Feeling overwhelmed with work? Frustrated with your teenager? Deeply brokenhearted? Whatever’s making your eyes well up can roll out at this meetup group in Mumbai – The Cry Club. Yup, I did a double-take hard enough to give me something to cry about when I first came across this event. Mumbai is no stranger to wacky events – there’s a fake wedding party happening this weekend. But this crying club is perhaps the city’s most bizarre yet thoughtful event to crop up in years. Three sessions are happening this month on July 5, 6, and 20. Here’s what you can expect.
Crying Club – a judgement-free safe space
Imagine group therapy, but without a counsellor and plenty of soft lighting and soothing music to create a safe space. Venues change, but are always stocked with tissues and endless cups of tea so you can spill the emotional tea. It’s open to men and women aged 18+.
The first rule of The Cry Club is you don’t judge people talking at The Cry Club. DM’d an ex for their birthday at 2 am and got left on read? No one in the group is going to point out it was a dumb thing to do, and analyse your attachment styles like a friend or therapist would. ‘‘We all go through things in our lives that we aren’t comfortable confiding in friends and family,’ says Saurav, from Small World, the events company behind The Cry Club and similar creative IRL meetups.
But… isn’t crying in front of people embarrassing?
Not at all, says Saurav. Previous Cry Club sessions turned out to be therapeutic for attendees, who snivelled, wailed and wept without inhibitions. Moreover, in a crowded city like Mumbai, where personal space and privacy to bawl your eyes out are hard to come by, and mental healthcare costs a fortune, events like this are a relief to those who live with roommates and big families. Or can’t afford therapy.
In recent years, digital pages like Twitter account @Fesshole and Reddit group r/offmychest that offer people the opportunity to anonymously dump their emotional baggage, confessing fears, mistakes and feelings have exploded in popularity. However, these forums come with the risk of hate comments and trolls, which can make people feel more alienated and alone. At the crying club, everyone only receives kindness and hugs (with your consent). That’s the second rule.
And the third rule of The Cry Club? Just show up with your baggage.
🎟️: INR 499 per person
👉🏽: Book here
📍: Lil Gamby Pizza Shop at Lower Parel on July 5, Out of the Blue in Khar on July 6 and Monkey Bar Bandra on July 20