The Myth of the "One, Big Release"

Back in the seventies, American psychologist Arthur Janov achieved considerable fame when he published his book The Primal Scream. It was this book that brought into the Western consciousness the notion that making sound could be healthy and could release emotional tension.

The idea had already been developed by Wilhelm Reich back in the 1930s. But it had never really caught on beyond the confines of his circle of clients and followers. However, with the arrival of the “flower power” era, Western society’s middle classes were clearly ready to go deeper and it was Janov who delivered the goods. Cultural icons like John Lennon and Yoko Ono were fascinated and Ono even released an album of recordings of her performing primal screaming.

In his book, Janov related the story of a young man with whom he was working as a therapist for some form of neurotic condition. At some point in the therapy, the man begin to make a spontaneous sound which Janov described as “an eerie scream welling up from the depths.” Subsequent to the session, the man appeared to be completely cured of his neuroses.

This notion of being able to reach into the depths of our being and conjure up a primal sound that would release all of our traumas clearly enraptured the public. Janov’s waiting room was soon rammed. He started his own centre and spawned legions of imitators keen to capitalise on the image conjured up by his book.

Clients would attend sessions, desperately hoping that this time they would succeed in achieving the primal scream, in somehow finding the place within them from where they could release all their pain. They were invariably disappointed. And many would spend the hours after the session beating themselves up for still being “too controlling.” But the dream persisted and they would always come back, hoping that maybe this time they could go there.

Even now, over half a century later, this myth of the “one, big release” endures in the minds of many who are involved in therapy.

Why should this be? Surely, one book written decades ago can’t still be having such a persistent impact on the human psyche? I will suggest another reason.

When the pain or anger repressed within us starts to become mobilised, it is very common for our conscious mind to form a certain belief. That is, if only we could really weep, or release one big scream, then we would be free. We walk around sensing that a huge feeling is locked up within us, that our body has become a cage containing a wild animal that needs to be freed.

This feeling of having a deep emotion locked up within is what often drives us to seek therapy. It is useful because it does get us through the therapist’s door. But it is nevertheless not an accurate belief.

I remember Spring 2001 and being in a weekend emotional release group at Osho Leela in Dorset. At some point, after what seemed like hours of cathartic screaming at one another, I was overwhelmed with tears. I literally couldn’t stop crying. A dam had broken within me. I didn’t know what was going on but it certainly felt good, like a huge weight coming off. People were hugging me and telling me I was great. It was the first time my mind had utterly given up control and simply allowed a chunk of pain to come out.

But was it the end of the therapeutic process? Was I now “healed,” like the young man in Yanov’s book?

Far from it!

An opening had taken place. My resistance to feeling had been so fully expressed that it had ceased to exist for a while, allowing repressed emotions to escape. But my mind would soon re-establish a sense of control, as is its role. A little lighter, I would return to being the usual me.

This is not bad. It is common, normal and entirely human. The belief that if we could just have one, huge release arises because we have so much trapped inside. It’s the mind’s way of getting us to take action, not an accurate depiction of reality.

Therapy is about keeping going. It’s about constancy, about reps. You have to demonstrate to your unconscious mind that you mean business, that you are not simply seeking a “quick fix.” That you are there for the duration and that you truly seek change. That you are not afraid to look inside.

When you have this attitude, over time you will get the changes you seek.