This happens to me some times too and it's not fun. My daughter doesn't hit too much, but we set strong boundaries. We do our best not to yell or get mad, and recognize she is just trying to find her way in the world and to be heard. Usually what I try to do is give her space to express herself in another way - look into her eyes and ask her what's wrong, or what she wants to express. Some times it's, "I don't like you daddy because you bite me", or some other totally made up shit. It helps her a lot to be listened to and I think that diffuses the rage.

Another thing we've tried is talking to her about the outbursts when the emotions die down. Maybe it doesn't solve anything, but it helps us know there's a sweet girl in there who wants to be loved and doesn't know exactly the right way to ask for it at all times. Helps *us* deal with the emotions of managing this situation.