Anger is not always directed outward – in many cases, it turns inward and becomes an invisible form of self-directed aggression. At MindCareCenter, we often meet people who genuinely consider themselves calm and non-confrontational, yet live with constant inner tension, fatigue, and guilt. Doctor Daniel Reinhardt emphasizes – suppressed anger does not disappear; it simply changes direction and begins to erode a person from within.
At MindCareCenter, clients frequently arrive having learned to be “good” – not to get angry – not to argue – not to show irritation. Any dissatisfaction with themselves is experienced as personal failure. Mistakes trigger harsh self-criticism – exhaustion is labeled as laziness – emotional pain turns into silent self-punishment. This is how autoaggression forms – when the energy of anger is used against oneself.
Our psychologists note – anger toward oneself rarely arises without cause. In Doctor Reinhardt’s view, it most often develops in environments where expressing anger was unsafe – where dissatisfaction led to rejection – punishment – or shame. Under such conditions, the psyche learns to redirect aggression inward in order to preserve relationships and a sense of belonging.
At MindCareCenter, work with autoaggression begins with recognition. We help clients see how it manifests – through devaluation – constant tension – neglect of personal needs – and excessive self-demands. When anger stops being a vague sensation and becomes a conscious process, it can be worked with rather than endured.
Gradually, through therapy at MindCareCenter, a person learns to distinguish responsibility from self-punishment. Anger ceases to be perceived as a “bad” emotion and starts to be understood as a signal of violated boundaries – exhaustion – or frustration. Our psychologists support a safe exploration of this energy, without destroying either the self or relationships with others.
Special attention at MindCareCenter is given to the bodily manifestations of autoaggression. It often expresses itself through chronic tension – muscular tightness – pain – or heaviness. When a person begins to notice how anger lives in the body, access opens to a deeper level of emotional processing and restored sensitivity.
Over time, the inner dialogue changes. At MindCareCenter, we observe how the harsh inner critic gradually loses its dominant role. In its place emerges a more supportive relationship with oneself – the ability to acknowledge mistakes without humiliation – fatigue without blame – and anger without self-destruction.
If you notice that irritation and dissatisfaction are often directed inward – that tension quickly turns into inner pressure – it does not mean there is something wrong with you. It means anger has not had a safe place to go for a long time. At Mind Care Center, we help process autoaggression gently – restoring anger to its protective function rather than allowing it to remain a tool of self-harm.
Previously, we wrote about Gestalt therapy in MindCareCenter clinical practice and how working with unfinished processes helps restore wholeness of experience