Every Sunday at the North Avenue Beach Pier in Chicago, we meet to free ourselves from stress, tension and negative thoughts
If the American psychotherapist were still alive Artur Janov, creator of the so-called “primary scream theory”would probably more than agree with the brilliant idea of Elena Soboleva and Manny Hernandez, founders of Scream Club™.
Calling it a brilliant idea is perhaps a little too flattering, let’s say that it all started from a fortuitous (and lucky) coincidence.
Manny Hernandez is a men’s coach and operator Breathwork and during his work experiences he realized how much blocked energy a scream could move, contributing to a fluid emotional release.
One evening, after a particularly trying week, Manny and Elena decide to try this exercise firsthand. They choose Lake Michigan as the backdrop, take a deep breath and start screaming at the top of their lungs! The experience seems to have been liberating and… contagious! Some passers-by, intrigued, spontaneously join in, and this experiment, from a private activity, soon turns into a ritual.
“Some people nearby joined us that evening.” – says Manny – and we realized how much others needed it too. Now, every Sunday, we come to the lake to breathe, scream and free ourselves… together with anyone who wants to join. We care deeply about mental health, personal growth and showing ourselves as better people for those we love. Scream Club™ has become one of the ways we put this into practice. A group energy that is impossible to explain if you have never experienced it.”
Screaming at the top of your lungs helps release stress, pain, tension and any other difficulties we carry with us through collective vocal expression. The scream is a liberation, a reset for the mind and body.
This practice is slowly taking hold in various cities in the United States, but in Chicago it is now an indispensable ritual for many people. Participating is simple. No costs, no registration: just present yourself exactly as you are and let yourself go with the loudest scream you are capable of producing! The meeting is every Sunday at 7pm at the North Avenue Beach Pierto take advantage of the skyline during the magical golden hour.
But given the very cold winter temperatures, and above all the constant freezing wind of Chicago (not nicknamed “windy” for nothing), shouting in company this season takes a small break, to return, more lush and powerful than ever, at the beginning of next spring!
