As children we dream and workout these dreams through play. On the playground children become doctors, lawyers, firemen, policemen, truck drivers etc. Children learn to perceive what they love, what they hate, what makes them happy and sad on the playground. The full ranges of emotions are essentially felt on the playground. The child who feels the joy of engaging in a specific type of play will gravitate towards that play. Over time, the child learns from the emotional signals who they are and what their needs are.
As the child ages into adulthood, some of the grand dreams of the playground may fade. The desire to fully express oneself in a chosen profession, marriage or vocation may not be realized. However, the emotional signals that tell us what we love continue. The mind senses the feelings of lost dreams and the unmet need for fulfillment. If the needs of the playground are not met in adult fulfillment individuals can become, hyper-vigilance, defensive and prone to anger. Therefore, it is not unusual to find those who have problems managing their anger also may have had secret dreams and visions of lives that could have been.
An anger management class can help the individual become more emotionally intelligent to identify their emotional needs and fulfill them in ways that alleviate the pain and anger associated with lost childhood desires. If you have unfulfilled dreams and display persistent anger, an anger management class that focuses on emotional intelligence may be right for you.
Carlos Todd, PhD