Drumming Therapy

Percussion And Drumming for Therapy

The History of Drumming

Drumming has been, and still is, used down through history by all cultures of the world. Drumming has been a feature of ceremonies such as weddings, births, deaths & harvests etc. For thousands of years therapeutic rhythm techniques have been used throughout many cultures to create and maintain physical, mental, and spiritual health. 

Psychological Benefits or Drumming

Drumming is good for relaxation, fosters a sense of unity and encourages self-expression, resulting in a more positive self-esteem. There is now evidence that drumming can have beneficial psychological effects and can be therapeutic.

In the medical field, the hand drumming therapy is being used to help Alzheimer's patients improve their short-term memory and increase social interaction and to help autistic children increase their attention spans. Percussion therapy is being used to aid Parkinson's patients and stroke victims to regain the control of movement or increase their gaits.

It could also help with team building and enhancing staff retention.

Drumming for Stress Relief

Drumming can be used in both Psychological and Physiological Applications. Some of the psychological applications in which drums are being used include assisting war veterans to release the emotional pain of post-traumatic stress disorder, releasing the pent-up anger and negative emotions of "at-risk" adolescents, and promoting health in corporate executives through releasing their day-to-day stress, in addition to many other applications.

A recent study by Barry Quinn, a clinical psychologist specialising in neurobio feedback for stress management, indicates that drumming for brief periods can actually change a person’s brainwave patterns, dramatically reducing stress. He has found that the effect of drumming produces far greater results than any other form of stress management.

Drumming is something everyone can do, and requires no musical training. We provide all the instruments and basic training.

Related Articles on Drumming Therapy

What will they get out of it?

Participating in group percussion sessions such as samba drumming workshops can help individuals discover a sense of community, because they have to work together to accomplish a common goal. It helps with concentration and patience. Playing percussion creates a lot of fun and enjoyment. To spend a few hours learning to play unfamiliar rhythms on instruments you may never even have seen before, and then to produce a creditable performance is enormously rewarding. Individuals will find they can usually produce an acceptable sound on an instrument relatively quickly, without having to put in hours of practice. This makes workshops accessible to people of all abilities and all ages. Percussion drumming workshops or samba workshops are a very positive activity which will enhance:

  • Listening skills
  • Ability to work together as a team
  • Communication skills
  • Concentration
  • Character building
  • Social skills

What will they be doing?

People learn by listening, so you do not need to have any previous experience of playing an instrument or the ability to read music. Drumming workshops for therapy are led by a professional facilitator and includes:

  • An explanation of the basics
  • Learning patterns for each instrument
  • Playing both in sections and together as a whole group
  • Learning visual and whistle cues for starting and stopping
  • Learning 'breaks' - the introduction of a different pattern, or a section playing on its own

How long does a programme last?

A programme can be a single workshop experience or can be a series of workshops or events.

  • A few hours
  • One or two days
  • A course of shorter sessions
  • Regular weekly sessions

Find out how our samba, percussion therapy and drumming therapy workshops can be of assistance to you.

+44(0)1457 866966

Contact us for more info or a provisional quotation.