Behind me,my husband thwacks a paint-filled balloon with a baseball bat. A moment later,the balloon explodes,sending gloopy blue paint flying.
Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive is blaring overhead and I’m slightly sweating under white waterproof overalls and a protective face mask.
“We were so heartbroken and we had so much anger,frustration and pain that we didn’t know how to vent,” says Danny Mohamed,co-owner of Melbourne’s Smash Splash.Supplied
Just to be clear;we aren’t vandals. Rather,we’re in Melbourne’s Smash Splash,savouring the wonders of the aptly named Splash room. Danny Mohamed,the co-owner of Smash Splash,came up with the concept after his mother’s brush with cancer.
In the turbulent time that followed,during which his aunt died from the same disease,Mohamed and his siblings were grief-stricken. “We were so heartbroken and we had so much anger,frustration and pain that we didn’t know how to vent,” he says.
A friend recommended trying a “smash room”,where participants are encouraged to break crockery and the like,and the siblings found the release they needed.
They were eager to open a similar place but they wanted it to not just be a place for people to vent but also to create an activity bursting with joy. “The whole idea is to go into that room,let go,throw paint around and basically express how you feel.”
Since opening its doors in November 2018,the Splash room has proved increasingly popular. Not just with the 20-somethings Mohamed expected to flock to it,either – it’s attracted people of all ages,backgrounds and abilities.
Drenching yourself in colour is definitely joyful. Yet it’s also soothing to finger-paint and use sponges to create swirls on the perspex wall.
Drenching yourself in colour is definitely joyful. Yet it’s also soothing to finger-paint and use sponges to create swirls on the perspex wall.
The whole experience proves so immersive that my half-hour session flies by and I emerge exhilarated. Mohamed isn’t shocked by my reaction,saying the most common response from people is surprise. “People go,‘Wow,we didn’t expect that something so simple could be so effective in terms of a release.’ It’s almost therapeutic.”
It’s a view supported by clinical psychologist Dr Jodie Lowinger,founder of Sydney’s The Anxiety Clinic. She says that bottling up our feelings can lead to a loss of emotional control,which then increases stress levels,anxiety,anger and agitation. “When we allow emotional expression in safe and healthy ways,it can actually lead to a decrease in emotional intensity and have a positive impact on our mental health,” says Lowinger.
Being creative also anchors us in the present,rather than allowing thoughts to wander to future worries. Because you’re there to enjoy the experience,not produce a work of art,there’s no space for perfectionism,either.
Lowinger says any creative pursuit,whether it’s drawing,painting,dancing or baking – can lead to similar rewards. That is,as long as your focus is on the activity itself,rather than the outcome.
If you choose to paint the town red,where better to let loose than in a room designed for that purpose? No matter what brings you to the Splash room,Mohamed says you’re bound to leave feeling buoyed:“No one has ever left without a smile.”
Evelyn Lewin is a GP and freelance writer.
Make the most of your health,relationships,fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. every Monday.