Drumming, the rhythm of healing
- lsbyford
- Jun 29, 2019
- 2 min read
I used to joke with my youngest son, who plays the drum set, about becoming a music therapist. I thought music therapists only played flute or guitar. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that percussion instruments and drums are actually used in music therapy!
Why drums?
Well, life revolves around rhythm. The main rhythm of the human is produced by the heart beating and lung breathing. Brains are also rhythmic and cycle between the left and right hemisphere. Drumming draws it all together causing hemispheric synchronization where both sides of the brain work together at the same time providing feelings of energy and relaxation.
Transcendence to a hurting soul.
How can this happen with drums?
Therapists use a variety of percussion instruments like shakers, tambourines, xylophones to African drums. A session may be one-on-one, in a group or even a drum circle.
- Drumming can release of negative feelings, reduce stress and provide distraction from pain. There is no better way to get rid of anxiety, stress, tension and/or anger than to hit something without hurting yourself or others. Drumming releases endorphins and oxytocin, hormones that elevate mood, control pain and decrease stress.
- Drumming boosts the immune system by increasing the presence of T-cells which fight viruses and destroy cancer cells in the body.
- Drumming improves fine and gross motor skills to upper and lower extremities including hand-eye coordination.
- Drumming enhances connection with others especially when used in a group setting.
- Drumming improves communication non-verbally and/or verbally with repetition to a beat.
- Drumming improves cognitive needs by working on attention, impulse control and decision-making skills.
How do music therapists use drums in their therapy?
- Drum conversations encourage taking turns with playing a beat and the exchange of a musical dialogue.
- Rhythmic drumming starts with one person playing a single beat as the pulse of the pattern then the others can copy the beat or play patterns to lay over the beat.
- Drumming to music allows people to play along to the beat or to mimic the instruments in the song.
- Self-expression and drum emotions work on improvising feelings by using drums or other percussion instruments.
- Descriptive drumming activities involve playing a drum riff relating to life moments that lead to discussions of problems and/or feelings.
Music therapists have goals for their clients, so the way they use drums and percussion instruments will vary based on these goals and their clients needs.
Music therapy with drums has shown positive results when used with the military, cancer patients, clients with depression, clients with Parkinson's disease, children with special needs and other groups.
"The spirit of the drum is something that you feel but cannot put your hands on, It does something to you from the inside out . . . It hits people in so many different ways. But the feeling is one that is satisfying and joyful. It is a feeling that makes you say to yourself, ' I'm glad to be alive today! I'm glad to be part of this world!"
Click on the link below for a video about drum therapy with senior citizens:
Click on the link below for a video about drum therapy for traumatic brain injury clients:
Click on the link below for a video about drum therapy with youth:
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