It’s the first thing most of us do when we enter this world: cry. And yet by the time we reach toddlerhood, we’re socialized to learn that crying is undesirable behavior. Big boys and girls don’t cry.
Why does our society censor this reflexive expression of emotion? Surely something so instinctual must have an evolutionary purpose.
This is the sentiment echoed by entrepreneur and author Hiroki Terai, the Japanese creator of crying therapy sessions. Over the past few years, his Tokyo-based crying sessions have gained popularity as a self-care method offering supposed mood-enhancing effects.
According to Terai, many people are stressed but are unable to cry at work or in front of their families. His sessions are designed to be an outlet for people to experience emotional release.
During a crying therapy session, people gather together to watch sad movies or listen to sad stories, with the hope that it will help them cry. Yoshiko Nishikawa, who made the 200-mile journey from Nagoya to Tokyo to attend a session, praised the effects. “I feel very refreshed; I’m surprised. Now that I cried, I feel better,” Nishikawa says.
