Reclaiming the Scream: Underwater Scream Release as Collective Healing

Updated: 5 days ago

By Michelle Gallagher Escobar

During Covid, after a particularly hard day, I stepped into the shower and let out a scream. A full, raw, primal scream.

I startled my dogs. I startled my husband. But most of all, I startled myself.

Why did this feel so good?

Why did it feel so necessary?

Why did it also feel... dangerous?

In that moment, I realized how profoundly silenced I had become. Not by choice—but by years of holding, suppressing, and being told that women should stay composed, controlled, and quiet.

And so, the underwater scream release was born.

Why We Scream

I brought the underwater scream release to the next three retreats.

It became a welcome, cathartic experience for those who needed it.

The release was collective. The shift in energy was palpable.

(And for the record—911 was not called.)

I believe women should be able to express their rage, grief, and wildness anywhere and anytime. But I also recognize the dangers. Society is not yet ready for women’s unapologetic emotions. Words like hysterical and crazy are still used to shame women who speak up or speak out.

That’s exactly why we reclaim it.

The Science of Release

Screaming underwater offers a powerful, embodied release.It allows us to let go of what has been held too long.

According to Dr. Rebecca Semmens-Wheeler, speaking to the BBC:

“Screaming can help you release difficult emotions, it can bring a sense of community, it can be empowering, and it can be a form of therapy. Another benefit of screaming with others, especially for women, could be a reclamation of the right to express emotions in the face of long-standing judgments from society.”

She also notes how the medical and psychological fields often dismiss women’s expressions of pain and emotion—a truth many of us have lived firsthand.

Sacred, Safe, and Sovereign

At Wild Women Hawai‘i retreats, whenever water is present—whether it’s a large body of water or a cold plunge tub—the option of underwater scream release is offered.

It’s never required. It’s not performative.

It’s simply an invitation.

A chance to release. To be witnessed. To be free.