Facing the Moment: Wising Up to Anger (Ep. 9)

Anger is everywhere—in our homes, on our roads, across the news cycle, etc. How well do we really understand it, despite its ubiquity? Rather than suppress or fear it, what if we learned to listen to it? Even welcome it? IFS-trained therapist Ted Riskin joins Toufic Hakim to challenge conventional thinking about anger. Drawing on decades of therapeutic experience and Internal Family Systems (IFS) theory, Ted shows us how to shift from impulsive reaction to grounded reflection.

From the internal tensions of personal triggers to the collective storms of cultural rage, Ted and Toufic unpack the anatomy of anger—its roots in boundary violations, its role as a smoke alarm for deeper emotions like grief or shame, and its protective force when wisely guided.

This powerful and timely episode is both a deep dive into emotional Self leadership and a gentle call to action. If you have ever been caught in the jaws of anger (or lived in fear of expressing it) this conversation offers a way forward, from fragmented reaction to integrated response. Anger can be reclaimed, transforming this misunderstood force in an increasingly reactive world.

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Ted Riskin, LCSW combines his IFS training with experience in a number of other modalities, including EMDR, hypnotherapy, and Integral Breath Therapy. A Holotropic Breathwork facilitator since 1997, he has led workshops in numerous locations around the galaxy and served for nine years on the Board of The Grof Foundation (five years as president). In addition, he taught on the faculty of the Institute of Core Energetics for 12 years. Ted developed a Group KAP program (www.groupkap.com) and has been co-leading it since 2022. He currently resides in Asheville, NC, where he maintains a private practice, teaches the IFS model to practitioners via a course called “Essentials of Internal Family Systems,” leads three IFS process groups, and facilitates ecstatic dance.