#121 Anger & PTSD: How to Understand and Control Anger in PTSD Recovery

Struggling with trauma/PTSD and need help? Join my private recovery community here and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: In today’s session, Brad and Kayleen unpack anger through a trauma lens — not as a character flaw, but as a protective response sitting on top of deeper emotions like fear, hurt, and loss. Using real relationship examples and a vivid story about fear turning into anger in seconds, they explain why anger is a top-level emotion and how misunderstanding it can damage self-worth, relationships, and healing. They explore both sides of anger: being the one who explodes and being the one on the receiving end. The conversation shows how insecurity, guilt, ego, and compassion all play a role — and how learning to see anger as protection (instead of personal attack) creates space for healthier responses. The key shift is learning to bring compassion first, check the ego, and avoid absorbing someone else’s pain as your identity. This episode gives a practical mental framework for de-escalating conflict, protecting your self-concept, and responding to anger without shame, guilt, or escalation. 💡 What You’ll Learn Why anger is usually covering fear, pain, or insecurity The “iceberg model” of anger and trauma How guilt and low self-worth form when you absorb others’ anger Why anger often isn’t about the present moment How ego fuels escalation on both sides The difference between compassion and submission How to step back without abandoning yourself Why shame about anger makes recovery harder How to protect your identity during conflict A practical sequence: compassion → humility → space 🧠 Key Takeaway Anger is rarely the real emotion — it’s a shield protecting pain. When you see that clearly, you stop fighting the person and start understanding the wound. 🔗 Next Steps

You can listen to #121 Anger & PTSD: How to Understand and Control Anger in PTSD Recovery online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

#121 Anger & PTSD: How to Understand and Control Anger in PTSD Recovery is an episode from The Overcoming PTSD Podcast by Overcoming PTSD.

This episode is 46:47 long.

This episode was published on Mar 16, 2026.

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