Whanganui youth service opens smash therapy room for rangatahi

Whatever Whanganui manager Rosie McMenamin (left) and Jorja Younger in the new Chaos to Calm therapy room for emotionally distressed rangatahi. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

Youth health service Whatever Whanganui has opened a smash therapy room to help rangatahi deal with anger, anxiety and grief.

Whatever Whanganui (formerly the Youth Services Trust) is a non-profit organisation that provides free holistic, youth-friendly health services to young people aged 10-24.

A survey in 2023 gave rangatahi in Whanganui options on the form of therapy they would like to have available, with 1600 children and young adults responding.

Smash therapy came out on top with 614 respondents, with animal therapy in second place with 599.

The therapy room, previously a vault, opened on February 17.

Whatever Whanganui manager Rosie McMenamin, two years into her role, was pleased with the steps the organisation was taking to meet the needs of young people.

“We have responded to what our rangatahi want; we haven’t just come up with this idea – it is based on evidence-established research,” McMenamin said.

“This is what they’ve asked for so this is what we are going to give a go.”

Smash therapy derives from catharsis theory, a psychological concept that suggests purging strong or repressed emotions – often called “venting” – can alleviate psychological distress.

A cathartic experience involves discharging emotions that have been bottled up, avoided or held back. This discharge can take many forms, including physical and verbal.

Research on smash rooms shows they offer a controlled, safe space for individuals to release built-up emotions and stress, as well as those processing grief or trauma. An opportunity to vent in a structured environment may provide them with a sense of relief.

McMenamin said Whatever Whanganui’s “Chaos to Calm” smash therapy room was not the same as popular “rage rooms”. It was not for the public or designed to be a fun activity but was a therapeutic intervention for struggling individuals.

“It is not a rage room, you are not paying to just smash stuff up mindlessly – it is a therapeutic space for our young rangatahi,” McMenamin said.

“They may have anger management, anxiety or have lost somebody – it is a form of grief therapy.

“We assess the criteria of who should be in that room in terms of being able to take instructions and being able to release some of the tension and anger. It is very much a therapy setting, there are strict rules and safety conditions.”

Youth health support service Whatever Whanganui has opened a smash therapy room called Chaos to Calm to help emotionally distressed rangatahi. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

Rangatahi will fill out an evaluation form after each session so Whatever staff can monitor how they found the experience.

Each session will be observed and notes taken by their counsellor.

There are no televisions, washing machines, glass or mirrors available to smash with crowbars in the Chaos to Calm room but other destructive activities that release the same tensions and anger.

Equipment includes a punching bag and gloves, cricket bats and hockey sticks, a range of different balls to kick and throw, and pottery to smash.

Individuals are suited up in full safety gear bought with funding from Mitre 10 Whanganui.

The pottery is brought in from charities that are struggling to sell certain items and, once smashed, is recycled to mosaic artists.

Young people who want to use the room to relieve their grief or anger can self-refer or be referred through any health professional and must be assessed before and after by a Whatever Whanganui worker.

There is a policy on who can use the room and a nurse will be present in the building at all times.

Under-16 users need parental consent and will have restricted use of some items.

McMenamin said the Whatever team was embracing the challenge of running and assessing the Chaos to Calm therapy room.

Some of the team visited Brew Town’s Smash Room in Upper Hutt to observe and learn.

She said they asked questions about safety and the most common accidents and found, through participation in the smash room, some of them hated it and some loved it.

McMenamin said this may be the case with some referrals in the Chaos to Calm room.

The team hoped the therapy room would offer a unique and alternative form of therapy for individuals struggling with the likes of grief, anger management issues and anxiety.

“We want to see a reduction and a change in these people who can’t seem to get past their grieving,” McMenamin said.

“There isn’t any specific grief therapy out there so this is something that we hope to see a positive change in these young people and how they are living their lives.

“We want to see that release and the name speaks a lot, ‘chaos to calm’, they are coming into a therapeutic space so we want to see some sort of change.

“They are in a safe space where they can release some of that anger rather than taking it out into the neighbourhood, school or on whānau.”

Whatever Whanganui can be supported through its Givealittle page or by contacting (06) 348 9935.