Scream Therapy for Anger: How to Release Pent-Up Anger and Emotions

What if kids instinctively know how to move anger through the body?

You ever notice kids running around like little wild things, screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs?

You ever notice how most of the time they are cackling with laughter?

Or if at first they were totally pissed at someone, by the end, they are laughing like mad?

Has it ever occurred to you that this is how kids can stay so flexible emotionally, so open to the world around them, and perhaps, so free mentally?

Watch What Happens When Kids Get Angry

Have you ever seen one sibling go absolutely bananas on another sibling? Like, the one sibling realizes they pushed the other a little too far. The wild look in their eyes; fumes flowing from their ears probably tipped them off. First response is to run!

The offended sib takes off at full speed, ready to just pummel the offender.

Rare is it the offended catches the offender, but they run and scream and yell with all they have and all they are at the one they are pursuing. Usually, the one who offended is laughing and simultaneously yelling, “NO WAIT I AM SO SORRY!!”

There’s so much going on there…

Whether it’s a realization they simply won’t ever catch the offender or pure exhaustion, usually the chaser gives up and crashes in an exhausted heap.

What always gets me is the offender will inevitably come over, make a little joke, dirt or grass will be thrown by the now-exhausted offended, and all is well. Within minutes, everyone is laughing and once again having fun.

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When Did That Stop?

When did that stop? Why did you stop doing that?

Thing is, you probably would just chalk that up to kids, youth, and the ability to bounce back with ease.

Maybe.

But my line of questioning on this topic has brought me to a powerful recommendation for my clients who are in desperate need of releasing trapped anger.

Scream Therapy.

Weirdly, many people are put off by this. Those who are put off are the ones who need it the most.

Tis why I don’t recommend it to everyone, though everyone needs it.

What I noticed in kids and their intuitive emotional self-care is that when they are angry, they DO SOMETHING with the anger. They hit, throw stuff, shout, carry on, and chase the one who has hurt them.

It’s using all that kinetic energy that the anger produced that makes them so free and easy when the one in question comes back.

Likely they genuinely don’t feel angry anymore.

Adults Learned to Hold It In

As adults, we are less inclined to do anything constructive with that pent-up anger for a number of reasons.

Most people deem themselves “not a runner,” which is so laughable because I KNOW that every single one of you ran as kids. And although you are older now, perhaps if you ran more, you wouldn’t feel that age issue. Just a thought.

And Ok, maybe you don’t want to run because of knees, back, hips, etc. Which, by the way, wouldn’t hurt if you did something constructive with all that pent-up anger.

So if you’re not able to move your body in a way that releases that simmering pot of yuck, then the next page to take from our childhood ways is to SHOUT and YELL and SCREAM it out.

Imagine What You Could Release in 17 Seconds

Chester Bennington (RIP) was able to hold an impressive prolonged scream for 17 seconds. Imagine the amount of energy released in those 17 seconds.

Imagine feeling remarkably better because you just let your words, anger, and all the negative emotion fly out your mouth.

What Happens When We Keep Pushing Everything Down?

Many people wander around with anxiety and depression.

Depression is often trapped energy that has been pushed down, or "de pressed". That trapped energy is often anger, sorrow, and/or grief.

Please understand, I am not diminishing anyone who struggles with depression. But maybe the one struggling was never told they need to get the crap out in order to heal. Maybe all they were told is they had a rough go, life got challenging, their brain doesn’t function in a typical way, or some other adult-ish explanation, and so they don’t know that this can shift dramatically if they were to simply DO SOMETHING physically.

They don’t know that just because you grew up DOESN’T MEAN the way you express anger, pain, sorrow, grief, heartache needs to change.

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This Does NOT Mean Screaming at the People You Love

Getting it out DOES NOT mean screaming and carrying on in your home around your loved ones. I think that’s why people get so freaked out.

No, no, no. It’s more of a you, the car, windows rolled up, parked in an abandoned parking lot, and just letting out the pent-up yuck, sort of situation.

Or, you, the beach, the waves crashing wildly, and you shouting at the ocean. Trust me, the ocean can take it. And there’s plenty of odd birds there, so no one will judge you if that’s something you’re concerned about.

And bonus- all those gorgeous negative ions are flooding your emotional and physical body with healing goodness.

Or maybe you just go on a deserted road, step out of the car, and shout wildly atthe top of your lungs til your voice is hoarse.

You get the idea.

Maybe This Is Part of Having Faith Like a Child

Maybe the thing is for you to actually have faith like a child and know that you need to get the negative emotions out somehow.

Kids don’t know they aren’t supposed to do that, unless some uptight grown-up tells them. Kids just be kids and feel every raw emotion, whether anyone likes it or not. I love that about kids, no filter, all raw. Totally biblical.

What I’ve Seen With My Clients

For my clients who have used the scream therapy idea, the release has been nothing short of miraculous.

It’s become a crucial step in releasing the pains of anger.

Try It.

Try it; you might surprise yourself at the amount of anger you needed to let go of.