About

The Catherine Method is a TikTok trend in which users send their crush or romantic partner a series of cryptic, often spiritual-looking images in an attempt to get their attention and confuse them. The trend is inspired by influencer Catherine McBroom of the Ace Family after her ex-husband, Austin McBroom, posted a Snapchat video showing viewers a series of cryptic images that Catherine sent him, asking what they meant. The video was shared on TikTok in mid-May 2025, inspiring the trend shortly after.

Origin

On May 13th, 2025, TikToker^[1] @userxtiktokshopaff reposted a video from Austin McBroom's Snapchat channel captioned, "I'm sorry this might be insensitive but this took me out," garnering over 1.3 million views in two days. In the video, Austin shows off a text from his ex-wife, Catherine McBroom, consisting of four cryptic, spiritual images. Catherine had recently been experimenting regularly with Ayahuasca and Austin was making some allegations about her using the drug irresponsibly and with his children in the house. He wonders out loud what they mean.

It is unclear who started the "Catherine Method" meme, however, the next day, TikTokers began posting videos of themselves sending similarly cryptic images to their crushes or partners and calling it the "Catherine Method."

One of the earliest known examples was posted on May 13th by TikToker^[2] @tu_gallito_ with a video captioned, "Catherine method on fineshyt," garnering over 3.2 million views in a day.

Spread

The trend continued to go viral over the following days as users uploaded videos attempting the Catherine Method. On May 14th, 2025, TikToker^[3] @.ingrxd2011 posted a video doing the method on her boyfriend, garnering over 2.5 million views in a day.

Later that day, TikToker^[4] @ashcash7774 posted a video attempting to do the method on her boyfriend, garnering over 600,000 views in under 24 hours.

Around the same time in mid-May 2025, X^[5] users began posting images to be used as part of the Catherine Method meme.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References