106: Punching Pillows Doesn't Work & The Myth of Catharsis

What if the most popular anger advice on the internet — punch a pillow, go to a rage room, scream it out — is actually making you angrier?In conversation, we tackle:* The bizarre 1960s therapist who convinced John Lennon that screaming could cure neurosis * Moms who went viral screaming on a football field * The study that found doing literally nothing was more effective than hitting a punching bag* A 2024 meta-analysis of 10,000+ people that debunked not just rage rooms but jogging, cycling, and most physical activity as anger management* Why screaming feels amazing in the moment and the neurochemical trick your body is playing on you* The difference between discharge and actual healing (and why so many retreats are selling you the wrong one)* Why "just calm down" is terrible advice for a huge portion of the population especially if you have ADHD or sensory processing differences* What we'd both change about how we work with clients after this conversationIf you’d like to support the show one of the best things you can do is leave us a review and share the pod! THANK YOU!We have some incredible BONUS episodes on our SUBSTACK! nuanceneeded.substack.comTo learn more about therapy reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 42 states across the country and have offices if you are local to the Philadelphia area.Want to join the conversation? You can email us [email protected]. We’d love to hear what you think!Works cited:Janov, A. (1970). The Primal Scream: Primal Therapy, the Cure for Neurosis. Bushman, B. J. (2002). Does venting anger feed or extinguish the flame? Catharsis, rumination, distraction, anger, and aggressive responding. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28(6), 724–731.Kjærvik, S. L., & Bushman, B. J. (2024). A meta-analytic review of anger management activities that increase or decrease arousal: What fuels or douses rage? Clinical Psychology Review, 109, 102414.Levine, P. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness.