In a world increasingly fraught with stress, anxiety, and frustration, many people are searching for ways to manage their emotions. One method gaining traction online is the “rage ritual,” where women in the United States pay thousands of dollars to participate in screaming ceremonies and break objects, aiming to release pent-up anger effectively.
What is the ‘rage ritual’ trend?
Held in forested areas, these rituals involve women unleashing deafening screams and using sticks to beat objects on the ground. Participants are encouraged to think of people and experiences that have wronged them, screaming and swinging sticks for at least 20 minutes or until they can no longer move their arms.
“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,” said Mia Banducci, a ritual leader, in an interview with USA Today.
Evolving ceremonies
Banducci has hosted many such ceremonies, evolving from small events for friends to overnight retreats costing between $2,000 and $4,000. A shorter, one-day version is also available for $222 per ticket.
Participant experiences
Kimberly Helmus, one of the participants, revealed what she feels about the ceremony. “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 long time, if ever, able to scream out loud things about how you felt,” Ms Helmus told the outlet. She participated in a rage ritual two and a half years after her divorce.
These ceremonies have gone viral on TikTok, resonating with many women. They describe how seeing other women vent their anger—something society discourages—has been validating.
While venting anger, participants often experience unexpected emotions. Helmus, for instance, felt grief rather than anger during a ritual, mourning a friend’s death from her teenage years.
Expert opinions
Psychotherapists emphasize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for managing anger. Stephanie Sarkis, a psychotherapist, told USA Today that some people benefit from activating strategies like hitting a punching bag or intense workouts, while others find soothing strategies like deep breathing, slow walks, or calm music more effective.
