Church Hosts “Scream Night” for People to Let Off Steam over Ongoing Pandemic
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Updated
Feb 10, 2022
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A North Carolina church recently hosted a “scream night,” allowing people to literally scream about their frustrations and anger with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Duke Memorial United Methodist Church of Durham held the event over the weekend with about a dozen people “screaming” their feelings.
The event was organized by Rev. Laura Barnard Crosskey, a licensed psychologist.
“Our emotions have been building up over the last two years as many of us have been stuck at home without our normal outlets that let our emotions move through our bodies and our brains.
“We wanted to provide people with a space to let it out with the intention of knowing that they were not alone in their struggles or in their efforts to heal,” she added.
The “Scream Night” included five “categories” for expression. In the first, “regular scream,” participants were allowed to curse. In the next category, participants could scream “crazy statements,” such as “I hate COVID!”
In the third category of screams, participants screamed for those who could not attend, and in the final category, participants had a “friendly competition” over who could scream the longest.
“Then I invited people to get quiet, to notice their bodies and their breaths,” Crosskey said. “To notice how the scream resonate in our bodies, to feel the connection with others in our shared struggles and shared efforts to heal. Then I invited people to linger as they wished and go in peace as they were ready.”
A study by the Society for Human Resource Management in October 2020 found that as many as 35 percent of U.S. workers have battled depressive symptoms. About 7 percent of those suffering symptoms reached out to a mental health professional.
“Where do people go who are living with mental health challenges?” Saddleback Church cofounder Kay Warren said in a speech about churches and mental health. “Where do they go to find compassionate care and understanding? Where can they find hope for their dark days?”
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Nastia11
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
