition to mindfulness meditation & somatic sensing. He also leads workshops and provides coaching in executive and staff management. He is a Marriage and Family Therapist, and according to his website he has certifications in Anger Management, Eye Movement Desensitization, and Reprocessing (also known as EMDR), clinical Hypnotherapy, Marital & Couples Therapy, and Codependency. He has extensive training in Ericksonian-Mind/body healing therapies, meditation, Somatics, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Movement, Breath, Buddhist meditation and Yoga. Beyond all this, he has also been a student of Native American healing traditions.
Anger is a normal human emotion, but also one that can become destructive to self and others. Mr. Shaps describes his approach to working with client's anger concerns both on an individual basis and with couples. His approach promotes insight and awareness of emotions underlying anger and encourages a "notice and transcend" approach to managing it rather than one consisting of venting (which reinforces anger feelings rather than helping them to disolve).
