08/25/2026
âAnger is one of the most misunderstood parts of trauma healing yet research shows itâs a core stage of recovery.
Psychologists like Judith Herman and Bessel van der Kolk note that when the nervous system finally begins to exit survival mode, suppressed emotions rise to the surface. Anger is often one of the first.
Itâs not âregression.â
Itâs not you becoming bitter.
Itâs your system finally having enough safety to feel what it couldnât feel before.
When surviving, you didnât have the luxury of anger survival requires shutting down, appeasing, or disconnecting from your own needs (polyvagal theory). But once safety increases, the body begins to process the truth it previously protected you from.
Thatâs why anger can show up suddenly:
âą when your capacity expands
âą when dissociation softens
âą when you start seeing the past with clearer eyes
âą when you stop blaming yourself
Anger in trauma work is a restorative emotion it signals injustice, violation, and boundaries that were crossed. It is part of reclaiming self-worth.
This stage can feel destabilizing, but it is also a sign of healing.
Youâre not âfalling apart.â
Youâre finally feeling what your younger self never had permission to feel.
And it means something powerful:
youâre moving from surviving to remembering your worth.â
Repost from Svitlana Chechel | Trauma Therapist |đOntario, Canada đđŒ