Is it beneficial to scream into a pillow?

I recently heard from Shelley Tatelbaum, MS, Grief Therapist and Director of The Center For Grief, Loss and Life Transition in Poughkeepsie, NY, who said the following: 

 ”As a grief therapist for over 22 years, I see it has become a fact that grieving people, in fact all people, must learn to express their emotions in a healthy way rather than destructively. Our emotions (energy in motion e-motion) need to be felt and then released. They are energy and, like a pressure cooker, the steam needs to be released or we will blow up over the little things.

I have used screaming into pillows and hitting pillows as therapeutic tools to help clients safely release the grief. Screaming is an action. To not take an action which provides relief is being more of a victim. Pain needs to find a voice of expression in order to begin healing. When pain becomes too intense, screaming into a pillow provides that outpouring and emptying of pain in a safe environment.”

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SCREAMING PILLOW TESTIMONIALS

“I’ve had a lot to scream about over the years, but the absolute worst experience of my life happened on October 20, 2006, when my 39 year old brother went missing after a boating accident on the river.  His boat was found the next day, but 26 agonizing days passed before his body was recovered.  That was a very dark time for my family and me.  The heartache of that experience still sneaks up on me, cuts me off at the knees, and makes me want to scream my head off. 

More recently, the thing that most makes me want to scream is an increasingly intolerable situation at work.  I am being forced to work outside my job title, and the duties of this position cause an increase in physical pain (I suffer from a chronic pain disorder, combined with disc herniation in the lumbar spine).  Screaming can be a great form of release, and now that I have a Screaming Pillow, I have given myself permission to scream to my heart’s content! 

Also, I have to mention that just looking at the pillow makes me smile, and smiling, like screaming, is a very good thing to do, especially during stressful times.  I love my Screaming Pillow!” – Stephanie B, New York

“I gave my friend your wonderful screaming pillow for a Valentine’s/B’day present. Boy was it a hit – she loves it and uses it just about everyday (every mother of a teenager should have one!)  Thank you for coming up with such a great product, it’s absolutely prefect!” – Kathie W, Danvers, MA

“I gave both the pillows as gifts and as far as I know they both loved them. My friend in Vegas loved it and she tells me her daughter has been practicing her screams! Thank you for the very unique product” – Bob G, Stoneham, MA

“I bought a Screaming Pillow for my sister-in-law. Her husband (my brother) had just been diagnosed with a brain tumor. If anyone needed a screaming pillow, it was her.” - Allyson L., Colchester, VT

“I gave  5 pillows as Xmas gifts to my 3 daughters (who are all grown up), my friend and her daughter….they were all here Xmas eve and all opened at the same time….it was a hoot…everyone put their face into them at the same time, without coaxing, and screamed….they are all having different kinds of stress and thought they were great….i like something different and unique to give them ….it was a huge success and they will use them to vent!” – Arleen, N. Weymouth, MA

Read about us on the “As They Grow Up” holiday gift guide:  http://tinyurl.com/ykf3cna

Enter to win and read about the Screaming Pillow:

http://www.jeannesramblings.com/2009/10/screaming-pillow.html

What makes YOU scream? Check out this mommy blog:

http://momstart.com/2009/10/what-makes-you-want-to-scream-giveaway

Comments from readers:

“Just the other week, I had my two kids in the car on our way to I can’t remember where. I was quite frustrated as nothing seemed to be going my way. Late again, forgot some paperwork, and couldn’t find my phone. I was so heated and I let out a big “UHHHGGHH (actually I don’t even know how to spell the moan/groan/word I uttered) I just really want to scream”….I proceeded to back out of the driveway to see my kids with their hands covered over both their ears. At that moment I just stopped in wonder…and waited a moment (they still had their hands over their ears) They were both just kind of looking at me with a look I had never seen…I nonchalantly asked..what are you guys doing…to their reply…”You said you wanted to scream, we don’t want to hear it, are you going to scream or not?” OMG…I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!”   -Ramona, Chicago, IL

“I use my Screaming Pillow in traffic…. best thing to solve my road rage issues” – Jay, Beverly, MA

“A few months ago my husband took the kids to see his mom, so I was home alone with the dogs.  One dog woke me up at about 2 am, so I let her out and while the other dog and I were standing at the back door waiting, the other dog was drinking water like crazy.  Well I was so tired that as soon as we all got back to bed, I fell asleep right away.  I was letting the dogs sleep in the bed with me….don’t tell my husband.  SO about an hour and 1/2 later, of course dog #2 has to go out because of the water he had drank during the potty break of dog #1.  As dog 2 and I were coming back into the bedroom, there was just enough street light coming through the window that I noticed a clothes wad on the floor.  Without my glasses, and being extremely tired I didn’t think anything at first, but then once a laid down I thought “I picked up every single cotton picking piece of laundry off the floor in this entire house….what was that?????”  So I flipped on the light and there was the biggest RAT in the state of Tennessee.  One of our cats must have killed it and then dog #1 took it as a play toy.  I was screaming and gagging as I got rubber gloves on, put plastic grocery bags over my hands on top of the gloves, and then put a rag towel over the rat, picked it up and stuck everything above in a plastic bag and threw it out the door.  I then returned to the bed room to find dog 1 and dog 2 totally freaked out and standing on the floor….afraid to get back on the bed.  THEN I noticed RAT BLOOD all over our khaki dupioni comforter.  YES SHE HAD BEEN PLAYING WITH IT IN THE BED WHILE I WAS SLEEPING.  I really could have used one of your pillows that night.” – Brenda, Nashville, TN