• Home
  • Common Issues
    • Mood
      • Depression
      • Anxiety
      • Panic
      • Social Anxiety
    • Relationships
      • Couples Counseling
      • Physical Intimacy Issues
      • Finding the Right Relationship
      • Family Issues
    • Coaching
      • Career
      • Life Coaching
      • Weight Management & Fitness Coaching
    • Other
      • Medicare and Senior Issues
      • Child and Adolescent
      • Christian Counseling
      • Chronic Pain and Medical Issues
      • Medication Evaluation and Management
  • About Therapy
    • Session Formats
      • Individuals
      • Couples
      • Kids and Teens
      • Families
      • Canine Counseling
    • Therapy Styles
      • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      • Family Systems (Psychodynamic)
      • Christian Counseling
      • Meditation and Mindfulness Training
      • Hypnosis Therapy Technique
    • FAQs
      • What is the difference between a psychologist and a counselor?
      • What is your confidentiality policy?
      • Does therapy really work?
      • How long will I need to be in therapy?
      • How often should I come?
      • How can I measure my progress in therapy?
      • What if I don’t share the same belief system or life circumstances as my therapist?
      • Can I use my insurance?
  • Inspiration
    • Articles
      • Blog
        • Using Distraction as an Avoidance of Emotion

        • Tips for Managing Daily Activities while Struggling with Depression

        • Friendships: How to manage your boundaries and enjoy them more!

        • Recognizing Burnout and the Importance of Work-Life Balance

        • Dear Teen… Licensed Counselor Provides Insight on Heading Back to School – Part 2

    • Quotes
      • InstagramInstagram did not return a 200.
    • Videos
      • Videos
        • Understanding Guilt and How It Works

        • Sexual Dissatisfaction

  • Checklist
    • Adult ADHD Self-Evaluation
    • Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Bipolarism Self-Evaluation
    • Depression Self-Evaluation
    • Panic Attack Self-Evaluation
    • Relationship Health Self-Evaluation
    • Social Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Sexual Dysfunction Self-Evaluation
  • About Us
    • Whole Life Philosophy
    • Staff
      • Heather Robbins, Ph.D., LP
      • James Robbins, MA., LPC
      • Leslie Scott, MS, LPC
      • Steve Reedy, MA, LPC, RMT, NMT
      • Breanna Katz-Estrada, MSW, LCSW
      • Emily McGlothlin, MS, LPC
      • Jon Johnston, MA, LPC
      • Kelly Kay Wynn, MS, MSW, LCSW
      • Marilyn Powell, Ph.D.
      • Diane Williams, MSW, LCSW
    • News
    • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Rates
    • Insurance
      • Fees & Insurance
      • Medicare Part B
      • Blue Cross and Blue Shield
    • Location
    • Appointments
      • Schedule a Consultation
      • Scheduling Hours
      • Scheduling Policy
  • Social & Contact
    ‪(972) 755-0996

Dallas Whole Life Counseling

Licensed Psychologist and Therapists

Top 10 psychologists in Dallas, TX 2016 Top Counseling & Mental Health in Dallas

Schedule a Consult

Is Anger Healthy? That depends on the type of anger.

Ducks may get mad, but they don’t get indignant.

March 13, 2015 by James Robbins, M.A., LPC

Mar 13, 2015
Ducks may get mad, but they don’t get indignant.Being mad is a healthy, natural biological reaction. It’s a simple thing, a kind of potential energy that can be pointed in a productive direction. Eckhart Tolle compares it to two ducks disputing territory. They angrily flap their wings at one another for a moment, but then it’s done and they get on with their duck lives. Being indignant, however, is an unhealthy energy drain that rarely leads to useful activity. Ducks may get mad, but they don’t get indignant.

Suppose you’re at a family gathering and your clumsy uncle spills hot coffee on you. Even though you know he didn’t do it on purpose, there are a few moments when anger automatically flashes through your body like lightening striking. This kind of anger can be helpful. If your uncle were an attacker, for instance, your anger might fuel extra adrenaline in your body, allowing you to run or fight more effectively than usual. But when it’s just your uncle, you simply “flap your wings.” You let the wave of anger pass and remind yourself that your uncle can’t help being a klutz.

But suppose you’re at a restaurant and your waiter spills coffee on you. The wave of anger flashes through your body again. Only this time, you hold onto it. You churn on this anger. How dare he? you say. He shouldn’t be a waiter if he’s such an idiot! This is where you confuse being angry with being right. You hold onto anger when you feel you have been personally slighted, disrespected in some way. You maintain your own self-righteousness by going over the details of the offending event again and again. It’s a dark kind of pleasure, rehearsing how you were right and someone else was wrong.

When you feel angry, ask yourself if this energy might lead to some purposeful, concrete action. If so, then focus on that action. If not, then realize your anger is hurting no one other than you. Being indignant may satisfy your sense of self-importance, but self-importance never accomplishes much in the long run.

Do you feel you have control over your anger? Anger can appear in many scenarios and our trained professionals can assist in the identification of triggers and work with you to devise a plan to move forward. Contact Dallas Whole Life Counseling today to learn more.

Filed Under: Blog, Common Issues, Newsletter Tagged With: anger, counseling, Dallas Whole Life, Eckhart Tolle, indignant

About James Robbins, M.A., LPC

James Robbins is a licensed professional counselor, published author and co-owner of Dallas Whole Life Counseling. He has over 15 years of experience helping people in various life stages that come from a wide variety of cultural, economic and family backgrounds. Learn more about his background by clicking here.

Search the Site

Latest Blog Posts

  • What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
  • Using Distraction as an Avoidance of Emotion
  • Tips for Managing Daily Activities while Struggling with Depression
  • Friendships: How to manage your boundaries and enjoy them more!
  • Recognizing Burnout and the Importance of Work-Life Balance

Contact Us

Admin Offices
Dallas Galleria Tower One
13355 Noel Road
Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75240

Virtual Sessions
Licensed phone and video sessions are available throughout Texas by appointment.

Phone & Email
‪(972) 755-0996‬
contact@dallaswholelife.com

Office Hours
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Common Issues

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Couples Counseling
  • Physical Intimacy Issues
  • Panic
  • Senior Issues
  • Child & Adolescent
  • Christian Counseling
  • Career Coaching
  • Life Coaching
  • Social Anxiety
  • EMDR
  • Family Issues
  • Grief Counseling
  • Weight & Fitness
  • Eating Disorders
  • Chronic Pain
  • Medical Issues

Office Hours

Main Office: (972) 755-0996
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Location

Dallas Galleria Tower One
13355 Noel Road, Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75240
*Licensed phone and video sessions available in Texas.

Follow Us

Contact Us

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Dallas Whole Life Counseling | 6380 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy., Suite 299 | Dallas, TX 75240 | (972) 755-0996Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved. Website by Rokkit Marketing.