Healthy Ways to Express Anger From a Somatic Perspective
Anger is often misunderstood. It’s a natural and necessary emotion, signaling when boundaries have been crossed or when something feels unfair. However, many of us have been taught to suppress it or, conversely, to let it explode in ways that can harm relationships and ourselves.
The key to working with anger lies not in ignoring it or letting it take over, but in expressing it in a healthy, constructive way. Here are some strategies to help you honor your anger while channeling it productively.
What is Anger?
Anger is a natural emotional response to perceived threats, injustices, or frustrations. It’s part of our body’s fight-or-flight mechanism, designed to protect us and help us respond to challenges. When we feel angry, our nervous system kicks into gear, releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which prepare us to take action.
On a deeper level, anger often acts as a messenger. It can signal that a boundary has been crossed, a value has been violated, or that we feel powerless in a situation. While it’s a valid and necessary emotion, how we respond to it determines whether it becomes helpful or harmful.
Suppressed anger, on the other hand, can fester and show up as anxiety, depression, or chronic tension. Left unchecked, anger can lead to outbursts, resentment, or even physical health issues like high blood pressure. Understanding anger as a tool—not an enemy—can help us navigate it in healthier, more constructive ways.
The Connection Between Trauma and Repressed Anger
The connection between trauma, and repressed anger lies in how the body stores and processes emotions. Trauma often leaves an imprint on the nervous system, creating patterns of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses. When anger—a natural part of the fight response—is suppressed due to fear, social conditioning, or lack of safety, it doesn’t simply disappear. Instead, it gets stored in the body as tension, pain, or chronic stress. Somatic practices offer a way to reconnect with these stored emotions by bringing awareness to physical sensations and releasing pent-up energy through movement, breathwork, and mindful attention. By addressing the body’s role in holding repressed anger, somatics helps individuals process unresolved trauma, fostering a greater sense of freedom, emotional resilience, and balance.
1. Pause and Breathe
When anger rises, your body often reacts before your mind can process. Your heart rate speeds up, your muscles tense, and your breathing becomes shallow. Take a moment to pause. Deep breathing—inhale for four counts, exhale for six—can help regulate your nervous system and create space to respond, not just react.
2. Move Your Body
Anger is energy, and movement is a great way to release it. Go for a brisk walk, do some jumping jacks, dance it out, do some running or yoga. Physical activity can help dissipate the intensity of anger while giving you clarity about its root cause.
3. Journal About It
Writing down your thoughts can be incredibly therapeutic. Ask yourself:
What triggered my anger?
What boundary might have been crossed?
What do I need right now?
Sometimes just getting your emotions on paper can help you process them without feeling overwhelmed.
4. Engage in a Creative Outlet
Art, music, and writing can be incredible tools for transforming anger into something meaningful. Try painting, playing an instrument, or crafting poetry as a way to express the emotion in a safe and productive manner.
5. Practice Somatic Tools
Anger lives in the body, so tuning into how it feels physically can be powerful.
Notice where you feel the anger (tight jaw, clenched fists, etc.).
Use grounding techniques like pressing your feet into the floor or shaking out your hands.
These simple actions can help discharge pent-up energy and restore a sense of calm.
6. Seek Support
Sometimes anger feels too big to process alone. Talking to a trusted friend, therapist, or somatic practitioner can provide perspective and help you understand underlying emotions like fear, sadness, or hurt that might be driving your anger.
About the Author
Shai is a somatic practitioner with over five years of experience helping people heal chronic pain, anxiety, and patterns of disconnection. With a background in physical therapy, Shai integrates body awareness, mindful movement, and nervous system regulation to guide clients toward greater ease and emotional balance. Shai loves to empower individuals to process stuck emotions, including anger, in healthy and transformative ways. When not working with clients, Shai enjoys hiking, making art, and exploring nature. You can connect with them on Instagram at @shai.maxine.
