Do you want to get rid of stress? In Chicago there is a club where people find themselves screaming together (and expressing their emotions)

Every Sunday evening, on the beach of North Avenue in Chicago, hundreds of people meet for a collective ritual as unusual as it is liberating: screaming towards Lake Michigan. Born almost by chance, the Scream Club has become in a few weeks a city phenomenon capable of attracting curious, stressed and simple passers -by eager to let go.

The idea born by chance

The founder, Manny Hernandez, coach of breathing, says that it all began in a time of difficulty. A crooked day prompted him to propose to his partner to shout by the lake. Some strangers also joined the improvised one and from there the spark was born. That small group of four, between screams and tears, has marked the beginning of an appointment that today involves hundreds of participants.

The rite of liberation

The meetings are not simple screams of outburst, but follow a real structure. First breathing exercises led by Hernandez take place to prepare body and mind. Then everyone writes on a biodegradable leaflet the thoughts or emotions from which he wants to free himself and throws it into the waters of the lake. Only at that point the highlight comes: three collective screams, which transform the pier into a powerful choir of emotional liberation.

A growing community

From the first official gathering of June 22, the Scream Club has seen its participation constantly growing. More than one hundred people were present at the last meeting, transforming the event from simple curiosity to a real social movement. According to Hernandez, the strength of this practice lies in creating a safe context to express what is normally repressed. Far from the judgments, you can scream together without feeling “out of place”.

Beyond the outburst, a bond

For many, the Scream Club is not only a way to throw stress out, but also an opportunity to feel part of a community. Young people, adults and families find themselves united in a cathartic experience that mixes vulnerability and a sense of belonging. The initiative, conceived by Hernandez and co -founder Elena Sobeva, has already collected requests from other cities, a sign that the idea could soon exceed the Chicago borders.

A phenomenon destined to spread

The club’s motto is simple but effective: a place “where you can scream and nobody thinks you are crazy”

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