'A rage room is a great way to get rid of anger'

3 hours ago

Zhara Simpson

BBC News, South West

The Women's Centre Cornwall says the rage room allows its users to express their anger in a safe way

BBC Two women wearing blue overalls in a rage room. The woman on the right has an orange baseball bat in her hand, while the other is looking at her. — The Women's Centre Cornwall says the rage room allows its users to express their anger in a safe way

A centre in Cornwall that supports women and girls has said it offers "rage-room sessions" as a form of therapy.

The Young Empowered Women (Yew) project at the Women's Centre Cornwall says the rage room - where people can smash items such as electronics, white goods and crockery - allows women in the group, aged between 11 and 18, to express their anger in a safe space.

Owner of Act Your Rage Katie Hoyle said although her rage room was open to the public, youth workers, organisations and charities who supported young people also used the service.

Ashleigh Cowling, 18, part of the Yew project, said it was "a great way to get rid of anger in a healthy way".

Katie Hoyle says parents bring their children to the rage room because it helps regulate their emotions at home

Katie Hoyle stood in the rage room smiling towards the camera. — Katie Hoyle says parents bring their children to the rage room because it helps regulate their emotions at home

Ms Hoyle said rage-room users experienced a range of emotions during and after the session.

"It's different for everyone, some people come out really empowered, some people come out quite upset," the mum-of-two said.

"I have mums and dads who bring their children because it really helps at home, stops them trashing their bedrooms and helps regulate their emotions."

Katie Hoyle opened the rage room after working with women at the Women's Centre Cornwall

Two people in a rage room wearing blue overalls. There is a washing machine to the left and a car door on the right. They are both smashing items on top of the washing machine. — Katie Hoyle opened the rage room after working with women at the Women's Centre Cornwall

She believes the rage room, in Par, Cornwall, is a needed therapy for everyone.

"A massive part of healing is feeling angry about what we have experienced," said Ms Hoyle.

"Creating this space has really helped let people let out what they are feeling and process their emotions.

"We have a counselling room as well so if they are feeling quite emotional and it has triggered something, there is a safe space just to sit and process or just chill out before they leave."

Ashleigh Cowling, 18, says going to the rage room allows her to express anger in a healthy way

Ashleigh Cowling writing on a plate. She is wearing blue overalls and has safety gear on. In the background is smashed up items and a crate full of bottles and crockery. — Ashleigh Cowling, 18, says going to the rage room allows her to express anger in a healthy way

Ms Hoyle said she opened Act Your Rage two years ago after working for the project.

As part of the eight-week therapy, the group writes their feelings on a plate and then smashes it in the centre's car park - which she says inspired her to open the rage room.

She said: "I think it is really important that not just young people but everybody has a safe space to express their anger.

"I think we all carry different bags around with us and we live in a society that tells us that anger is bad which, if it's not expressed in a safe place, it can be."

Ms Cowling says going to the rage room feels good in the moment

Ashleigh Cowling holding a sledge hammer. She is smiling at the camera and there are dented TV's in the background. — Ms Cowling says going to the rage room feels good in the moment

Eighteen-year-old Ms Cowling said although the rage room felt good in the moment, she often felt sad afterwards.

She said after a session she sometimes felt "defeated" but the following day she felt fresher because she had let go of some of that built-up anger.

Ms Cowling said: "I don't like expressing anger so I keep it inside and then sometimes it can build up and explode, so coming to the rage room is a great way to get rid of anger in a healthy way."

People can write the feelings they want to "let go of" on a plate

A white plate with the words 'self blame, shame and self doubt' on it. The woman is holding the plate in her left hand, and a hammer in the right. There is a blue basked filled with crockery, bottles and cups. — People can write the feelings they want to "let go of" on a plate

Ms Cowling said she wrote "self-blame", "shame", and "self-doubt" on a plate before smashing it, because they were the feelings she wanted to "let go of".

She said her favourite weapon to smash up the items was the sledgehammer.

The Women's Centre Cornwall says it provides specialist support for women and girls

A smashed plate on the floor. One of the broken pieces has the words 'SHA' which did say 'shame'. — The Women's Centre Cornwall says it provides specialist support for women and girls

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The Women's Centre in Cornwall, run by women for women, said it provided specialist support to women and girls living with the impact of sexual and domestic abuse and sexual violence.

It said the Yew project offers specialist support to young women who have experienced sexual violence, harassment or abuse.

As part of group sessions, it said the young people looked at the ways in which violence and abuse had affected their lives including trauma, shame and anger.