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Frequently Asked Questions About STOP RIPPing®

STOP RIPPing® is a different way of understanding anger, relationship conflict and emotional distress, so it is natural to have questions about what it is and how it works. I'm Gary Redmond, creator of RIPP Technique® and STOP RIPPing®. For more than twenty-five years I have worked with people experiencing anger, relationship difficulties and many other forms of emotional distress. STOP RIPPing® is practical, individual and focused on helping you understand the emotional responses that can become conditioned and automatic — and how greater awareness can give you more choice in how you respond.

What is STOP RIPPing®?

STOP RIPPing® is a practical approach to understanding why emotional reactions happen and learning how to respond differently. Rather than simply trying to control a reaction once it has appeared, we look at the emotional process beneath it. The aim is to help you recognise that process for yourself so that something which previously felt instantaneous and automatic can increasingly become something you are able to understand and interrupt.

What does RIPP stand for?

RIPP stands for Resistance, Injustice, Powerlessness and Pain. Something happens that we don't want, believe should not be happening or feel unable to change. Resistance can develop into a sense of injustice and powerlessness, creating emotional pain. That process can move outwards, through anger and confrontation, or inwards, through withdrawal, unhappiness and emotional distress. Understanding your own RIPP response can help you recognise what is happening before the familiar reaction takes over.

How is STOP RIPPing® different from traditional counselling?

Counselling can be extremely valuable, but STOP RIPPing® has a different purpose. It is not intended to be open-ended therapy or an indefinite exploration of your past. Although your history may sometimes help us understand how particular responses became conditioned, the primary focus is on what is happening now. We look at your RIPP response, what is happening beneath it and how you may be able to move from automatic reaction to conscious response.

Is the RIPP Technique® exclusive to STOP RIPPing®?

Yes. RIPP Technique® is the approach I developed through more than twenty-five years of working with emotional responses and is the underlying framework used within STOP RIPPing®.


ANGER MANAGEMENT

How is STOP RIPPing® different from other anger management programmes?

STOP RIPPing® does not simply teach techniques for controlling anger after it has appeared. We look at why the anger happens in the first place and the Resistance, Injustice, Powerlessness and Pain occurring beneath it. The way the service is provided is also different. Sessions are individual, online and £150 for a full hour. You don't purchase a package or commit in advance to a predetermined number of sessions. You only pay for the sessions you actually have.

Why is STOP RIPPing® an ethical approach to anger management?

People often seek help with anger at a vulnerable point in their lives. I believe that creates a responsibility not to keep someone attending for longer than they need. That is why STOP RIPPing® does not require you to buy a fixed package or commit to a predetermined number of sessions. If you get what you need in two or three sessions, you stop after two or three. There is also an important connection with RIPP itself. Powerlessness is one of the four elements of RIPP. It would be contradictory to help you move beyond powerlessness while unnecessarily taking away your choice over how long you continue. Your progress — rather than the number of sessions I can sell you — remains the priority.

Why is STOP RIPPing® pay as you go?

Because I believe you should remain in control of how long you continue. I cannot know before working with you exactly how many sessions you will need. If you get what you need in two or three sessions, you stop after two or three. If further sessions would be useful, you can continue or pause and return later. There is no package to complete and no remaining balance to pay. Your progress — rather than the number of sessions I can sell you — remains the priority.

Why don't you require me to complete a fixed anger management programme?

Because people are different. Some anger management providers use structured programmes with predetermined numbers of sessions, and some people may prefer that approach. STOP RIPPing® is deliberately different. The number of sessions is determined by what you need, rather than by a programme you purchased before the work began.

At £150 per hour, isn't STOP RIPPing® expensive?

£150 for a full hour is more than many counsellors charge. My fee reflects more than twenty-five years of experience working with anger and developing and refining the RIPP approach. However, hourly price is only one way of considering cost. With STOP RIPPing® there is no package and no predetermined financial commitment. You only pay for the sessions you actually have.

How many sessions will I need?

There isn't a single answer because people and circumstances are different. Some people may get what they need relatively quickly; others may need longer. If you only need two or three sessions, you only have two or three sessions. I would rather be honest about that than promise that everybody can resolve their anger within a particular number of sessions.

What happens if I only need two or three sessions?

Then you only have two or three sessions. If you have two sessions, you pay £300. If you have three, you pay £450. There is no remaining balance to pay because there was never a package to begin with. If you have got what you need, there is no reason for you to continue simply to reach an arbitrary number of sessions.

Why can STOP RIPPing® sometimes help in relatively few sessions?

Because the work is focused on understanding a particular emotional process rather than trying to change everything about you. I don't see you as an angry person who needs to become a different person. I see someone who may have become conditioned into an angry response. Once that response becomes understandable rather than simply automatic, you can begin learning to recognise and interrupt it for yourself.

What if I've struggled with anger for most of my life?

A long history of anger can make it feel as though anger is simply part of who you are. I don't see you that way. One of the central ideas behind RIPP is conditioning, not character. A response repeated over many years can become deeply familiar and automatic, but that doesn't necessarily mean it represents who you are or that it cannot change. I once worked with a man in his eighties who had struggled with severe anger for most of his life. The length of time the pattern had existed did not prevent him from understanding it and learning to respond differently.

Will I have to attend a group?

No. STOP RIPPing® sessions with me are entirely one-to-one. Anger can involve very personal experiences — relationships, family, betrayal, shame, regret and things you may never have discussed openly before. Working individually means our time is spent understanding your circumstances and your RIPP responses, rather than following a general group programme.

Do you provide a Certificate of Attendance for an employer, HR or court?

Yes. I can provide a STOP RIPPing® Certificate of Attendance confirming the sessions you have attended and a STOP RIPPing® Personal Progress Assessment Questionnaire allowing you to record, in your own words, what you have understood, learned and changed. There is no additional charge for either document. These are not forensic assessments, risk assessments or guarantees about future behaviour. If a court, solicitor, employer or other organisation requires a particular form of report, assessment or accredited programme, you should check their requirements before beginning.


STOP RIPPING® IN RELATIONSHIPS

What is the difference between couples counselling and STOP RIPPing® in Relationships?

Traditional couples counselling often focuses on communication and difficulties between two people. STOP RIPPing® looks more specifically at the emotional reactions and conditioned patterns that can keep relationship problems going. This is not just about anger. Anger is the outward movement of RIPP. We also work with the inward movement, which can involve withdrawal, shutting down, unhappiness and emotional distance. The aim is to help both people understand their reactions and move from automatic reaction to conscious response. My book, The End of RIPP, explores relationships in depth, including how RIPP develops between couples, why the same conflicts can repeat and how understanding these patterns can change the way we relate to each other.

Is STOP RIPPing® in Relationships only for couples who argue?

No. Relationship difficulties don't always involve shouting or obvious anger. For some people RIPP moves outwards through anger, criticism or confrontation. For others it moves inwards through withdrawal, silence, shutting down or emotional distance. Couples can also become caught in a pattern where one person moves outwards while the other moves inwards. STOP RIPPing® helps you understand both movements and the emotional process beneath them.


EMOTIONAL FREEDOM

Is STOP RIPPing® Emotional Freedom the same as EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) or tapping?

No. STOP RIPPing® is not EFT, tapping or an alternative energy technique. It is a practical, psychologically grounded approach to understanding why emotional reactions happen, how they become conditioned and automatic, and how greater awareness can help us respond more consciously. There is no tapping, no meridians and no belief system required.

What does emotional freedom mean within STOP RIPPing®?

Emotional freedom does not mean never feeling anger, anxiety, sadness, disappointment or emotional pain. Life will not always be the way we want it to be. Other people will disappoint us, circumstances will change and some things will be outside our control. The freedom comes from becoming less controlled by the automatic emotional responses these experiences can trigger. At the heart of this is a simple question: How can I be okay when things are not okay?


SESSIONS, FEES AND PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Are STOP RIPPing® sessions confidential?

Yes. Sessions are private, confidential and one-to-one, subject to the normal professional and legal limits of confidentiality. Because sessions take place online, you can attend from a private place where you feel comfortable talking openly.

How do online STOP RIPPing® sessions work?

Sessions take place online, one-to-one with me, and last a full hour. You can attend from your home, office or another private location with a reliable internet connection. Each session costs £150 and is paid for individually. After each session, you decide whether you would like another.

How often will I need sessions?

Sessions are often weekly to begin with, but they can be extended to every two weeks or monthly as we progress. Sometimes having time between sessions is useful because it gives you an opportunity to apply what you have learned in everyday situations. There is no requirement to attend according to a predetermined schedule simply to complete a set number of hours.

How do I know whether STOP RIPPing® is right for me?

I don't expect you simply to take my word for it. I encourage you to read about RIPP, the way I work and particularly the testimonials from people I have previously worked with.
You can decide after experiencing the approach for yourself whether you believe another session would be useful. The decision about whether you continue remains yours.

Is STOP RIPPing® suitable for everyone?

No. STOP RIPPing® is not necessarily suitable for everyone. My work requires you to be able to reflect on your own emotional responses and to have a genuine desire to understand and change them. Taking responsibility for your responses does not mean accepting blame for what somebody else has done to you. You may have been badly treated, betrayed, rejected, abused or subjected to a genuine injustice. RIPP does not ask you to deny any of that. What matters is whether you are also able to recognise that your response to what has happened is something you would like to understand and change. I cannot help somebody change who believes that only everybody else needs to change.

There are also circumstances where STOP RIPPing® may not be the appropriate form of help. These can include:

  • Someone currently experiencing psychosis or another serious disturbance of reality.
  • Someone whose drug or alcohol use is sufficiently serious or active that specialist addiction support would be more appropriate.
  • Someone who is actively self-harming or at immediate risk of harming themselves.
  • Someone experiencing an eating disorder such as anorexia where specialist treatment is required.
  • Someone experiencing severely debilitating OCD where specialist assessment or treatment would be more appropriate.
  • Someone whose psychological or psychiatric difficulties require a level of specialist or clinical care that I do not provide.
  • Someone attending solely because a partner, family member, employer, solicitor or court has told them to, while having no personal desire to change.
  • Someone who accepts no responsibility for their own behaviour or responses and believes that change is required only from everybody around them.

A diagnosis or psychological label does not, by itself, determine whether I will work with somebody. What matters is the individual, their circumstances, the nature and severity of their difficulties, and whether STOP RIPPing® is an appropriate form of help for them.

The initial session also gives me an opportunity to decide whether I believe STOP RIPPing® is appropriate for you. Very occasionally, after meeting somebody, I may conclude that their needs would be better met by a different or more specialist form of support, or simply that STOP RIPPing® is not the right approach for their particular circumstances.
This is not a judgement or rejection of you as a person. It is a professional decision about whether I believe I am the right person to help you. If I reach that conclusion during your initial session, I will explain it to you openly and refund the full fee you paid for that session.

What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy?

Sessions are £150 for a full hour and payment is normally made by bank transfer 48 hours before your appointment. Your appointment is confirmed once payment has been received. If payment has not been received by then, I will assume the appointment is no longer required and may make that time available to somebody else. If you have paid and subsequently cannot attend, even at short notice, simply let me know and your payment will be transferred to your rearranged appointment. You will not be charged another £150. The exception is a missed appointment where you do not attend and do not contact me. In that situation, the fee will not be refunded or transferred. I simply ask that you let me know if you cannot attend so that I am not left waiting for a session that is not going to take place.


Intellectual Property Notice

The RIPP Technique®, including the acronym Resistance, Injustice, Powerlessness and Pain, is a proprietary psychological and coaching framework.
“RIPP Technique Resistance Injustice Powerless Pain” is a registered UK trade mark, Registration Number UK00003317194.
The RIPP Technique® methodology, training materials and associated intellectual property may not be reproduced or used commercially, for professional training or as a coaching methodology without permission from the trade mark owner.

Competitor Information

Information about other anger management providers is included for general comparison. Programme structures and prices can change, so please check directly with the relevant provider for their current information.