Talking about Anger
Susan is finding it difficult to cope with the anger she is feeling inside. She is talking to a
counsellor about her feelings...
Susan: I feel like such an idiot. My best friend who I trusted completely with everything
stabbed me in the back. She told a very important secret of mine to someone I really dislike. I
feel so angry and hurt, and I can’t get over it...
Counsellor: Have you talked to her about it? If you speak when you’re angry, you’re likely
to say things that you’ll regret later.
Susan: I thought about confronting her but then I changed my mind…
Counsellor: That was a wise decision. Once you calm down after a few weeks, you should
try to express how you feel to your friend.
Susan: But it’ll damage our relationship! We’ve been best friends for years...
Counsellor: Forgiveness is a very powerful tool. If you allow anger and negative feelings to
drown out any positive feelings, you might find yourself swallowed up by your own
bitterness. But if you can forgive someone who has made you angry, you both might learn
from the situation, and it could strengthen your relationship.
Susan: Even though she has really hurt me, I don’t want to ruin our friendship...
Counsellor: Then take your time, and as soon as you're thinking more clearly, express your
frustration in an assertive but non-confrontational way. Tell her your concerns and needs
clearly, without hurting her or trying to control her.
Susan: OK... I’ll try...
Counsellor: It's normal to wonder why you should stop being angry at her. When you feel
that she deserves your silence as punishment, it's not easy to understand why you need to let
that anger go. However, staying angry is bad for you physically and mentally. When the time
is right, letting it go will feel good...
PHRASAL VERBS
Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example sentence | Categories |
|---|---|---|---|
To let down someone | To make someone disappointed when you have not fulfilled a promise. | She promised that she would be there but she let me down. | Feelings |
To break down | 1. To become very upset. 2. When something stops working | 1. She broke down when she opened her results. 2. The lift broke down. | Feelings |
To bring somebody/something down | 1. To make someone lose their powerful position. 2. To make something end. | 1. He brought his boss down by exposing personal emails. 2. The rise in export prices could bring the hospitality industry down. | Feelings |
To bottle something up | To refuse to talk about things when someone is worried or upset. | After his father passed away, he bottled his emotions up and wouldn’t talk to anyone. | Feelings |
To get something across | To make someone believe or understand something | He tried to get his point across but his manager wouldn’t listen. | Feelings |