What Is Rage Ritual? US Women Join The Trend Of Screaming & Smashing

A viral trend has been gaining traction in the United States and European countries: the phenomenon of rage rituals. Contrary to conventional methods of anger management such as meditation and yoga, these rituals offer a unique outlet for individuals, particularly women, to unleash their pent-up emotions in a cathartic manner.

Understanding the 'Rage Ritual' Phenomenon

In essence, a rage ritual is an organised gathering in which participants, mostly women, gather to express and release their bottled-up rage through primal screams and physical acts of destruction, such as destroying objects with sticks. The primary goal is to provide a cathartic outlet for people who may feel confined by societal conventions that dictate acceptable emotional expression, particularly rage.

Typically held in natural settings, such as wooded areas, these rituals involve participants channelling their innermost grievances and frustrations while engaging in an array of acts aimed at releasing unwanted emotions.

What began as intimate gatherings among friends have transformed into organised events and even overnight retreats, guided by people like Mia Banducci, who have embraced the concept of rage rituals as a kind of emotional release. These ceremonies, which range from modest meetings to extensive retreats, are typically expensive, with individuals paying thousands of dollars for the opportunity to participate in this distinctive kind of therapy. 

She has hosted numerous such ceremonies, which have ranged from small gatherings for friends to overnight retreats. One such endeavour costs between $2,000 and $4,000. There is a shorter one-day version, which costs $222 per ticket.

"It's like, 'Don't be a bitch' or 'Don't be angry' or 'Don't be aggressive' or 'Don't stand up for yourself,' 'Don't protect your integrity,' 'Don't tell anyone that they don't have consent to touch your body or speak to you in a certain way.' There are particular emotions that are accepted in the gender binary that we each need to feel. Men need to cry, and it's so healthy for men to cry, and women need to be able to get angry," Mia Banducci said in an interview with USA Today.

Kimberly Helmus, a participant, shared her experience with USA Today, describing the ritual as a space where women can authentically express their emotions without societal scrutiny, "There's no place where you can see women be able to be angry like that and it not be condemned: 'She's just hormonal. She's just unhinged. She's just crazy. She's just on her period. She's just, whatever.' This was a place where you were, probably for the first time in a really, really long time, if ever, able to scream out loud things about how you felt."

Surprisingly, the act of releasing anger during these rituals frequently reveals deeper, unexpected feelings lurking beneath the surface. Instead of only experiencing rage, participants may discover formerly suppressed feelings of loss, trauma, or despair, offering a platform for full emotional exploration and healing. 

While rage rituals offer a creative approach to resolving anger and frustration, mental health professionals like psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis caution against considering them as a one-size-fits-all answer and stress the value of individualised approaches to anger management in an interview with USA Today.