4 stars
Date of review: March 22, 2024
This book is about anger and how it relates specifically to women. The author describes how women have typically been discouraged from expressing this specific emotion, in line with the reasoning that this is a ‘harsh’ emotion belonging to men. Multiple types of anger are explored in line with patterns of relating, such as triangular and circular ‘dances’ that play out in relationships. Other relational dynamics such as under-functioning and over-functioning are deeply explored, as well as effective and ineffective ways of dealing with anger. Overall, this is primarily a book about anger as relevant to women in relationships, which is a worthwhile and fascinating read. If you, or other women in your life are experiencing any kind of anger-related issues, I’d recommend this book! For psychotherapists working with clients facing anger issues, I’d recommend reading this book alongside Thomas Harbin’s Beyond Anger: A Guide for Men.
The Dance of Anger: A Woman’s Guide to Changing the Pattern of Intimate Relationships by Harriet Lerner is available to purchase on Amazon UK.
