Just to clarify, should I be reading my chart with Whole House systems? Would that mean my Sun and Mercury are in the 12th house then? Every planet is bumped up one house?
With Whole Signs, The houses depend entirely on the signs. So working backwards from your Leo Ascendant: The Whole of Leo is your first house, whether that part of the sign has risen or not (actually most of it has). The preceding sign, Cancer, becomes your twelfth house. That includes Mercury as Mercury is in Cancer. So Mercury shifts house to the twelfth.
The eleventh house is Gemini, so as the Sun is in Gemini it remains in your eleventh house. The tenth is Taurus (all of it, not just the last 4 degrees). It so happens that your MC is in Taurus (as mine is, I also have a Leo Ascendant). But in the Whole Sign system, the MC does not have to be in the tenth house. It is so by definition in most quadrant house systems because they use the Ascendant/Descendant and MC/IC axes to divide the circle.
Your ninth house is Aries, your eighth house is Pisces, your seventh is Aquarius (wherein lies Saturn), your sixth is Capricorn, your fifth is Sagittarius, your fourth is Scorpio, your third is Libra (which includes the Moon), your second is Virgo and your back to your first in Leo (with Mars, Venus and Jupiter). Note I've not included the outers, Chiron, or asteroids as some might but kept to the traditional planets. They are crucial to this system because the house rulers are used to assess the house, along with any planets that lie in it.
One of the key differences between your chart using Placidus and your chart using whole signs, is that Mars, Jupiter and Venus are in the first. They are not part of your subconscious or outside constraints, they are seen as part of you. That puts them under your control (at least potentially) and you can act to try and control them.
The Hydra said:
I do have some anger issues I've worked on. I can fly into a rage if I'm pushed too far and it's never pretty. Nowadays I've invested in a gym membership, personal training, boxing membership, and a few others that have really helped me relieve any anger or stress. It doesn't work 100% but it's greatly diminished my temper. Not really accident prone, and no temptation with self harm. I always think the way I feel is punishment enough without me actively adding to it.
Anger, Accidents, and harm through some process of cutting, are common Mars characteristics. Usually, they are directed outwards, but I advanced self harm because Mars is in your first. (You might also get angry at yourself). You're already aware of this and using anger management. That would be a necessary action, so it's good that you're already doing it.
Other things to look at is using Venus and Jupiter. There's no reason why Mars has to 'win' but neither of the others are natural controllers. Your social/public activities are a good way forward. That's not only career but the way that you act publicly. A good job can help enormously - by good I mean one that fits your needs, rather than brings in shed loads of money. You've already identified that the right job can bring happiness. But 'right' jobs rarely jump into our laps. In the meantime you can try that activity on an amateur or semi-professional basis. Joining and taking part in amateur dramatics, amateur operatic societies or dance groups, or music societies will all help. You enjoy these areas, make more of them if you can. They need to be more than just a hobby.
Make use of Saturn. You have a day chart, so it's not necessarily a bad influence, indeed it can be a good influence if you let it. In your life up to now it seems to have shown up more as depression rather than a constructive force. But it is in Aquarius, where it has rulership (note traditional rulers in this system) and it is associated with construction, building, analysing, teaching, planning and other positive actions. These might not hugely appeal but some sort of planning is already underway. You have a plan to control your anger.
Saturn also is the Bound or Confine ruler of Jupiter, Venus and Mars - that is they are all in the same part of Leo where Saturn has a 'sub' rulership. If you don't try to use Saturn positively, all three will give rise to some difficulties. For example Jupiter and Mars may giver rise to over confidence or reckless behaviour - always acting on the premise that things will work out. You now know they don't so you can begin to deal with that.
Have you thought of 'teaching' in the sense of giving guidance to others who want to act or play music or dance? They could be kids, but they could also be adults. Again it doesn't have to be a career, it can be informal or conducted on an amateur level. It could even be via the internet. To the extent that you're in to tarot and spirituality it could be used there. I'm involved is such a Saturn process right now. You don't have to rush out now and do it, but you could set it as a future goal and plan to work towards it.
Saturn also rules your seventh house. It therefore signifies your partner or spouse. Probably an older person or someone who follows a Saturn type career or has some level of authority. Saturn is one of the triplicity lords of your Ascendant ruler, as the Sun is in an Air sign. In a day chart, this governs the first part of your life, so if you can get Saturn working for you then your life will improve. Don't rush for relationships they will come eventually. But do try to set yourself some attainable goals and work towards them, not urgently but at a pace that suits you.
Don't forget to have fun! Saturn is serious but you can't be serious all the time. Jupiter rules your fifth house and you will benefit from the 'fun/hobby/leisure side but pick hobbies that either allow you to let out Mars in a controlled way (some of your anger management techniques are doing that already) or will not allow it to manifest. More of this in the next post on the Hermetic Lots.
Lastly if you can get the Moon to function positively that will also help. It's ruled by Venus, so it should give a more positive outcome and I think that will naturally follow as you try to offset that temper and Mars by boosting Venus.
All of these are easier said than done and there's no indepth discussion through a web forum but as you are already pointing yourself in a positive direction, you are fully aware of this.
The traditional system doesn't see all the manifestations of the planets as being constantly in force. It's not a question of Mars always causing these problems. You can control it. It may be something that characterises your youth rather than your life as a whole (it may eventually go away).